Astrid Lindgren (1907–2002)

#ReadAroundTheWorld. #Sweden

This was a delightful middle grade read by famous Swedish children’s author Astrid Lindengren, presumably set in the 1950s or the 1960s when it was written. It takes place on Seacrow Island, a fictional island in the Stockholm archipelago, off the coast of Sweden where Melker and his four children went to spend their summer in a ramshackle cottage by the beach.

This is a story where not a great deal happens but the setting is evocative and the islanders memorable. The father bumbles along in an accident prone, incompetent fashion, the youngest son Pelle follows his love for animals, the eldest daughter Malin keeps house and then falls in love, and the middle sons have a wild old time roaming the island and having adventures with the neighbour’s girls. It is all very innocent and wholesome with the peace only threatened by a neighbour’s attempt to steal the pet seal Moses and a businessman’s wish to buy the cottage. My favourite characters were the feisty indomitable neighbouring girl Tjorvan and her dog Bosun. I enjoyed this escape into an enchanted world of innocence. My only complaint was I felt sorry for Malin who bore the brunt of the patriarchal attitudes and had to be the family maid, housekeeper and mother at the age of 19. Otherwise a lovely read.… (mais)

This is such a delightful story! Reminiscent of Maria Parr’s Adventures with Waffles, Carol Ryrie Brink’s Caddie Woodlawn and Winter Cottage, or Dorothy Canfield Fisher’s Understood Betsy, this is a gem in the world of middle-grade fiction—and I didn’t even know it existed until I spotted it on our library’s shelves! The first thing that attracted me to this story was the author’s name; Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking was a particular favorite of mine when I was a youngster. Then, the cover and description drew me in, and I knew I wanted to read it. I was not disappointed.

This is a story of a family on holiday, but it’s so much more than that, too. It’s the story of a community working together, of friendship, of enjoyment of this beautiful world God has made, of love and hope and joy and adventure. And the humor…it flows naturally through the story, sometimes in what children say (the story about Tjorven wanting the last piece of cake was hilarious!), sometimes in the normal—or not so normal!—happenings in life.

I finished this story with a happy sigh. I’d love to have my own copy one day, because it’s one I would love to share with all the children, young and old, in my life. If you enjoy sweet stories of families, adventure, and wholesome fun, I’d highly recommend you pick this book up.… (mais)