Maj Lindman (1886–1972)

Travel back in time with this re-published book. The original title was first published in 1946 and they were re-released in 2012. Three Swedish triplets want to plant a garden to earn money for bicycles. They would like to buy bikes to get to school faster because they live in a very rural area far from school. It takes them a while to learn how to buy seeds, how to plant them and then they have to wait for everything to grow. They are shy when they get to the market, but then they get used to the hustle and bustle.
This is a very sweet story that can teach to children how they can help themselves if they need something. The illustrations seem to be the original watercolors from the previously published books. The drawings are accessible and realistic. The color palette has a soft tone and the landscape will let little ones imagine what Sweden looks like in the summer. I would argue that it incorporates some Swedish folk art. The dresses that the children and the women wear are true to the 1930s.
There is nothing objectionable in this book. It is really very sweet and timeless. It has that vintage feel and I think a new generation of children will enjoy this series. It is appropriate for a school library. It could be used in classes exploring Sweden. It would also be a great example of working hard when doing character education lessons.… (mais)

This book was very different. I picked it up because it looked old from the illustrations on the cover and I was interested to see what the story was about. It looked like a Christmas story about ice skating but it was far from it. This story was about three sisters Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka who each got a pair of new white ice skates for Christmas! They took them out to go ice skating one day with their dog Mike, and met a boy named Bertie who had a blue sled. They were all playing around until suddenly Mike and Bertie fell into the thin ice! Flicka, Ricka and Dicka pulled them out and took them home to get warm and dry off. Once Bertie was all dry and feeling better, he we went home but the next day came back with gifts for the family. Then Bertie, the sisters, and the dog Mike had a "chocolate party" and that was the end of the story. I thought that the story was very random and scattered, I didn't like much except for the illustration. The font was large for children and filled the whole page. Under each illustration there was a sentence from the previous page explaining what was going on. For example, on page 14 under the illustration it read "Mike and Bertie fell through into the cold water" even though on page 13 it talked more in detail about the accident. Also, every time the three sisters were mentioned they were always mentioned in order, Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka. It was a nice book, I just didn't like the plot.… (mais)

Recommended

A step back in time with this re-published book. The original title was first published in 1946 and they were re-released this past May. Three Swedish triplets are off on an adventure through the woods to pick wild strawberries. They get lot along the way and find a small cabin that has a poor family living in it. The little girl helps Flick, Ricka and Dicka find their way back home. In the true spirit of charity, the girls want to donate the money they earned from picking strawberries to buy things for the little girl and baby they met in the cabin. Their mom packs a basket of food to share with their new friends.
This is a very sweet story that can teach to children how they can help those less fortunate. The illustrations seem to be the original watercolors from the previously published books. The drawings are accessible and realistic. The color palette has a soft tone and the landscape will let little ones imagine what Sweden looks like in the summer. I would argue that it incorporates some Swedish folk art. The dresses that the children and the women wear are true to the 1930s.
There is nothing objectionable in this book. It is really very sweet and timeless. It has that vintage feel and I think a new generation of children will enjoy this series. It is appropriate for a school library. It could be used in classes exploring Sweden. It would also be a great example of charity when doing character education lessons.… (mais)