Andrew Henry's Meadow - by Doris Burn

The need for escape is essential in any child's life. That's why so many of us attempt, dream, or accomplish running away (not to trivialize a horrible and actual occurrance for so many families). Michael Chabon, quotes David Foster Wallace in his new book Manhood for Amateurs, when he states that fiction allows us to live other lives, to escape the prison of reality. While I will debate the fact that our reality is a prison - though it seems this way at times, I do believe that fiction allows us to retreat while simultaneously pressing on. One of the first books that I can remember, outside of the ubiquitous Dick and Jane series, was Andrew Henry's Meadow. Though not fantasy, it is not completely based in reality. A boy, desparate to invent, flees his "oppressive" family, and lands in a meadow, where he builds a fort. Other children from the same town have similar experiences and end up in the same meadow. Andrew builds forts for each of them based on their loves and thus they live, until their families come searching and the secret meadow is found.

The artwork blending with simple narrative gave just as much voice to the unspoken feelings of frustration as Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. It went out of print for a while, but as far as I know can be bought once again.