Bellairs, John. 2004. The House With a Clock in Its Walls. Illustrated by Edward Gorey. New York: Penguin Group.
After the death of his parents, Lewis Barnavelt is sent to live with his Uncle Jonathan. When he arrives in New Zebedee, Lewis is surprised to find that he likes his Uncle, the mansion he’s to call home, and Mrs. Zimmermann, Uncle Jonathan’s best friend. He also discovers that magical abilities run in his family. In a misguided attempt to hang on to a friend, Lewis tries his hand at magic, bringing to life a woman capable of ending the world. Unless he and his Uncle have something to say about it, that is.
The House With a Clock in Its Walls is a safe introduction to fantasy for children who’ve yet to explore the genre; emphasis is placed on building a macabre atmosphere bolstered by magic rather than a new world filled with inventive if intimidating language and creatures of imagination. What children will encounter in this book is a real boy with real problems and insecurities, someone they can relate to, who happens to be able to see an illusionary scene straight out of the Battle of Waterloo.
A fantastic addition to the story is Edward Gorey’s illustrations; even without the aid of Bellairs’s words, Gorey’s illustrations would have conveyed the story. Suitably somber and dark, Gorey’s pictures also help children realize a little bit of the magic, showing them what is happening if they can’t make the leap and conjure it on their own.
