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I just finished what I consider to be the last canonical book in this series, so I felt the need to make a post gushing about it and hopefully introducing people to a little-known but excellent book series.
There are five canonical books total, at least in my opinion. Only the first three were written entirely by John Bellairs; the rest were left as incomplete drafts at the time of his death and were completed by Brad Strickland. Strickland then went on to write several more books in the series, but I refuse to touch them. If the writing is good, I have no idea; I just don't want to take the risk that it's bad.
As one might expect, the Lewis Barnavelt series is about a boy named Lewis Barnavelt. Orphaned at the age of twelve, he's sent to live with his uncle Jonathan in New Zebedee, Michigan (a fictional town with one of the greatest town names I've ever read). He quickly discovers that both Jonathan and his next-door neighbor/best friend, Mrs. Zimmermann, both practice magic. From there, Lewis and later his newfound friend Rose Rita have all sorts of adventures, mostly involving some sort of evil spirit, curse, or wizard that's hunting them and must be stopped.
First and foremost, I'd recommend these books because they're written for children, but as exemplified by me, they're still immensely accessible for adults. I'm a proponent of reading children's books anyway, because you can get through one book in one day- and trust me, with the suspenseful plot of these books, you won't want to put them down. Also, if you have kids, you can share the book with them and hopefully enjoy them together.
But John Bellairs' children's books aren't just that. They fall into the rare but important category of HORROR books, written for children. Yes, every story has a happy ending. (That's not a spoiler, it comes with the territory when one is writing a book about children geared towards children.) That doesn't mean that Lewis and co. have an easy time getting to that point. From magical amulets that give the wearer strength, but possesses their soul, to ticking clocks hidden within a house counting down to Doomsday, to evil witches and spirits intent on seeking revenge for past wrongdoings... these books are, quite frankly, SPOOKY. I can't think of a better word than that to describe it. As an adult, I was rarely frightened reading these books (except in the case of Strickland's books, which were noticeably more intense than Bellairs'), but those in the target age range might be a little creeped out. And that's okay. Injected along with the horror are a few healthy doses of humor, and like I mentioned, the good guys always come out on top, and the only deaths that occur are those wicked souls who deserve it. (Honestly, I can't think of a single true death in these books... mostly, it's a matter of getting the dead to return to their graves.) It's the perfect series to introduce kids to horror fiction.
More than anything else, though, I mainly recommend these books based on the strength of the characters. And what refreshing characters they are. Lewis Barnavelt himself is not a brave, dashing protagonist who solves problems with a cool head and a straight face. Instead, he's deeply sensitive, anxious, physically weak, and easily frightened. He cries frequently, loses his nerve in the face of danger, over-eats, makes poor decisions based on the approval of his peers, worries about irrational situations, and is a total history nerd- he'd rather read about famous battles than play sports. In short, he's a relatably flawed character. Almost immediately, I was drawn to kind, self-conscious Lewis, and empathized deeply with his struggles for acceptance- both in gaining the acceptance of his peers, and accepting himself in the process. He's the type of character you just want to protect and see succeed. Furthermore, Lewis is described, in no uncertain terms, as fat, and he's never treated worse for this (except where school bullies are concerned). While he does attempt to lose weight at one point, out of shame for not being able to protect himself & others in a fight, he ultimately comes to accept himself the way he is. In short, I love Lewis and would defend him with my life.
