No corazón do bosque (‘In the Heart of the Forest’)

Synopsis

Raquel is nine years old and lives in the city. One day she goes on a school trip with her class to the “Fragas do Eume” forest. When she returns home, she is surprised to discover that a tiny old being has sneaked into her rucksack. It is Derdrín, a goblin who is more than three hundred years old. He lived in the forest but did not want to spend the winter alone. He tells Raquel that he only needs conversation and very little food. Raquel agrees to put him up in secret and offers him her Barbie caravan to sleep in.

The novel is a chronicle of the months they spend together, during which Derdrín will exert a strong influence over the girl’s life, not only with regard to her family but also at school. An affectionate story full of humour, which defends the need for fantasy and also the role of ancient myths in any society.