Diana Wynne Jones

One of my favorite childhood authors is Diana Wynne Jones. For many books you loved as a kid, when you go back to read them as an adult, you realize that the story isn’t as clever as you had thought at the time and that all sorts of subtle indoctrination are present everywhere (I’m talking to you, Philip Pullman and C. S. Lewis). However, Jones has the uncanny skill of remaining intriguing, despite the clear angle for children.

But I get ahead of myself. Jones is famous for writing the Chrestomanci series, Howl’s Moving Castle (and the sequels), the Derkholm books, as well as other assorted novels, my favorites being Archer’s Goon and the Homeward Bounders. Without fail, Jones has different but sympathetically flawed characters that emphasize a certain moral quality, or philosophical standpoint without preaching or trying to be deceptive. She clearly teaches tolerance for others who are different while maintaining firm morality. Most of her ideas are completely different from others of the same genre, and are amusing both to children and adults. If you enjoy simple seeming stories with complex solutions, than I encourage you/your children to pick up a Jones novel.