A warm-hearted story about Maggan’s first year at school – Runeberg Junior Prize 2021 nominee!
Author: Ellen Strömberg
Illustrator: Elin Löf
Swedish original: Maggan året runt, 2020
Publisher: Schildts & Söderströms
Genre: children’s fiction
Number of pages: 139 pp.
Reading material: Swedish original, English sample, English synopsis
Maggan loves Mummy and Grandpa PG, but she doesn’t have a best friend her own age. Maggan is a bit worried about that. How do you really know when you are best friends with someone? Can you like several people at the same time?
Maggan, seven years, reflects on this and many other things during her first year at school. As the year progresses from autumn to winter to spring and autumn, a number of things happen: Maggan finds a new friend, and Grandpa PG finds a girlfriend. Maggan realises that everyone is really a bit peculiar, and she finds yet another new friend. She also learns that Grandpa cries so easily because if you cry, sadness can’t build a lump in the stomach.
‘To think that you’re eight years old now,’ says Grandpa PG with trembling lip. ‘I remember when you were just a little sprout and Johnny and I saw you for the first time. To think that he got to see you…’
‘Is this where he starts crying?’ Ebba whispers to Maggan. Maggan nods.
Ellen Strömberg’s new chapter book contains four warm-hearted, seasonal stories about Maggan. The texts are perfect for reading aloud – or reading alone for those who’ve already cracked the reading code. The book, nominated for Runeberg Prize 2021, is illustrated by Elin Löf.
Also available:
We’ll Just Ride Past (2022)
The Itch (2019)
Chasing Water (2018)
About the authors:
Ellen Strömberg
Elin Löf