An incomplete (but pertinent) bibliography of Lloyd Alexander’s works for young people:
Time Cat, 1963. Takes place in ancient Egypt, Rome, Britain, Ireland, Japan, Italy, Peru, Isle of Man, Germany, and America, all extensively researched and handled with great respect and affection.
The First Two Lives of Lukas Kasha, 1978. Takes place in fantasy Persia, extensively researched.
The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen, 1991. Takes place in fantasy China, patterned after Chinese folklore and fairy tales, extensively researched.
The Arkadians, 1995. Takes place in fantasy Greece and neighboring islands, patterned after Greek myths with very obvious affection.
The Iron Ring, 1997. Takes place in fantasy India. Patterned after Indian myths, incorporates traditional Indian caste systems and the importance of honor and karma, extensively researched. (Also the first Lloyd Alexander book I ever bought with my own money.)
Gypsy Rizka, 1999. Features a Romany heroine.
The Rope Trick, 2002. Takes place in fantasy Italy, pre-unification.
The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio, 2007. Takes place in Arabia.
In all the calls for the need for more culturally diverse books, I have not seen anyone mention Alexander’s works, and that’s a shame. Because I grew up enthralled with fairy tales and folklore of many different lands, and infused with the desire to immerse myself in and explore all sorts of “other” cultures in my writing, and I never considered that an odd way of thinking, and that is due almost entirely to Lloyd. To me, respectfully, excitedly, and lovingly exploring different cultures through fantasy was normal, and sticking with basic European traditions was weird.
We do need diverse books. So let’s not forget the man who was writing them long before any campaign for such notion began, the man who wrote diverse books solely because he loved the richness of them.
I would also like to note that all of the female characters in Alexander’s works are strong, no-nonsense (except for the ones who like nonsense), independent, intelligent, witty characters, at least if not more so as well-rounded as the male characters. And most of them are capable of physical fighting as well, though they tend to be clever enough that they avoid the need to fight much of the time.
(Lloyd Alexander has also written a few picture books which are beautifully illustrated and also culturally rich. The Fortune-Tellers, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, is set in Cameroon, and is witty and charming. Dream-of-Jade: The Emperor’s Cat I (sadly) have not yet read, but it is illustrated by D Brent Burkett and set in Ancient China and looks just as marvelous as all Alexander’s other works. The King’s Fountain, another I’ve not yet read, is illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats and set in the Middle East.)
TL;DR
Lloyd Alexander was awesome.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve never read anything by L. Alexander. I’ve heard wonderful things about him, but never got around to reading his books.
And I did not know that he wrote some picture books. And that Trina Schart Hyman illustrated them–I love her work. I’ll definitely have to check them out.
He’s best known for the Welsh-inspired Prydain Chronicles, but I love all his works. The Arkadians is possibly my favorite, but it’s difficult to choose. And his Vesper Holly series, about a late-Victorian era young woman explorer, archeologist, and adventurer (and her long-suffering guardian) is just sheer fun.