Of myths and riddles

In John Hendrix’s The Mythmakers (Abrams, 224 pp.), a lion and wizard act as narrators to explore the legendary friendship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Hendrix begins with an overview of each man’s childhood and young adulthood, but he cautions that his “book is not meant to be an encyclopedic account of their lives and accomplishments; rather, it is a portal.” Hendrix’s well-researched portal takes readers on an engaging journey “to unfold the meaning of myth” and scrutinize why it was pivotal not only to this friendship and Lewis’ conversion, but also to the creation of some of the greatest literary works ever penned.

While this graphic-novel-style book is intended for tweens, it may hold greater appeal for older readers due to the book’s detailed focus on the concept of myth and fairy tale, which at times gets a bit complex. Hendrix seemingly recognized this challenge: He cleverly responds to it by inviting readers who want to take a deeper look at certain concepts to enter “portals”—which are really just special sections at the end of the book where the characters continue their conversations. Parents, also, will find good material to discuss with their tween readers, particularly in the portion that relates a key conversation Lewis had with Tolkien and Hugo Dyson discussing the idea that myth is invention about truth. “We write myths,” Hendrix notes, “because our hearts were written by a Mythmaker.”

The book takes a sad turn as Hendrix chronicles the fracturing of Tolkien’s and Lewis’ fellowship, which tragically was never repaired this side of heaven. But Hendrix’s conclusion still offers readers the satisfying fairy-tale ending while pointing to our hope of true reconciliation on the other side.

In The Bletchley Riddle (Viking, 400 pp.), Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin collaborate to craft a historical-fiction mystery set in the code-breaking era of World War II England. Middle graders will welcome the fast-paced action that opens with 19-year-old Jakob Novis discovering his 14-year-old sister Lizzie has missed the boat that was supposed to take her to live in safety with their American grandmother. Lizzie must now join the secretive world of Bletchley Park, where Jakob works with others to break the Enigma code.

Lizzie embraces her role as a mes­senger on the estate, seeing it as the perfect guise to help her uncover the truth surrounding her mother’s purported death. Although Jakob is at first resigned to the loss of his mother, Lizzie’s dogged determination and a series of odd clues draw him into the mystery. They both soon discover that not all is as it appears, and they must stay one step ahead of others who stand in the way of finding the truth.

Although a subplot depicts a budding romance between young Lizzie and a boy, parents will appreciate how The Bletchley Riddle offers a clean, chaste read that pairs adventurous ­fiction with historical detail.