Just remembered these books and how much I loved them when I was little. Not sure how old, but I had all the books in the series and I read and reread each volume until the books were in tatters. It must be twenty years later now and yet there are things I remember:

- the saffron clothes
- the romance with a wounded, adventuresome boy
- the backpack full of earth-things that come in handy in fantasyland
- how sad it was to go home again

More maybe. Just looking at the covers brings me back to a different time. ( )

At only 30,000 odd words this is a very fast read, and not nearly as sophisticated as my childhood self remembered!, but is utterly charming for all that. It has a rollicking pace, the seeds of a fantastic plot and it’s no wonder the base story stayed with me. All of the classic girl-power elements of Tamora Pierce at her best WITH UNICORNS! What’s not to love? ( )