That’s right, Colin Meloy of the Decemberists is about to release a series of Children’s books. Maybe not so surprising as some may report though. The series entitled Wildwood see’s Meloy collaborating with his wife, Carsons Ellis, an illustrator. Wildwood is a classic tale of adventure, magic, and danger.
Wildwood is set in an alternate version of modern-day Portland, Oregon, which is a hotbed of musical activity for us as a station so why not for a folkloric fantasy book? Folk music is steaming with tales and Meloy has never been that far removed from the roots of English folk and story telling. This statement may come as a surprise to some, but he is a folk lover! He makes no secret of his adoration for Shirley Collins. He is a bridge for the modern meets the traditonal. He’s the dog’s bollocks! Shakespeare said that…
“Storytelling and rich imagery are hallmarks of Colin’s songs, so writing a novel seems like a perfect next step for him,” said Donna Bray of Balzer & Bray the co-publishers. ” Wildwood is both incredibly original yet timeless – nothing less than an American Narnia. We’re thrilled to introduce such an exciting new voice in children’s literature.”
“The germ of this series goes back a long way,” Meloy said. “For me, this is the culmination of a long-term collaboration with Carson, matching words and art. I grew up on a steady diet of Lloyd Alexander, Roald Dahl, and Tolkien; this is our humble paean to that grand tradition of epic adventure stories.”
Personally I can’t wait! I read to my kids every night…so the chance to read a story by Meloy is, shall we say, a wee bit selfish? OK, maybe it may be a bit early on in their lives…I don’t want to scare the crap out of them do I?
Pursue the knowledge here!