176 pages
English language
Published Jan. 8, 1983 by Puffin Books.
Ronia, who lives with her father and his band of robbers in a castle in the woods, causes trouble when she befriends the son of a rival robber chieftain.
That was a quick and fun read. I'm not sure why I never read it as a child, but I would surely have enjoyed it. No forced love-story, (as I feared from the Romeo-and-Juliet comparison,) characters with equal, ungendered strength, a deep love for the forest and their families, shake well et voilá, a perfect little kids book that aged surprisingly well.
Great adventure book for young readers (and older ones), male and female. Every little girl should read this book. It compensates for all the pink sparkly princess books out there. Born during a terrible thunderstorm, Ronia is headstrong, passionate, wild, and loyal, and when she meets Birk, the son of the rivaling band of robbers, she decides nobody is going to tell her what to think or do. (and no, this is not a love story!)
