There once was a little mouse...

I gave my wife a copy of The Tale of Despereaux for Christmas; she read it in one sitting and passed it along to me. Although I'm not yet finished, thus far it's a completely delightful book. So as not to ruin it for you, I won't reveal the plot, but I feel safe in saying it's about a mouse who is intent upon taking the road less traveled. That much, at least, is depicted in the theatrical previews and if you've seen them, you know as much as I've told.

I became interested in children's literature back in the dark ages when a friend gave me a copy of The Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle. I was already familiar with The Chronicles of Narnia, having read them while in seminary, but the L'Engle books opened up a whole universe of reading pleasure I'd overlooked. Without moralizing, she places her youthful characters in situations that require serious problem-solving skills and the willingness to be open to new possibilities.

It's easy to view children's literature as "just for the young," but nothing could be further from the truth. Writing for a younger audience allows an author to be simply profound and adults, without even knowing it, may find themselves yearning to see life through the eyes of their youth once more. True, we can't be young again, but we can discover, deep down inside, that youthful part of ourselves that never really goes away and has the capability to lead us to a greater appreciation for the life we lead as adults.

If you happen to pick up a copy of Despereaux, I doubt you'll be disappointed -- even if you've gotten it for a niece or nephew and just couldn't keep yourself from reading it first!