Review: "The Folk Keeper"

Sometimes a book that is not written for us, as in not written for our age group, gender etc. etc., can be just the right book for us. I came across one such book just the other day: the children's book "The Folk Keeper" by Franny Billingsley. This is a fantasy/fairy tale/adventure children's book, a short but sweet and touching tale of Corinna who keeps her gender a secret as she works as a folk keeper in the orphanage where she lives. A folk keeper as in indispensable part of a large household as he is the one who keeps the folk, a mythic people living in the ground who will spoil the harvest and kill the animals if they are not kept happy and content. It is a dangerous job but one that Corinna values - it is her identity. So when she is offered a different life as a folk keeper in a larger household, an estate, she goes there to seek her fortune. What she doesn't know is that she will find more than her fortune, she will find her destiny.

This one is an easy one to review because it is a really sweet children's book. It had me captivated even though I should probably have read it when I was ten or twelve, not 26, and it captured my imagination and took me on a trip to Corinna's world. A really good book for teenagers with great imaginations and a love of fantasy.

Read it if: You had a dungeons and dragons phase in your teen years or if you just enjoy good fantasy fairytales.

Role models from the pages: Ronja The Robber's Daugther

When I did the Top Ten Tuesday list about underrated books, I included Ronja the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren. I am not sure why this one popped into my head when I was doing the list - I haven't read it for ages, years, yet it is a book that I love. "Ronja The Robber's Daugther" is a children's book by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren and it was first published in 1981, a few years before I was born and I had it read to me several times as a child. What I love about this book is the strong, independent Ronja, daughter of man's man, head honcho robber Mattis. Whereas many of Astrid Lindgren's books have been set in a very safe, idyllic Sweden, Ronja is set in a much more dark version of Sweden - a bit like "Mio, my Mio" or "The Brothers Lionheart".

When Ronja is born into a clan of robbers living in a castle in the forest, her father Mattis the chieftain is ecstatic. His arch-enemy, Borka, chieftain of a rival clan, does not have such a fine daugther. What Mattis doesn't know is that Borka's son, Birk Borkason will play a big role in little Ronja's life. She grows up, only child in a clan of robbers, and one day she meets Birk and through a daring game they become friends. It is unthinkable that Mattis's daughter should be friend with a Borka, so they keep it a secret until the day when their friendship is tested by the rivalry of their family and Ronja and Birk have to choose between family feuds and friendship.

What is so amazing about this book is the many emotions that it manages to capture and convey. Ronja and Birk are strong characters and Ronja is a real role model for girls if you ask me. The main conflict is between childhood and adolescence - Ronja has to admit to herself that the father she idolizes is not perfect and that eventually she will have to break free if she wants to live her own life. It has such a strong message about family values, friendship, love and tolerance and all of this is wrapped up in a beautiful tale full of robbers and faeries and magic and nature.

Ronja the Robber's Daugther is the perfect role model for tween girls - her big heart, courage and independence is a far cry from Barbiefied values. Ronja lives wild, appearances don't count in her world - it is all about values and making choices. So if you are looking for the perfect present for an 8 year old girl, do buy her "Ronja the Robber's Daughter".

Ps.
The picture shows the Danish cover as I remember it from my childhood. I love the colours and the darkness of the forest in the background.

How do we get kids to read?

These days the national media here in Denmark have been focusing quite a bit on the fact that Danish kids are generally not very good at reading. Something which seems to be closely related to the fact that many kids state that they do not like to read. It has also been reported that the books on the curriculum often date back to when the children's parents were children and that there is a distinct lack of new books available to the children.
We all know that to be really good at something you need to be driven by a passion or at least an interest or a liking. So how do we get kids to read more and better? In my mind it is obvious: we give them access to good books!

When I was in school - 15 years ago - I very early discovered the joys of reading. No thanks to the school though, as the encouragement primarily came from my home and from the books that parents and family gave me. The stuff we read in school was honestly fairly dull at best and utterly excruciatingly bad at worst.
So if I could advise the teachers and educators out there, here are the books that I think they should let kids read:

The Harry Potter series by :
A modern classic. The magic of HP is not only related to wands, incantations and flying broomsticks. There is a magic in the writing itself, the magical universe that unfolds itself as you read and envelopes you in another world. I know people whose joy of reading was sparked by Harry Potter - that is true magic if you ask me.

The Alanna series by Tamora Pierce:
This is the coolest fantasy-history series ever. I have read it over and over and it never fails to enthrall me. It is the story of the girl Alanna who wants to be a knight and who therefore disguises herself as a boy and enters court life. Here she makes friends with royalty and thieves and gain enemies that seek to destroy her and the people she loves. A fantastic series set in a medieval environment that will catch imaginations of girls and boys alike.

The Shamer series by Lene Kaaberbol
This is a much celebrated fantasy series about Dina who has inherited powers that she fears. She is a Shamer who can unmask the soul’s darkest secrets and crimes.
When Dina's mother disappears, Dina travels to the House of the Ravens with the stranger, Drakan, to find her mother. This is a series that will capture boys and girls alike.

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
This book is a classic and albeit it is not a modern book, I think it will still appeal to modern children. Pippi is the original cool kid. Lives on her own with a monkey and a horse and you do not want to mess with her. She is the girl that all kids want to be friends with. And read about!

The Princess Diaries seris by Meg Cabot
Yes it has been made into two Disney movies starring Anne Hathaway and yes they are no masterpieces. The Princess Diaries series are not literary jewels but they have the ability to fascinate girls. Just imagine being princess Mia: a normal, dorky, geeky girl who turns out to be a princess and then has to struggle with princess lessons and people who want to trade on her status. Not really a politically correct choice but tween girls love it!

Otto is a Rhino by Ole Lund Kirkegaard
Not a new book but one that has stood the test of time. It is the story of a drawn rhino coming to life and creating havoc and it will definitely make childrens imaginations run wild.

What would you encourage children to read to get a passion for books?

"Anne of Green Gables" - the perfect tween read!

I was ten years old when my parents bought me my first "Anne of Green Gables" book by L.M. Montgomery and I wanted it because my best friends older sister was infatuated by Anne. I vividly recall her walking around wearing a red curly wig and daydreaming about fairies.
Later that summer I was the one doing the daydreaming and when I reread "Anne of Green Gables" last week, I remembered why. It is impossible, I daresay, not to love Anne.
For those of you who have not yet read about Anne and her many scrapes, here is a short summary. Anne Shirley is an 11-year-old orphan who by mistake turns up on the doorstep (almost) at Green Gables, the home of Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, two elderly siblings. Though they really wanted a boy to help out on the farm they go ahead and adopt the free-thinking, hapless Anne who are accidentprone and who gets herself into a great many embarrassing adventures such as serving wine instead of cordial and dying her red hair green.
Anne is basically a good person, she means well in everything she does and it is a pleasure to follow her adventures as she grows from an unloved child into a young, accomplished woman. There are eight more books in the "Anne" series and over the name few weeks you will be able to read about them here.

"Anne of Green Gables" is the perfect tween read because it is an utterly comforting book: No you are not to only one to worry about your looks, yes all girls want a bosom friend and yes boys at that age really are a different species. Growing up with Anne was amazing and I will definitely give my goddaughter the books about her as soon as she is old enough to read!

(the pictures are from the Anne of Green Gables tv-seris)