“It is generally agreed that some of those stories that we read and hear as children do stay with us and in some way furnish our minds” – Sheila Ray
Childhood is a magical period. Many children's authors produce pages which allow children to step into and fully experience this magic and wonder. Youngsters, for example, roam around Narnia and Hogwarts along with the characters, joining them on their adventures, and in the process, lose themselves in worlds other than their own. Time is a deadener, and may induce individuals to lose this magic. But the lessons and joy children’s stories transmit do not escape us, and one might even say that they help shape the adults we become.
So, let’s take a stroll down memory lane and name 5 authors we all know and love:
1. Enid Blyton
My first choice is Enid Blyton, and no, it’s not because I have just submitted my dissertation, which is, incidentally, a study of the author. Well… maybe a smitch. But the truth remains that Blyton rates as a favourite author for many, not only for readers of her time, but even for generations after. Many critics even say she is probably the most successful children’s writer ever. Really and truly, few of us have escaped reading ‘The Famous Five’ or ‘The Five Find-Outers and Dog’ series as children. Blyton teaches many lessons embedded in entertaining fiction, but my favourite will always be that girls can excel at pursuits in which it is the male that traditionally succeeds. Thanks for those 20th century feminist vibes, George!
2. C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis is the great mind behind ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’. If we haven't read them, we’ve definitely watched the films. I don’t know about you but my favourite has to be The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Something about accessing a magical world through a regular wardrobe really fascinated me as a child, and I couldn’t help suspecting that every other wardrobe somehow had a secret passage to an unknowable world full of fauns and white witches. You can imagine my disappointment.
3. J.K. Rowling
Many, when looking back at books that defined their childhood, without a second thought, say ‘Harry Potter’. Indeed, there is nothing quite like spells and adventures at Hogwarts. And how many of us have, at some point, looked at a broom in dismay wishing we were able to play Quidditch? Through her matchless imagination, and of course, impeccable writing, the author conjures up a world which enthralls many children and young adults. The fictional world and characters thereby stay with the readers in their transition to adulthood.
4. Roald Dahl
This writer is inextricably linked with chocolate factories and Oompa Loompas. These helped sprinkle some magic into our everyday childhood days (and also, made us crave Wonka Bars). With other major books like The BFG and Matilda and their unforgettable illustrations, Dahl is one of the world’s best-selling authors, and inevitably, also one of those authors who left an indelible mark on our childhoods.
5. Trevor Zahra
We cannot list our favourite English writers and disregard the literary talent of the Maltese; we are better than that. For this reason, our last, but certainly not least, favourite children’s author is Trevor Zahra. A prolific writer, Zahra is loved by many for producing literary works that either take us back to the past or to a whole new world of imagination and adventure. Meta Jaqa’ ċ-Ċpar and Fuklar Qadim u Bnadar Imċarrta will always be personal favourites.
We may forget the exact storyline of these books, but we will never forget the joy they made us feel upon reading them. So thank you Blyton, Lewis, Rowling, Dahl, Zahra, and those others who did not make it to our top 5 simply because the list would have been too long. Whether to a small or great extent, you’ve taught us, and you’ve made our childhood better.
Okay, now you guys are free to fight the urge and go reread your favourite children’s book.
El x
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