Naomi Mitchison, Travel Light

Travel Light

Naomi Mitchison

Small Beer, $12.00

ISBN: 1931520143

The new Queen took one loathing look at her dead predecessor's daughter and informed her spouse the King that the infant must go. The monarch, not interested in female offspring or reminders of his late wife agrees so before she can crawl, and Princess Halla is tossed out of the castle to die. Her shapeshifting nurse turns into a bear to save her charge and takes Halla into the woods to live with her and her bear kin.

However, no one is available to tend to the child during hibernation until an aging dragon arrives changing the youngster from Halla Bearsbairn to Halla Heroesbane. She soars with her dragon who takes the human child to the dragon lair where they teach her their ways, including abducting maidens. As the years pass, Halla looks forward to her wings, but they never arrive, so she knows she must move on, though she loves her mentors, especially after her beloved Uggi dies. As a new religion based on the teachings of the Christ begins to move across the continent, Halla's adventures continue. These enabling her to become human, and more than human.

Fans of Potter will enjoy this excellent reprint of a 1950's young adult fantasy starring a wonderful heroine and a terrific support cast who make shapeshifters and dragons seem real. The storyline is more a coming of age series of vignettes in the life of Halla, with her fifteen adventures fun to follow, especially soaring with dragons. Fans will appreciate this fine tale of a heroic child and the "heroes" who adopt her.