Inga the Viking Girl- Jacqueline Grant Kent

Inga the Viking Girl by Jacqueline Grant Kent is about Inga Swensdotter, an eleven year old Viking girl, living with her family in Greenland. It is written with an intended audience of 8-12 year olds. It is split into two stories.

The first, Inga Goes A-Viking, tells of how young Inga has no time for the traditional tasks of the ‘women folk’ of her village, such as weaving, embroidery and cooking.  She is far more interested in the men’s activities of hunting, farming and A-Viking. After a particularly harsh winter, when it becomes clear that the merchant ships from Iceland aren’t likely to make an appearance, the village organises a party to go A-Viking to bring back the things they need. Inga contrives to defy  tradition and her parents to join the expedition.

Th second story, Inga Plans a Wedding, is about Inga’s sister Anna (14) who has had a marriage arranged to the worst boy in the village. Inga and her sister devised strategies and plans to prevent the marriage from taking place, and enabling Anne to marry the boy of her choosing.

These stories are reminiscent of the works of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Especially the relationship between Inga and her father. I should imagine that this would be enjoyed by girls, in particular, in the target audience, and their parents who read it to them. I recommend this book to anyone with kids, and if you don’t borrow someone else’s.