The secondary protagonist, Rose Rita, also subverts traditional gender roles, though female characters like her have become much more prominent in recent years than male characters like Lewis. She's tough, confident, physically capable of holding her own in a fight, and rejects traditionally feminine pursuits in favor of masculine ones, such as playing sports and wearing shorts instead of dresses. (Given how frequently she states that she wishes she was a boy, especially in the Rose Rita-centric The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring, a case could even be made for her being a trans boy, though I'm not sure I agree with that headcanon so I'm using female pronouns.) She is also a history nerd, just like Lewis, and neither are seen as weird for this. Rose Rita also shows no interest in dating or dances, despite many girls her age getting into that, and repeatedly insists that Lewis is her best friend and nothing more. The platonic relationship between the two of them mirrors the platonic relationship between Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmermann, but we'll get to that. Just like Lewis struggling to accept himself, Rose Rita also has her struggles, mainly in feeling pressured to behave more like the "normal" girls, despite not wanting to. What I love most about this is that, as with Lewis never being judged for his weight, Rose Rita never succumbs to the pressure, and the books acknowledge that all girls are different and one doesn't necessarily have to be feminine to still identify as female. Rose Rita is definitely a role model and I love her too.
And now we come to my absolute favorite characters, Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmermann, the two witches. To begin with, their snarky back-and-forth banter provides much of the books' more comedic moments, with the two often using playfully insulting names such as "Weird Beard" and "Brush Mush." They are also best friends, without a hint of romance between them. Mrs. Zimmermann is a widow, and Jonathan's romantic history is never mentioned (aside from a couple lines in the last book to explain why he doesn't have children, but I personally think it sounds off and Brad Strickland probably wrote it, not John Bellairs). Just like how Rose Rita is stronger between herself and Lewis, Mrs. Zimmermann is a much more powerful magic user than Jonathan, which he readily acknowledges without complaint (though he does like to tease her about how she's got more degrees than he does). Their relationships with the kids are also very heartwarming, from Lewis slowly learning to trust his newfound parental figures and bonding with Jonathan, and Mrs. Zimmermann mentoring Rose Rita and providing the positive female role model in her life that she desires. Together, I imagine the four as a found family (though Rose Rita has a family of her own, but I like to think of her as Lewis' honorary sister).
I feel like I haven't really done a great job explaining just how great these books are- maybe it's something that one has to read to find out. To that end, here are the books in the series:
-The House With a Clock in Its Walls. Following the death of his parents, Lewis Barnavelt is sent to live in New Zebedee, Michigan with his uncle Jonathan, whom he discovers practices magic. He and his neighbor, another magic practicioner named Mrs. Zimmermann, are dealing with a magical problem- a ticking clock that's hidden somewhere on the premises of Jonathan's house, whose location is impossible to discern because it sounds like it's coming from behind every wall. Eventually it becomes clear that the house's previous owner intended to use the clock for evil purposes, and when Lewis accidentally lets her spirit out of her tomb, it's up to him to stop her before she finishes what she started. This is my favorite book in the series, which has crept up to being one of my favorite books in general. If nothing else, read this book.
-The Figure in the Shadows. Lewis Barnavelt discovers an old, lucky coin belonging to his great-grandfather, which Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmermann declare has no magical purpose. But Lewis is sure that it does, especially when he begins wearing it in an attempt to become stronger and fight against the bullies at school. Soon, however, strange things begin to happen, and it's not just the bullies Lewis is fighting against, but a spirit intent on possessing him. This one can be a little frustrating at times- Lewis doesn't seem to have developed as a character at all since the first book, and the plot is nearly identical to another of Bellairs' books, The Curse of the Blue Figurine from his Johnny Dixon series- but it's another one of my favorites, if only because I love the relationships between all the characters and this book displays them well.
-The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring. The first Rose Rita-centric book. Rose Rita is not looking forward to summer break, since her best friend Lewis will be away at camp, but when Mrs. Zimmermann receives an old letter from a distant relative, the two of them are thrown into an adventure. I can't remember much else about the plot so I can't summarize it too much, but there is an evil witch and lots of mysterious happenings, and rose Rita's personality is clearly defined. I wasn't really a fan of her in the previous book, but this book brought me around to loving her.
