Markus + Diana (review)

Markus is convinced he's the most timid boy in Norway; even though he tries to always stay on the safe side, he often doubts that there is one. His overactive imagination doesn't just spin out scenarios of doom, however; he uses it to craft identities that he thinks will appeal to his heroes—sports figures, movie stars, poets—and then writes letters in these personae asking for autographs. During a disastrous school trip full of fears and humiliations, he soothes his ruffled feelings by writing a letter to a famous actress, Diana Mortensen. To his surprise, she writes back, revealing her own considerable insecurities to one she presumes is a kindred spirit. He and his alarmingly intelligent friend Sigmund commence a "Help Diana" campaign, which ultimately ends with her arranging to meet Markus as Markus, Jr., the mostly fictional son of a fully fictional millionaire, in person. Sigmund's eccentric coaching in etiquette and fashion all come to naught, however, when Markus decides, finally, fatefully, and decisively, to simply be himself. The tenderness of this heartwarming shy-guy-makes-good story is balanced by Markus' self-effacing humor and Sigmund's old-physicist-in-a-kid's-body quirkiness. Markus' relationship with his father, who shares most of his personality peccadilloes, is deftly drawn in all its spiderweb complexity of seeming fragility and subtle strength. The story is sweet in the best sense, as the boys demonstrate the gains in sardonic worldly wisdom that come from being chronic social misfits. Their developmental curve, from being boys who fantasize about movie stars to boys who actually kiss girls, sneaks up on the boys and catches them at the perfect moment of readiness as they enter junior high. Published in Norway in 1997, this is the first of the Markus adventures to be imported to the U.S. (it's also been made into a film); let's hope others soon follow, since Markus is the kind of character who inspires a cult following.