Simon & Schuster

Bidding 2012 adieu with the last post in our Imaginary Worlds Author Series         

Imaginary Worlds from Children’s Literature by Kristen den Hartog

Narnia is covered with snow when Lucy first reaches it from the wardrobe, because the White Witch has got the land “under her thumb. It’s she that makes it always winter. Always winter and never Christmas.” (The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis)

In my novel The Girl Giant, the main character Ruth loves her rubber boots because they take her through puddles to the shores of a distant land, where trees talk, and flowers grow taller than she does. It’s a make-believe place – an escape from the hardships of being an outcast. I’ve been thinking about the many imaginary worlds of children’s literature, and what an adventure it would be to travel to them.”

Has anyone read J.K. Rowling's THE CASUAL VACANCY? To celebrate the release of her new book, we bring you a special installment in our IMAGINARY WORLDS author series by Kristen den Hartog!      

"The Wizarding World exists right alongside the Muggle World, with a complex transportation system: you can catch the Hogwarts Express by penetrating a brick wall on platform 9 ¾, but there’s also the Knight Bus, the Floo network, and apparition – plus handy tools like the Marauder’s Map and the Invisibility Cloak that make traveling all the more wizardly. (Harry Potter, JK Rowling)

In my novel The Girl Giant, the main character Ruth loves her rubber boots because they take her through puddles to the shores of a distant land, where trees talk, and flowers grow taller than she does. It’s a make-believe place – an escape from the hardships of being an outcast. I’ve been thinking about the many imaginary worlds of children’s literature, and what an adventure it would be to travel to them.”

Check back soon for more Imaginary Worlds.

Follow Kristen den Hartog on Twitter.

Author Series         

Imaginary Worlds from Children’s Literature by Kristen den Hartog

"Neverland is two stars to the right and straight on til morning. 'Of all the delectable islands the Neverland is the snuggest and most compact, not large and sprawly, you know, with tedious distances between one adventure and another, but nicely crammed.' " (Peter Pan by JM Barrie)

"In my novel The Girl Giant, the main character Ruth loves her rubber boots because they take her through puddles to the shores of a distant land, where trees talk, and flowers grow taller than she does. It’s a make-believe place – an escape from the hardships of being an outcast. I’ve been thinking about the many imaginary worlds of children’s literature, and what an adventure it would be to travel to them.”

Check back soon for more Imaginary Worlds.

Author Series         

Imaginary Worlds from Children’s Literature by Kristen den Hartog

Where the Wild Things Are (by Maurice Sendak) is reachable by private boat, through night and day, in and out of weeks, and over a year. A boy once wrote to Sendak to ask: “How much does it cost to get to where the wild things are? If it is not expensive, my sister and I would like to spend the summer there.”

In my novel The Girl Giant, the main character Ruth loves her rubber boots because they take her through puddles to the shores of a distant land, where trees talk, and flowers grow taller than she does. It’s a make-believe place – an escape from the hardships of being an outcast. I’ve been thinking about the many imaginary worlds of children’s literature, and what an adventure it would be to travel to them.”

Check back soon for more Imaginary Worlds.

S&S STAFF FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOKS

"My first “chapter book” was Charlotte’s Web. Only I didn’t realize you had to read the chapters in order…that was confusing for a while." - Sarah Knight, S&S Senior Editor