Ride North
Binding: Paperback
Imprint: Andersen Press
Age 10+
Adventure Stories Personal & Social Issues: Death & Bereavement Personal & Social Issues: Truancy & School Problems
Folly runs away from home, planning to guide her mother's spirit to the northern tip of New Zealand with her wise pony Tooth, who she can secretly communicate with.
Tooth is my pony, but he’s his own boss. I take care of him and in exchange he lets me ride him. I wasn’t surprised when Tooth first communicated with me. All I knew was that with Tooth, it was different. I loved him the minute I saw him. Of course we understood each other.
Twelve-year-old Folly is angry and grieving for her mum. She isn't ready for Dad's plans for a new life in Auckland with his new girlfriend. So Folly runs away with the one person who truly understands: her wise pony, Tooth. With her mother's ashes in her backpack, Folly sets off to the fabled Cape Reinga, the northernmost point of New Zealand. Through tourist towns and wilderness, across beaches, roads and forest tracks, Folly and Tooth find both adventure and hardship. But then a spur-of-the-moment choice sets danger on their tail. Girl and horse must fight to survive together - to the very end of the road.
Creators
Maria de Jong grew up in Aotearoa New Zealand before settling in Italy. Initially she taught English in Turin, where she also cultivated a sideline designing and making costumes for a dance-theatre company. She was living and studying literature in Frankfurt when East and West Germany reunified, and later relocated for a few years to teach near Bosa, Sardinia. Her two children were born in Rome; while working there as a translator she began writing for middle grade readers, but things only got serious after yet another relocation, this time to Amsterdam, where she currently copyedits, cycles and fabulates for her inner twelve-year-old.
Reviews
loved this: funny, quirky, exciting and moving
Anthony McGowan
A poignant and tender story of love, loss, friendship and hope
Tanya Landman
A powerful, wise and gripping story from a wonderful new voice in children’s literature. Ride North is a beautiful tale of love, courage and the unique bond between a girl and her horse. It deserves a place alongside the classic horse and pony stories
Annelise Gray
Maria de Jong weaves a beautiful tale of adventure, survival and hope, exploring the deep bond between a girl and her pony. With vivid prose that brings every scene to life, de Jong makes the reader feel they’re right there alongside Folly and Tooth on their exhilarating, sometimes perilous journey… A rich, unforgettable experience that celebrates the unbreakable connection between human and animal
J. P. Rose
