Common Sense Media Review
By Sage Moreaux
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Inspiring, dense graphic novel bio of two fantasy greats.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE MYTHMAKERS is the true story of the friendship between C.S. Lewis, who wrote the Chronicles of Narnia, and J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Told in a combination of illustrations and pages of text, the story is narrated by a lion and a wizard who tell about the life stories of both men. The focus is on their longtime friendship and their shared love for the power of myth and the creation of fantastical worlds. The story jumps between details of each man's childhood and a brief history of the mythologies and writings that inspired these men. Their religious similarities and differences, and how Christianity shaped both their lives and their written works, is sprinkled throughout this comprehensive biography.
Is It Any Good?
Inspirational and informative, this biography will delight anyone who loves the works of either C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien. The Mythmakers tells the little-known tale about their long-time friendship and explores how this friendship shaped their respective works, and by extension, the modern fantasy and speculative fiction market as a whole. The story will reosnate for anyone who loves to write or create their own imaginative worlds.
With many pages of full text, it's a dense graphic novel, but the pacing helps keep readers engaged, as does the clever employment of a lion and wizard as narrators. There is quite a bit about the mens' religious beliefs, which people uninterested in religious studies may find long-winded. The art is well drawn, in mostly purple and yellow hues, giving it a subtle flair. While appropriate content-wise for readers age 10 and older, some younger readers may be turned off by the text heaviness, sophisticated concepts, and the lack of bright colors, but fans of any age will find much to enjoy here.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the author's choice to tell The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien in graphic novel format. What does this add to the story? Why do you think the author chose this format?
What do you think about the focus of Christianity as an important factor in the characters' lives? Do you think this story could have been told as accurately without including so much about the men's religious beliefs?
The two World Wars had a profound impact on both authors. How do you think these experiences impacted their writing? Do you think it's possible to create a powerful story without such a devastating experience?
Both men worked on their writing their entire lives. Do they both exhibit the same amount of dedication to their storytelling? How do you think they differ as authors?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : John Hendrix
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Friendship , History
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Harry N Abrams
- Publication date : September 24, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 14
- Number of pages : 224
- Available on : Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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