Redwall [Hardcover]

Brian Jacques (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2007 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Redwall

The book that kicked off the phenomenon is now reissued with brandnew jacket art in honor of its 20th anniversary. Readers will delight anew in the thrilling adventures of young Matthias as he discovers the hero within. Brian Jacques’ classic tale of peaceful creatures forced to band together in battle has never felt more timely or full of life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brian Jacques lives in Liverpool, England.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Philomel; 20 Anv edition (October 4, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399247947
• ISBN-13: 978-0399247941
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #639,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A well-known radio personality in his native Liverpool--as well as an actor, stand-up comic, and playwright--Brian Jacques (1939-2011) was the host of "Jakestown" on BBC Radio Merseyside. Ever the performer, Jacques was well-known for applying his acting and entertainment background to his lively presentations to legions of young fans at schools across the United States and England. Brian Jacques was born in Liverpool, England on June 15th, 1939. Along with forty percent of the population of Liverpool, his ancestral roots are in Ireland, County Cork to be exact. He grew up in the area around the Liverpool docks. His interest in adventure stories began at an early age with reading the books of: Daniel Defoe, Sir Henry Rider Haggard, Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Thomas Malory, Robert Michael Ballantyne, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Kenneth Grahame. He attended St. John's School, an inner city school that had its playground on the roof. On his first day at St. John's, at the age of ten, he had an experience that marked his potential as a writer. When given an assignment of writing a story about animals, he wrote about the bird that cleaned a crocodile's teeth. The teacher could not, and would not, believe that a ten year old could write that well. When young Brian refused to falsely say that he had copied the story, he was caned as "a liar". He had always loved to write, but it was only then, that he realized that he had a talent for writing. "My favourite teacher was Mr. Austin Thomas. He looked like Lee Marvin. Big Man. A Captain in World War II. He came to school on a big bush bike with the haversack on back. He was a man's man. Always fair. I was fourteen at the time when Mr. Thomas introduced the class to poetry and Greek literature. (Because of him, I saved seven shillings and sixpence to buy The Iliad and The Odyssey at this dusty used book shop.)" This interest in poetry extended to Wordsworth, Tennyson, and Goldsmith. It was also at St. John's that Brian met a teacher, Alan Durband (who also taught two Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison), who, more than thirty years later would bring about a major change in his life. After Brian finished school at fifteen, he set out to find adventure as a merchant seaman. He travelled to many far away ports, including New York, Valparaiso, San Francisco, and Yokohama. Tiring of the lonely life of a sailor, he returned to Liverpool where he worked as a railway fireman, a longshoreman, a long-distance truck driver, a bus driver, a boxer, a bobby (Police Constable 216D), a postmaster, and a stand-up comic. Jacques passed away in February of 2011 at the age of 71.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Redwall, January 30, 2011

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Redwall (Hardcover)

Redwall is a fantastic read! It is set in medieval times in a place called Redwall Abbey. All the characters are animals, and the main character is a young mouse named Mathias, who becomes a true warrior as the Abbey is attacked by an evil rat and his army. A satisfying read, I loved it! There's no need to wait for a sequel. There are already twenty more books! I would rate this book PG, because there is some violence and death, but really not any more intense than a Harry Potter book, (which I enjoy deeply) or a superhero TV show. All in all, it's extremely well written! I would recommend this book to adults too. Its plot is definitely complex enough. Enjoy Redwall!

5.0 out of 5 stars Original Cover? I think Yes., September 25, 2010

By 

Elizabeth - See all my reviews

This review is from: Redwall (Hardcover)

Redwall, although being the first book in the series, I read it second. I loved every single second that I was engulfed by evil rat lords and brave young mice wielding a legendary sword. I would reccommend this book to anyone of any age! My only remark is that I enjoyed the original cover a lot more then the 20th anniversary cover. There was more of a feeling of midieval times in the old cover. Still, don't let that guide you away from owning a copy of "Redwall"! I'm glad I started this series and read all of the books, from Redwall to the Sable Quean.