The Summer Book

Stories for adults
By Tove Jansson
Translated from Finnish by Birgitta Kicherer

208 pages. Paperback.

This book is about three people on a tiny island in the Gulf of Finland: Sophia, her father, and her grandmother. It's primarily a book about a friendship between a very old woman and a little girl. The two wander around, chatting, arguing, and asking questions.

THE SUMMER BOOK is one of the most popular books by Tove Jansson, who became famous for her Moomin stories. It's a classic that many in Finland want to reread again and again at the beginning of summer.

"A book that expresses the longing for a grandmother like little Sophia had. It is written with worldly wisdom, but never preachy, and its clear, matter-of-fact style can sometimes move readers to tears."
Christine Westermann, WDR5

The author and artist Tove Jansson (1914-2001) is famous worldwide for her Moomin books. She is not only the creator of the Moomins, however; she also wrote novellas and novels for adults. The Winter Book collects several of her best-known novellas about winter. For her works, Tove Jansson has received, among other awards, the Hans Christian Andersen Prize and two Finnish State Prizes.

Here you can find more novels and short stories .