Part of the appeal of Hobby is that it is a wish-fulfillment fantasy typical of multitudes of books written for young adults. In Merlin's day, children were usually helpless in a world of grownups. Merlin's own experiences, as Yolen points out, were common—children were often abandoned as he was, and they were often left on their own to cope with the likes of Fowler (as in foul). Finding food and shelter would have been difficult, much as it may be for youngsters abandoned and on their own in our own day.

158 Hobby In a grownup world of lies, abuse, and abandonment, Merlin has special powers. In these powers lies his appeal to young readers. When he likens himself to a hawk among princes, he expresses his ability to rise above the evils around him, to be somebody special in a world that wants him...