a new-to-me author that i have fallen in love with: elsa beskow

It's no secret that I have a love for all things Scandinavian.  Total Scandifile here, and no apologies are going to be made for that.  Love me some Scandinavian stuff be it IKEA candle holders or sleekly designed chairs or the Scandinavian knack for enjoying family and simple pleasures.  

So, naturally, when I discovered author Elsa Beskow by chance a few months ago, my Scandifile radar started pinging.  A children's book author who is Swedish and writes about adorable woodland creatures with an art deco illustration style?  How on earth have I not known about you until now, Ms. Beskow?!  

Children of the Forest

By Elsa Beskow

Elsa Beskow was and is a beloved Swedish author/illustrator who wrote over 40 books including the above, Children of the Forest, Peter in Blueberry Land, and more titles that I plan to acquire for my home library very soon.  Her writing style focuses on paring the real world of kids with a fantasy world of magical forests and nature.  

Woody, Hazel, and Little Pip

By Elsa Beskow

She was born in Sweden and lived in Stockholm from 1875 to 1953 raising six kids and creating many children's books and illustrations.  An award for the top Swedish kid's author is given away every year in her honor.  

scandinavian kids books

The Scandinavian culture is so charming and interesting!  Blueberries, Vikings, cold winters, dreamy summers spent in little red cottages, and a love for the outdoors.  My husband makes fun of me because I have no family connection with the Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, but I love them so much!  If you love them too, this book list is for you! This post contains affiliated links which means I get a small fee if you purchase something from the links at no extra cost to you. Thanks! 

Amazing Pictures and Facts About Sweden: The Most Amazing Fact Book for Kids About Sweden

By Mina Kelly

Buy on Amazon

Pippi Longstocking

By Astrid Lindgren

Buy on Amazon

Lucia Morning in Sweden

By Ewa Rydaker

Buy on Amazon

Peter in Blueberry Land

By Elsa Beskow

Buy on Amazon

Children of the Forest

By Elsa Beskow

Buy on Amazon

The Tomten

By Astrid Lindgren

Buy on Amazon

Lucia and the Light

By Phyllis Root

Buy on Amazon

Ollie's Ski Trip

By Elsa Beskow

Buy on Amazon

Guts & Glory: The Vikings

By Ben Thompson

Buy on Amazon

The Norway Fact and Picture Book: Fun Facts for Kids About Norway (Turn and Learn)

By Gina McIntyre

Buy on Amazon

Hans Christian Andersen: The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories (Anchor Folktale Library)

By Virginia Haviland, Hans Christian Andersen, Erik Christian Haugaard

Buy on Amazon

celebrate winter with trolly tricks: trouble with trolls by jan brett

 Tomorrow is the first day of winter!  Winter time always makes me fantasize about Scandinavian landscapes with snow-heavy fur trees and ski chalets with candlelit windows.  And of course, trolls!  Come be transported with me to the Nordic world of Jan Brett.

The trouble with trolls is they are so very tricky and so very greedy!  Luckily for Treva, the brave little girl in this book, trolls aren't that smart.  Treva and her dog Tuffi are heading over the mountain to see her friend on the other side.  As they climb, they are accosted by troublesome trolls who are determined to steal Tuffi!  Each time a troll grabs her dog, Treva thinks quickly on her feet and tricks the trolls into giving Tuffi back.  If this is your first time to experience the talent of Jan Brett, what you should know is that you will be enchanted by her illustrations!  The artwork fills each page from corner to corner with hundreds of details that bring the reader into the world she has created.  I love the work she put into making each stitch of Treva's sweater, the nubby noses of the trolls, and even the painted designs and tiny bells on Treva's skis.  Brett obviously loves her work, and you can just see her passion on each page.  

story time + snacks: viking edition!

What makes a good book even better?  Snacks!  What makes a good snack even better?  Cookies!  Today we are reading tales about some of the most interesting characters in Scandinavian folklore -viking gods and goddess, frost giants, eight-legged flying horses, and trolls - and we have a Danish sugar cookie named Brunekager to nibble on as we read.  

Trolls and Norse Mythology are both by 1930s co-authors and married couple, Ingri and Edgar D'Aulaire.  They wrote and illustrated several books of Norwegian folk tales with beautiful wood-block sketches and lively retellings of classic Scandinavian stories of trolls, gods and goddesses, snow giants, and more.  We have become very familiar with the characters in these stories lately with the popularity of the Avengers movies.  Well, here are the stories of some of the original Avengers!  Thor and his powerful hammer, the tricky Loki, the world of Asgard and its rainbow bridge, that all started here with Norse myths.  

The book of trolls is just as entertaining.  Trolls can be friendly and helpful or mean-spirited and greedy.  We had fun baking some Danish sugar cookies and reading these lively, dramatic stories!    

Brunekager 

Adapted from The Culinary Arts Institute The Cookie Jar

ingredients:

1 cup butter

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp cardamom 

• preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
• Cream the butter and sugar together until fully combined and fluffy.  
• Add the egg and beat well. 
• Gradually add the flour and cardamom.  Blend well. 
• I like to scoop cookie dough with a basic ice cream scoop.  It makes the cookies uniform but may be a bigger cookie than you prefer (I like big cookies). If you want a smaller cookie, roll the dough into balls with your hand. 
• Press the dough with your hand or with the bottom of a drinking glass to slightly flatten it.  
• Bake on a buttered cookie sheet until there are golden edges, around 10 minutes.