Tonje Glimmerdal is the only child in Glimmer Dale, and the pluckiest
nine-year-old the valley has seen since her now grownup aunties raised
havoc on their skis on the mountainside. Speed and self-confidence is Tonje’s
motto as she hurtles down the slopes on her skis or her sled. Tonje’s best
friend is called Gunnvald. He is a cranky old fiddler, over seventy years old.
One day, while Gunnvald is at the hospital with a broken femur, a strange
lady appears at the farm claiming to be Gunnvald’s daughter, and says she
will sell the farm. Suddenly the world is not as Tonje thought it was and
she realizes that she must act fast.
This children’s book is a masterpiece, reminiscent of both
Heidi by Johanna Spyri, and Ronja Robbersdaughter by Astrid
Lindgren. Here there is laughter, drama, tears and music, all in
the same book.
From the reviews: “A wonderful bubbling book,
filled with speed and confidence,” wrote the daily Dagsavisen.
Awards: The Brage Prize for the best children’s book in 2009
and The Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature 2009. The Mrs.
Pepperpot Award, 2009. Nominated to the Ministry of Culture’s
Prize and the Bookseller’s Prize.
Translation rights sold to 25 countries: Bulgaria, Belgium, Catalonia,
Georgia, Germany, Sweden, Russia, France, Iceland, India
(Hindi), Denmark, Poland, China, North Macedonia, Ukraine,
Slovenia, Estonia, Faroe Islands, South Korea, Spain, Italy, England,
Serbia, USA, Turkey.