Swedish Fairy Tales - a bookwrap

Unwrapping some Fairy Tale Quotes...

 

Unwrapping today's book...

Swedish Fairy Tales


Translated by Holger Lundbergh
Illustrated by John Bauer
Ages 10+


Unwrapping some of the illustrators work...

My review...

"Fairy tales can come true... it can happen to you... if you're young at heart,"  remember that song?  Fairy tales have been told through the ages: traditional ones, classical ones, fractured ones... all the time keeping their spirit alive and our imaginations animated and asking for even more.  

They have been made into t.v. series, movies, poems and even comic books.  It is always fun to broaden our horizons and include some tales from a different culture.  

"Swedish Fairy Tales (from Sky Pony Express) is a collection of twenty-one magical, marvellous adventures filled with wicked magicians, troublesome trolls, teasing magpies, and solemn tomtar.  In Swedish fairy tales, frogs becomes beautiful fairy girls, troll girls marry troll princess, kings transform into woodcutters, and little boys go searching for adventure in the forest."

The stories are witty, clever and full of adventure and magic.  Strange characters are brought to life by one of the world's greatest illustrators of fairy tales, John Bauer.  He is recognized by his big, bulbous-nosed, good natured trolls and his amazing attention to detail.  His heroines and heroes bring hope and goodness to the stories because we all know that the ultimate battle of good vs evil ends in a triumphant victory for good.  

This book would be a wonderful gift to give to kids ages ten and up. The new fairy tales introduced to them will surely delight their creative thinking and their hearts.  Bauer's full illustrations are filled with adventure and enchantment making this a perfect book for reluctant readers.  I really loved it myself and highly recommend it.

About the translator...

Holger Hundbergh is the grandson of the famous Danish storyteller Helena Nyblom.  He has published numerous articles and a book of poetry, as well as translations from Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian.  He lives in Stockholm, Sweden.

About the illustrator...

Birth: 

Jun. 4, 1882

Death: 

Nov. 20, 1918

Swedish Artist and Illustrator. Acclaimed for describing the world of elves, trolls and the mystique of the Nordic fairy tales. From 1907-1910 and 1912-1915 he illustrated a Swedish annual Christmas book for children, called "Bland tomtar och troll" (Among Elves and Trolls). That title has become synonymous with his pictures more than the contents of the stories. He also illustrated "Great Swedish Fairy Tales." A Stormy ight in November 1918 he and his family, wife Ester and three year old Putte, were going by the ferryboat Per Brahe on Lake Vättern. But they never reached harbour as the boat sank. When his death was announced a National mourning affected Sweden. (bio by: Peter Robsahm) 

Read on and read always!

It's a wrap.



Contact me at storywraps@gmail.com