When I was a kid, a movie based on this book was in my collection. I loved it, even though there were parts of it that honestly made me uncomfortable. Looking back at it, I think that movie actually helped me through losing my own father later on.

I didn't get around to reading the book until much later - after college, I think - and it's now one of my favorites, though it comes in well below The Jungle Book and The Secret Garden, which I like better, though I'm not entirely sure why.

But what do you Inklings think about characters that are better than average with a given trait? Smarter, faster, more patient - something that's explicitly unusual for a character of that age or in that situation. Is that something that makes the character harder to like, or something admirable to strive for? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Let me know in the comments below, or by sending me an email at [email protected].

As usual, the background music was provided by AShamaluevMusic.