The Young Merlin Trilogy: Passager, Hobby, and Merlin [Paperback]

Jane Yolen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2004 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Young Merlin Trilogy

This is the legendary story of Merlin--from his abandonment by his parents at the age of eight to the discovery of his powers at twelve. Together, these three novels reimagine the origins of the greatest wizard of all time, giving readers a Merlin at once more human and more magical than any that has appeared before.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Passager:
[star] "A stark, poignant, and absorbing tale . . . Promises to be an outstanding trilogy."
--School Library Journal (starred review)

"A worthy introduction to Arthurian legend . . . Moving."--The Horn Book

Praise for Hobby:
"Challenging and ambitious . . . Hobby has quiet beauty and strong imagery."--Booklist

Praise for Merlin:
"Leaves the reader hungry for more . . . Great reading."--American Bookseller
ABA's Pick of the Lists

About the Author

JANE YOLEN has written more than two hundred books for children and adults, including Sword of the Rightful King: A Novel of King Arthur. She lives in western Massachusetts and Scotland.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper; 1 edition (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152052119
• ISBN-13: 978-0152052119
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #973,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #74 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Arthurian

More About the Author

Born and raised in New York City, Jane Yolen now lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She attended Smith College and received her master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts. The distinguished author of more than 170 books, Jane Yolen is a person of many talents. When she is not writing, Yolen composes songs, is a professional storyteller on the stage, and is the busy wife of a university professor, the mother of three grown children, and a grandmother. Active in several organizations, Yolen has been on the Board of Directors of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1986 to 1988, is on the editorial board of several magazines, and was a founding member of the Western New England Storytellers Guild, the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild, and the Bay State Writers Guild. For twenty years, she ran a monthly writer's workshop for new children's book authors. In 1980, when Yolen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the citation recognized that "throughout her writing career she has remained true to her primary source of inspiration--folk culture." Folklore is the "perfect second skin," writes Yolen. "From under its hide, we can see all the shimmering, shadowy uncertainties of the world." Folklore, she believes, is the universal human language, a language that children instinctively feel in their hearts. All of Yolen's stories and poems are somehow rooted in her sense of family and self. The Emperor and the Kite, which was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1983 for its intricate papercut illustrations by Ed Young, was based on Yolen's relationship with her late father, who was an international kite-flying champion. Owl Moon, winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal for John Schoenherr's exquisite watercolors, was inspired by her husband's interest in birding. Yolen's graceful rhythms and outrageous rhymes have been gathered in numerous collections. She has earned many awards over the years: the Regina Medal, the Kerlan Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Society of Children's Book Writers Award, the Mythopoetic Society's Aslan Award, the Christopher Medal, the Boy's Club Jr. Book Award, the Garden State Children's Book Award, the Daedalus Award, a number of Parents' Choice Magazine Awards, and many more. Her books and stories have been translated into Japanese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Afrikaans, !Xhosa, Portuguese, and Braille. With a versatility that has led her to be called "America's Hans Christian Andersen," Yolen, the child of two writers, is a gifted and natural storyteller. Perhaps the best explanation for her outstanding accomplishments comes from Jane Yolen herself: "I don't care whether the story is real or fantastical. I tell the story that needs to be told."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The beginnings of Merlin, July 26, 2004

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Young Merlin Trilogy: Passager, Hobby, and Merlin (Paperback)

Nobody writes Merlin like Jane Yolen, whether it's the old man or a starry-eyed little child. And here the fantasy master's "Merlin Trilogy" is brought together in one volume: the ethereal, beautifully-written fantasy stories "Passager," "Hobby," and "Merlin."

"Passager" introduces us to a nameless, homeless boy who has been abandoned for sketchy reasons. The boy lives wild in the woods, but gradually rediscovers his human nature when he encounters a woodsman, who takes him in and gives him a name and a home...

"Hobby" opens with Merlin losing his new adoptive family in a fire. With no one to take care of him, he wanders through the woods again, calling himself Hawk. But then he suddenly encounters a vicious man called Fowler, who kidnaps him -- and not even taking refuge in the circus can keep him safe.

"Merlin" takes us to a different part of the Arthurian legend. Hunted by Fowler, he runs back into the woods and takes refuge there. Unfortunately, he is captured by a village of the wodewose, the wild people who live apart from civilization, and they want to harness his magical dreams. When the village is invaded, Merlin must try to keep himself alive -- and the little boy who will change his life forever.

Few authors can mix fantasy and history as Yane Yolen can, and she doesn't drop the ball in this. On the fantasy side, we have a boy of mysterious origins who dreams of the future; on the other hand, we have medieval lords and underlings, not to mention her skilful use of the wodewose.

These three very, very short novellas are lushly, dreamily written. And most intriguing of all, the first one is almost entirely in Merlin's own mind -- every little event or emotion is seen through the eyes of a wild boy. The second and third are more grounded, but they retain that vague mistiness and sweetness, like a half-remembered dream. Her writing is descriptive and almost sensuous.

Jane Yolen brings the preadolescent Merlin to life in the "Merlin Trilogy," a magical and beautifully written trio of novellas. Rather short, but thoroughly lovely.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, October 11, 2009

By 

Buddy "NoctuDraco" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Young Merlin Trilogy: Passager, Hobby, and Merlin (Paperback)

Very interesting re-working of the tale of Merlin's boyhood. The stories are interesting, exciting, and enjoyable - but they're so short and fast-paced, it really leaves me craving more. This is good and bad. Good, because the stories obviously have something attractive and engaging about them. Bad, because there's not enough there to leave me feeling satisfied. I want more! (I will probably end up researching the stories of Merlin for months to come, thanks to this series).

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ok, not great, retelling of Merlin's young life, December 30, 2006

By 

Kelsey May Dangelo (Vermont) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Young Merlin Trilogy: Passager, Hobby, and Merlin (Paperback)

The Young Merlin Trilogy by Jane Yolen
A book chronicling the young years of Merlin's life, from foundling, to magician's assistant, to wild child who befriends/adopts Arthur, all the time plagued by magical dreams. The book is nicely woven of many different legends of Merlin, also with the symbolism of birds (i.e. passager, hobby, and merlin) to stand for Merlin growing up and finding his destiny. Unfortunately, even though the book is very short, there isn't really a lot there. It's kind of empty and boring. The odd style doesn't really do it any favors. It's frankly disappointing, as Merlin is a funky dude. Grade: C