Most people have at least one such childhood memory, no matter how good or bad their other childhood experiences might have been. We all have childhood memories of times which seemed “magical” or, perhaps for want of a better description, times filled with warmth and family, positive surprises and wonder. Leaving these arguments aside, however, the “magic of childhood” is a universal concept. Many parents and carers disagree about the benefits to children of believing in characters such as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny and those of Christian faith often feel that the latter two detract from the true meaning of the festivals they represent. We at “ The Forever Years” love this series and the movie, because they epitomise the “magic of childhood”, the magic of “believing”. In November of 2012, the series became an animated feature film from DreamWorks Animation: Rise of the Guardians.

Published by Simon & Schuster, these books explore the mythology of childhood legends through vividly illustrated picture books and chapter books for young adults. This follow-up to the New York Times bestselling The Man in the Moon, called “dazzlingly inventive” by Publishers Weekly, introduces us to the sleepy little fellow to whom we all owe many a good nights’ rest, the second Guardian of Childhood, the Sandman.A luminous new book series from William Joyce that redefines the icons of childhood: Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, Sandman, the Man in the Moon and many more.

Firstly, given that Sandy has never had a bad dream, how can MiM convince him how important this new role is to the happy-being of children everywhere? And secondly, how can MiM keep this snoozy ally awake long enough to help? Indeed, Sanderson Mansnoozie seems the perfect choice. Since good dreams always trump bad ones, this means Pitch, the Nightmare King, will be further thwarted in his nefarious quest to terrorize children. His keen eye falls upon a sleepy little fellow living on a sleepy little island who is a sweet-dreamer extraordinaire. One foggy night, the Man in the Moon has a startling thought: When the moon is less than full and bright, who will keep children safe at night? He needs a backup plan! Or a backup Guardian, as it were. The second picture book in Academy Award winner William Joyce’s The Guardians of Childhood series, The Sandman tells the true story of the keeper of dreams.

The guardians of childhood books