-The Ghost in the Mirror (completed by Brad Strickland). The second book to feature Rose Rita. Another summer vacation means another adventure for Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmermann, except this time it's a trip back to the year 1828 in a quest to restore Mrs. Zimmermann's lost magic, and to help the ancestors of the family who had once taught Mrs. Zimmermann magic. However, they run into more trouble than they expected when it turns out an evil wizard is tormenting the family, and with Mrs. Zimmermann having lost her memory in the transition, Rose Rita needs all the help she can get... Probably my least favorite book in the series, but I'm biased against it because it wasn't written entirely by Bellairs and I also missed Lewis as a protagonist so badly that I wasn't in the right frame of mind when I read it. Great for more Rose Rita content (although her characterization seems off at times, particularly where her personal feelings on Lewis are concerned...), and there's a hook at the end that leads right into...
-The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder (completed by Brad Strickland). While Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmermann are off exploring the past, Lewis and Jonathan are firmly in the present, traveling through Europe. They visit distant relatives at an old English manor, to whom Lewis takes a liking, especially the young boy Bertie who shares his love for Sherlock Holmes stories. One night, Lewis and Bertie decide to explore the hedge maze based on an old map Lewis has discovered, which indicates that something special might be hidden in the center. However, the special something turns out to not be the treasure they're hoping for, but the spirit of a witch-finder who persecuted the Barnavelt ancestors, and is now eager to enact revenge upon being disturbed... I honestly loved this book, it might even be my second favorite in the series, despite the fact that Bellairs didn't write all of it. Bertie and Lewis' friendship is a real delight, and the creepy scenes are sufficiently terrifying, going even further than what Bellairs usually wrote.
Other things to check out related to John Bellairs:
-His other series, Johnny Dixon, which I personally don't like as much as Lewis Barnavelt, but it's still a good way to fill the gaping void of "why aren't there any more books??" that this series will leave in you.
-This excellent fanfic for the series, about an older Lewis and Rose Rita having an extraterrestrial encounter:https://archiveofourown.org/works/10759
-The film adaptation of The House With a Clock in Its Walls, which takes quite a few liberties and has a couple problematic aspects (mostly, I'm annoyed that Lewis isn't fat in this version, and that Mrs. Zimmermann isn't a old woman), but I still loved it... then again, I watched it when I was all hyped up about it and I haven't seen it since, so.
There are five canonical books total, at least in my opinion. Only the first three were written entirely by John Bellairs; the rest were left as incomplete drafts at the time of his death and were completed by Brad Strickland. Strickland then went on to write several more books in the series, but I refuse to touch them. If the writing is good, I have no idea; I just don't want to take the risk that it's bad.
As one might expect, the Lewis Barnavelt series is about a boy named Lewis Barnavelt. Orphaned at the age of twelve, he's sent to live with his uncle Jonathan in New Zebedee, Michigan (a fictional town with one of the greatest town names I've ever read). He quickly discovers that both Jonathan and his next-door neighbor/best friend, Mrs. Zimmermann, both practice magic. From there, Lewis and later his newfound friend Rose Rita have all sorts of adventures, mostly involving some sort of evil spirit, curse, or wizard that's hunting them and must be stopped.
First and foremost, I'd recommend these books because they're written for children, but as exemplified by me, they're still immensely accessible for adults. I'm a proponent of reading children's books anyway, because you can get through one book in one day- and trust me, with the suspenseful plot of these books, you won't want to put them down. Also, if you have kids, you can share the book with them and hopefully enjoy them together.
But John Bellairs' children's books aren't just that. They fall into the rare but important category of HORROR books, written for children. Yes, every story has a happy ending. (That's not a spoiler, it comes with the territory when one is writing a book about children geared towards children.) That doesn't mean that Lewis and co. have an easy time getting to that point. From magical amulets that give the wearer strength, but possesses their soul, to ticking clocks hidden within a house counting down to Doomsday, to evil witches and spirits intent on seeking revenge for past wrongdoings... these books are, quite frankly, SPOOKY. I can't think of a better word than that to describe it. As an adult, I was rarely frightened reading these books (except in the case of Strickland's books, which were noticeably more intense than Bellairs'), but those in the target age range might be a little creeped out. And that's okay. Injected along with the horror are a few healthy doses of humor, and like I mentioned, the good guys always come out on top, and the only deaths that occur are those wicked souls who deserve it. (Honestly, I can't think of a single true death in these books... mostly, it's a matter of getting the dead to return to their graves.) It's the perfect series to introduce kids to horror fiction.
