R.I.P. - Brian Jacques

Author Brian Jacques, best known for his remarkable Redwall series, died of a heart attack on 5 February. He was 71 years old.

From NPR:

The 21-book fantasy series Redwall is filled with the heroics of anthropomorphic animals. Foxes, squirrels and mice feast and fight their way through numerous adventures and in the process have won the hearts of millions of young readers.


Since they were first published in 1986, the books have been translated into more than 20 langauages and have sold more than 20 million copies. Jacques wrote the first book to entertain children at a school for the blind where he was a patron.

While I have not yet read any of the books myself, I have known many young readers who have loved them passionately over the years. The gift he gave to a whole world of readers will honor his memory for years to come.