Rowan of Rin

Rowan of Rin
Emily Rodda
Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 1993 151 pages
Grades 3-6
Fantasy/Adventure
Rowan of Rin series #1

Rowan is a shy and quiet boy who is more comfortable with his animal charges, the bukshah, than he is with humans. His father died many years before, saving Rowan from a fire, and both the loss and the guilt has plagued him ever since. A problem develops in Rin: the fresh water that flows from the top of the nearby mountain is no longer flowing. Has something happened to the dragon who protects it? Several brave villagers volunteer to venture up the treacherous mountain to check it out, but first they must consult the town's magical wise woman. The wise woman passes to meek Rowan a map of the route, seen only when it is in his hands, ensuring that he will go along on the journey. Furthermore, she prophesizes that the weakest (Rowan) will turn out to be the bravest. Parts of the map are revealed as the journey unfolds and riddles warn the questers of challenges ahead. One by one, the brave and strong villagers who volunteered for this mission fall short and must return home. Rowan, who is the weakest and least brave, finds that he can continue no matter what the universe sends their way. Finally it is up to Rowan to save the day, but is he brave enough to handle the task set before him?

Is this book really twenty-five years old? I remember it from the early days of my career as a librarian when it was fresh and new and it is a long-time favorite for book discussion. This title has stood the test of time and since it is a fantasy set in an imaginary world with no technology, it has not obviously dated. Readers will relate to shy animal-loving Rowan who has no confidence and feels weak compared to the other robust townsfolk. To provide the clean water for his beloved bukshah he must summon courage he didn't know he had and face his worse fears. Kids will enjoy seeing the strong and confident adults get picked off one by one for reasons such as a fear of spiders or an inability to swim. I feel like this book is just the right length. The action keeps rolling along and never lags. There are very few subplots to complicate the story. Rodda offers a straight forward classic fantasy-quest that will bring new fans to the genre not quite ready for Harry Potter or the Hobbit. If this book was published today it would more than likely be illustrated. I was happy that it wasn't. What it does have is an introductory map, an indication to kids that this is a serious read. Honestly, the map doesn't show much or enhance the reading experience in any way except to give map-loving kids something to pour over. I would have preferred a copy of Rowans map, even without the missing clues so there would be no spoilers. I love that half of the team of brave journeyers from the village are women, giving the story a surprisingly feminist slant for 1993. This is the first in a series, leading readers to the second installment Rowan and the Travelers if they are inspired to read more adventures in this world.