Friday, January 4, 2013

Something About Small Towns Near Milwaukee

The German Athens of America.

One thing I tend to forget about Lewis is how he is not originally from Michigan.  He’s from Wisconsin and Bellairs tosses out Milwaukee early in the story.  Ah, but really a “small town near Milwaukee” - so somewhere in the suburbs.

There are a slew of potential locations for the Baravelt family.  While we don’t know specficially where, some of my favorites are those whose names originated in Europe or Asia.  I like to think Bellairs would have gotten a kick of setting a story in one of these locations:
  • Caledonia
  • Lebanon
  • New Berlin
  • Rubicon
  • Wales
That said, I always found it a bit sad Lewis never returns or has the chance to solve a mystery in his hometown.  It would be a bittersweet journey and reunion with old friends and neighbors.

Where do you think the Barnavelt would have come from?  And should us readers ever see his return?

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