More than anything else, though, I mainly recommend these books based on the strength of the characters. And what refreshing characters they are. Lewis Barnavelt himself is not a brave, dashing protagonist who solves problems with a cool head and a straight face. Instead, he's deeply sensitive, anxious, physically weak, and easily frightened. He cries frequently, loses his nerve in the face of danger, over-eats, makes poor decisions based on the approval of his peers, worries about irrational situations, and is a total history nerd- he'd rather read about famous battles than play sports. In short, he's a relatably flawed character. Almost immediately, I was drawn to kind, self-conscious Lewis, and empathized deeply with his struggles for acceptance- both in gaining the acceptance of his peers, and accepting himself in the process. He's the type of character you just want to protect and see succeed. Furthermore, Lewis is described, in no uncertain terms, as fat, and he's never treated worse for this (except where school bullies are concerned). While he does attempt to lose weight at one point, out of shame for not being able to protect himself & others in a fight, he ultimately comes to accept himself the way he is. In short, I love Lewis and would defend him with my life.
The secondary protagonist, Rose Rita, also subverts traditional gender roles, though female characters like her have become much more prominent in recent years than male characters like Lewis. She's tough, confident, physically capable of holding her own in a fight, and rejects traditionally feminine pursuits in favor of masculine ones, such as playing sports and wearing shorts instead of dresses. (Given how frequently she states that she wishes she was a boy, especially in the Rose Rita-centric The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring, a case could even be made for her being a trans boy, though I'm not sure I agree with that headcanon so I'm using female pronouns.) She is also a history nerd, just like Lewis, and neither are seen as weird for this. Rose Rita also shows no interest in dating or dances, despite many girls her age getting into that, and repeatedly insists that Lewis is her best friend and nothing more. The platonic relationship between the two of them mirrors the platonic relationship between Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmermann, but we'll get to that. Just like Lewis struggling to accept himself, Rose Rita also has her struggles, mainly in feeling pressured to behave more like the "normal" girls, despite not wanting to. What I love most about this is that, as with Lewis never being judged for his weight, Rose Rita never succumbs to the pressure, and the books acknowledge that all girls are different and one doesn't necessarily have to be feminine to still identify as female. Rose Rita is definitely a role model and I love her too.
And now we come to my absolute favorite characters, Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmermann, the two witches. To begin with, their snarky back-and-forth banter provides much of the books' more comedic moments, with the two often using playfully insulting names such as "Weird Beard" and "Brush Mush." They are also best friends, without a hint of romance between them. Mrs. Zimmermann is a widow, and Jonathan's romantic history is never mentioned (aside from a couple lines in the last book to explain why he doesn't have children, but I personally think it sounds off and Brad Strickland probably wrote it, not John Bellairs). Just like how Rose Rita is stronger between herself and Lewis, Mrs. Zimmermann is a much more powerful magic user than Jonathan, which he readily acknowledges without complaint (though he does like to tease her about how she's got more degrees than he does). Their relationships with the kids are also very heartwarming, from Lewis slowly learning to trust his newfound parental figures and bonding with Jonathan, and Mrs. Zimmermann mentoring Rose Rita and providing the positive female role model in her life that she desires. Together, I imagine the four as a found family (though Rose Rita has a family of her own, but I like to think of her as Lewis' honorary sister).
