For many lifelong readers, the most memorable journeys are those that transpire between the covers of a book. This is how I first traveled to Oz, Narnia, Whoville, and Maine. At the time of these peregrinations, I was, in fact, a citizen of Maine. But like the voyages to these other occasionally cold and sinister places, a visit to the real Maine seemed to require a fictional entrée (and maybe a magic wardrobe). Years later, while I still can't attest to the accuracy (should you make it to Oz or Narnia) of the descriptions by Baum or Lewis, I can vouch for the usefulness of two childhood classics set in my home state, One Morning in Maine, by Robert McCloskey, and Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White, both of which were written in 1952.
Maine is a place that doesn't easily reveal itself to outsiders—or even insiders. The locals often ignore you, the roads wind around confusingly, and the weather can flat-out suck. But those who appreciate Maine's craggy beauty and its emotionally steel-banded yet romantic character are forever smitten—which explains why its slogan was, until recently, "Vacationland," and why, when you mention that you live in Maine, so many people reply, "Oh, I've always wanted to go to Maine."
It's further testament to the state's thorny charms that McCloskey's and White's books have endured as long as they have. Both One Morning in Maine and Charlotte's Web take as their setting the Blue Hill peninsula along Maine's central coast, where I now live during the summer with my family. The area—which includes the towns of Brooksville, Brooklin, and Blue Hill, among others—remains one of Maine's most interesting and varied seaside stretches, with dramatic views over the water toward Mount Desert Island in some places, tiny rock coves and stony beaches in others. Though more than a half century old, the two books are still the best guides around to the peninsula, providing helpful sightseeing suggestions and packing tips, and allowing reader-tourists a privileged view into the area. Even if these books are as close to Maine as you ever get, you've gotten closer than most.
Next Page: McCloskey's Buck's Harbor
