Dan Wickenden (1913–1989)

One of my favorite books as a child, and one I still enjoy. Dan Wickenden was a friend of my mother's, which is probably why the book was given to my brother and me. In it two children Ricky and Joanna (following a family tradition) go through a magic casement (window) into a fantasy country where each finds a loyal companion --Ricky an Indian chief, Matinkatunk, and Joana one of my favorite characters, Frederico, the Fretful Porpentine who believes himself unique, though fortunately he eventually meets Carrie Mae, the Tranquil Porpentine. Joanna also meets a python named Ali who turns out to be an enchanted prince, and becomes involved in the rivalry between King Willexander and Queen Mathehildegarde. There is also an outlaw wizard, Kimball O'Malley, expelled from the Triple Peak Society of Wizards and other interesting individuals. I recommended this for reading to the Midgewater Marshes branch of the Mythopoeic Society and was very disappointed that some of my more sophisticated friends thought it heavily didactic, which I never did.

This is illustrated by Erik Blegvad who also did the same kind of clean witty drawings for Edward Eager's books.… (more)