As one of the recognized “Grand Masters” of American science fiction, fantasy, horror, and magical realism, Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) helped to popularize those genres during the mid-20th century. His lushly vivid and poetic writing style fills his stories with wonder, mystery, and terror. Perhaps Bradbury’s most famous novel is Fahrenheit 451, which describes a dystopian future in which the job of firefighters is not to put out fires, but to burn illegal books. That story and others by Bradbury have been adapted for TV, film, comic books, and stage productions.

Bradbury spent his earliest years in the small town of Waukegan, Illinois, and Dandelion Wine is largely based on those experiences. The book’s protagonist, Douglas, is inspired by Bradbury’s own boyhood eagerness to experience the daily wonders of life. In 1934, Bradbury’s father, searching for work during the Great Depression, took the family to Hollywood. Here, Bradbury continued his avid reading habits, was active in high school stage productions, roller-skated around town in search of autographs from movie stars, belonged to a sci-fi club, and wrote lots of stories. His works began to be published while he was still a teen.