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A delightful book about summer, childhood, family, and grieving.
Tove Jansson wrote this book based on her experience holidaying in a little island in Finland every summer. The main characters, Sophia and her grandmother, are based on Jansson's own niece and mother.
The stories are so neat, mellow, and beautiful. Full of little details like flowers, island life, neighbors, and summer tidbits in Scandinavia. Jansson wrote this book after her mother died, and this became her way of grieving and rem ...more
Tove Jansson wrote this book based on her experience holidaying in a little island in Finland every summer. The main characters, Sophia and her grandmother, are based on Jansson's own niece and mother.
The stories are so neat, mellow, and beautiful. Full of little details like flowers, island life, neighbors, and summer tidbits in Scandinavia. Jansson wrote this book after her mother died, and this became her way of grieving and rem ...more

What a sweet book! Lovely vignettes and full of simple, wise anecdotes. Of course, it also presents a calm, idyllic life which will make you long for more simplicity in your own! Either that, or it will give you a bit of wanderlust for Scandinavian/Northern summers.
Some favorite quotes (besides the ones I posted in comments as I went along):
"That's strange, Grandmother thought. I can't describe things any more. I can't find the words, or maybe it's just that I'm not trying hard enough. It was su ...more
Some favorite quotes (besides the ones I posted in comments as I went along):
"That's strange, Grandmother thought. I can't describe things any more. I can't find the words, or maybe it's just that I'm not trying hard enough. It was su ...more

Feb 24, 2011
SarahC
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Saunteringfiend
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nawir nawir
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claire
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Duc
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