Lloyd Alexader: Gone, but not Forgotten

This past week, another icon of my childhood passed away. Lloyd Alexander holds a singularly special place in my childhood memories, tucked in between C.S. Lewis, whom I read before I could quite understand what was going on, and J.R.R. Tolkien, whom I read long after the fantasy genre had lost its magic over me. By the fourth grade, I had already read the entire Chronicles of Prydain series more times than I've ever read any other book in my life.

Though they lack the intricacies and popularity of Harry Potter, through their simplicity and timelessness, they allow the reader to grow with the characters, rather than forcing the reader to grow up just to read all 800-some-odd pages of the next book. Despite winning a Newbery Medal, among other awards, The Chronicles of Prydain really is the best children's series you've probably never heard of.

Lloyd, your books have inspired the hearts and minds of young assistant pig keepers everywhere to do great things. You will be missed.