Fantasy is the area where we probably have the greatest books of this century.
Fantasy books are probably America's great contribution to literature for children.
Read that book's second chapter if you want to know what fine writing for children is about. This work just resonates over time. The author is dealing with such important questions, yet the weight of the material never overcomes the story. That's what you look for in successful writing, and it's exactly the opposite of what you find so often now. Authors are preaching too much now, or taking a misguided approach to books as bibliotherapy.