Redwall: Redwall, Book 1

The Redwall series are enduring classics. Years ago, my oldest son (now 23) devoured them.... and now my younger son (10) is doing the same- and I am thankful for such good stories... o remember reading somewhere that Jacques began writing these after volunteering to read to blind children and finding the books available too filled with angst and not enough magic.... I can’t agree more. These books are filled with imagination and intrigue. The vocabulary is challenging and the descriptions are rich. The characters are entertaining and the story lines creative. Although they characters battle- they strive for a peaceful society so violence isn’t glamorized. As soon as my son finishes 1, he picks up another. They can be read in virtually any order. With 20+ books he will be busy reading for awhile!

This book was recommended to me by my grade school librarian. Brian Jacques books were an essential part of my reading. As an adult I still read every day and it's authors like Brian Jacques that are responsible . Yes this book is violent and the reading can be challenging, but if your kid loves reading and is getting to the stage where the usual books are boring them, this is a great book to keep them interested.

Exciting, imaginative change from superhero junk. Several of the books have female heros. My 10 1/2 yr old son has read 15 of the 21 books in the series, & loves them all.

Think "Lord of the Rings" with mice. Or "Wind in the Willows" with medieval weaponry. Either way, you've got a fine fantasy epic for kids that doesn't talk down to them. It's well-written and richly detailed. Some of the descriptions do go on a bit (the accounts of banquet menus seemed like overkill on occasion), but the sophisticated language really does set the tone nicely. You may have to explain what a parapet or a halberd is, but context helps kids follow along. I read this to my kids when they were 5 and 7. A smart kid over 10 could read it themselves. Note that it does have scenes of combat, as well as some death and sadness, though nothing too graphic.

This book is creepy and violent. The main villian cluny, is pathological and the wanton cruelty is pervasive.

This book has characters that grow on you, and end up growing through the series. Mathias goes from bumbling mouse to warrior with a turn of the season. The good guys win... though some people have come to be tiered of this in the series... the black and white almost seperationg between the animals. AKA, the goodbeast concist of herbavores, and the vermin concist of carnivores. But in this case, it makes logical sense.

Amazing! A fantasy tale that leaves me speechless. The food is described in great detail that my mouth waters, and the battles so epic and for a good cause but I feel so sad about the deaths of characters, but in the end, the peaceful Redwallers always prevail. I first heard the title and I said "Talking Animals! Are you serious? This is going to be stupid!" but I was wrong.... SO SO SO SO SO wrong.

I rather love the Redwall series. One of my concerns is, there is character death in the book, which not all parents are going to want to let their kids read about, because they simple aren't ready.The role models are good though, and one can look up to them. The message that the book has is a rather positive one too.