I feel like I haven't really done a great job explaining just how great these books are- maybe it's something that one has to read to find out. To that end, here are the books in the series:
-The House With a Clock in Its Walls. Following the death of his parents, Lewis Barnavelt is sent to live in New Zebedee, Michigan with his uncle Jonathan, whom he discovers practices magic. He and his neighbor, another magic practicioner named Mrs. Zimmermann, are dealing with a magical problem- a ticking clock that's hidden somewhere on the premises of Jonathan's house, whose location is impossible to discern because it sounds like it's coming from behind every wall. Eventually it becomes clear that the house's previous owner intended to use the clock for evil purposes, and when Lewis accidentally lets her spirit out of her tomb, it's up to him to stop her before she finishes what she started. This is my favorite book in the series, which has crept up to being one of my favorite books in general. If nothing else, read this book.
-The Figure in the Shadows. Lewis Barnavelt discovers an old, lucky coin belonging to his great-grandfather, which Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmermann declare has no magical purpose. But Lewis is sure that it does, especially when he begins wearing it in an attempt to become stronger and fight against the bullies at school. Soon, however, strange things begin to happen, and it's not just the bullies Lewis is fighting against, but a spirit intent on possessing him. This one can be a little frustrating at times- Lewis doesn't seem to have developed as a character at all since the first book, and the plot is nearly identical to another of Bellairs' books, The Curse of the Blue Figurine from his Johnny Dixon series- but it's another one of my favorites, if only because I love the relationships between all the characters and this book displays them well.
-The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring. The first Rose Rita-centric book. Rose Rita is not looking forward to summer break, since her best friend Lewis will be away at camp, but when Mrs. Zimmermann receives an old letter from a distant relative, the two of them are thrown into an adventure. I can't remember much else about the plot so I can't summarize it too much, but there is an evil witch and lots of mysterious happenings, and rose Rita's personality is clearly defined. I wasn't really a fan of her in the previous book, but this book brought me around to loving her.
-The Ghost in the Mirror (completed by Brad Strickland). The second book to feature Rose Rita. Another summer vacation means another adventure for Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmermann, except this time it's a trip back to the year 1828 in a quest to restore Mrs. Zimmermann's lost magic, and to help the ancestors of the family who had once taught Mrs. Zimmermann magic. However, they run into more trouble than they expected when it turns out an evil wizard is tormenting the family, and with Mrs. Zimmermann having lost her memory in the transition, Rose Rita needs all the help she can get... Probably my least favorite book in the series, but I'm biased against it because it wasn't written entirely by Bellairs and I also missed Lewis as a protagonist so badly that I wasn't in the right frame of mind when I read it. Great for more Rose Rita content (although her characterization seems off at times, particularly where her personal feelings on Lewis are concerned...), and there's a hook at the end that leads right into...
-The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder (completed by Brad Strickland). While Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmermann are off exploring the past, Lewis and Jonathan are firmly in the present, traveling through Europe. They visit distant relatives at an old English manor, to whom Lewis takes a liking, especially the young boy Bertie who shares his love for Sherlock Holmes stories. One night, Lewis and Bertie decide to explore the hedge maze based on an old map Lewis has discovered, which indicates that something special might be hidden in the center. However, the special something turns out to not be the treasure they're hoping for, but the spirit of a witch-finder who persecuted the Barnavelt ancestors, and is now eager to enact revenge upon being disturbed... I honestly loved this book, it might even be my second favorite in the series, despite the fact that Bellairs didn't write all of it. Bertie and Lewis' friendship is a real delight, and the creepy scenes are sufficiently terrifying, going even further than what Bellairs usually wrote.
Other things to check out related to John Bellairs:
-His other series, Johnny Dixon, which I personally don't like as much as Lewis Barnavelt, but it's still a good way to fill the gaping void of "why aren't there any more books??" that this series will leave in you.
-This excellent fanfic for the series, about an older Lewis and Rose Rita having an extraterrestrial encounter:https://archiveofourown.org/works/10759
-The film adaptation of The House With a Clock in Its Walls, which takes quite a few liberties and has a couple problematic aspects (mostly, I'm annoyed that Lewis isn't fat in this version, and that Mrs. Zimmermann isn't a old woman), but I still loved it... then again, I watched it when I was all hyped up about it and I haven't seen it since, so.
