Robin travelled around the world as an army brat. She is now married to fellow author Peter Dickinson. Robin's always loved reading and writing and was determined to write stories about girls having adventures.
 
These two novels, set in a fantastic kingdom - Damar - are wonderful girl-meets-sword fantasy tales. In The blue sword Harry - short for Angharad - is kidnapped by the king of the Hill Folk, Corlath. It is she who is given the vision of future battles, and gift of a vision of Aerin, Dragon-Killer. For a country struggling to survive between the incursions of a colonising force (similar to the British Raj) and the demonic northeners, Harry's unexpected gift is a godsend.
The hero and the crown, the prequel to The blue sword, tells Aerin's story. How she developed from a hopeless princess into the Dragon-Killer - hero, and saviour, of her people.
The blue sword was a Newberry Honor Book, and The hero and the crown won the Newberry Medal.
There are further stories set in Damar in A knot in the grain and other stories - including the story of Lily, apprenticed to the healer and unable to speak until she meets a mage; a story featuring Luthe; and two others.
Robin has a Damar story in Elementals: water - a collection of stories written by Robin and Peter.
Fairy tale retellings
Beauty is a retold novel version of the story "Beauty and the Beast". Honour (the main character) has always had a nickname she didn't like, Beauty. In a family with 2 beautiful sisters, she feels as though she is the ugly one of her family. One day, her father meets the Beast while lost in the forest. He enrages the Beast by trying to take a rose cutting for Beauty. Beauty must live with the Beast to save her father's life. Her love for the Beast increases over time, but so does her homesickness.
Best character: Beauty
Jean, 14
Princess Lissla Lissar escapes from her father and is given time, by the Goddess, to heal and forget - if she can. For mature teens.
What happens when the princess of the last mortal kingdom before faerie is taken by the faeries?
What is the story behind the enchanted frog in the pond? Why would a princess be willing to risk humiliation by carrying a frog around with her?
Left right left right - the solider marched to the castle of the twelve dancing princesses and into legend.
When the prince comes home under the enchantment of the golden hind can his ignored and neglected sister heal him?
Beauty, the shy and gardening youngest daughter of a failed businessman, travels with her family (sisters horse-loving Lionheart & witty Jeweltongue) to start a new life in Rose Cottage.
After many years of trying the King and Queen have a child, a baby girl. To celebrate they host a name-day but the evil fairy Pernicia is there for revenge. Young Katriona is at the celebration and somehow ends up holding the Princess. Hidden by fairies for many years Rosie grows up ordinary - mostly - and not like a princess at all. But what will happen when it's time for the curse to happen? A dramatic retelling of Sleeping Beauty.
Other tales
Jake finds a baby dragon whose mother has been killed by poachers in the national park.
What if Robin Hood was a reluctant rebel, forced into hiding by his work collegues? |
