For a lot of people in my generation, Harry Potter was the series that introduced them to fantasy.

For me, it was a few years earlier, with Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness series. I’ve written about this series before on this blog, from her realistic approach to puberty and birth control, to using Alanna as an example of a gender non-conforming character. I have seriously considered naming one of my children after one of her characters. The way that she builds universes, writes about magic, and blends interpersonal relationships is mind-blowing to me to this day.

For over 15 years, her books (I believe I read the Circle of Magic series in the late 90s, and I just finished Melting Stones as an audiobook) have inspired me to see through the differences in other people, care for the earth, and do the right thing even when it seems impossible. If, when I die, they dissect my brain, they will surely find some of Tamora Pierce’s words woven into the gray matter.

Thank you, Tammy, for this wonderful gift.

-Dorothy