Katitzi rymmer

The fourth part in Katarina "Katitzi" Taikon's semi-autobiographical series about a young Romani girl's youth in 1940's Sweden. This installment deals with the increasing abuse Katitzi suffers at the hands of her stepmother, a "gaji" (non-gypsy) woman, whose dreams of the "romantic" gypsy life made her marry Katitzi's father, but whose disappointment at the reality of a persecuted life has cased her to grow cold and mean. Because of the constant beatings, Katitzi runs away (not only through daydreams), and when she is returned, her brother forces her father to see how badly Katitzi is treated and her father lets Katitzi, her brother Paul and her sister Rosa leave the camp and go live on their own. It is poignant how far the abuse has to show more go before Paul finally threatens with the Police, since the constant mistreatment of the Romani people by the authorities has caused them to be extremely wary. Also, Paul knows that his father is not a Swedish citizen and that he is terrified of giving the authorities a reason to deport him from Sweden. Although a book written for children to battle prejudice and promote cultural understanding, everyone should read it, regardless of age. show less