The Tomten
10 best books like The Tomten (Astrid Lindgren): Grandfather Twilight, Children of the Forest, Pancakes for Findus, A Pussycat's Christmas, Red Ranger Came Calling, D'Aulaires' Book of Trolls, The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice, Lucia and the Light, The Secret Staircase, Child of Faerie, Child of Earth
| Author | Barbara Helen Berger |
| ISBN | 0613004108 |
When day is done, and shadows begin to deepen, it is time for Grandfather Twilight to close his book, put on his jacket, and go for a walk through the forest. Little birds hush as he walks by, and the rabbits and other small woodland creatures watch in silence as he performs his very special evening task and...
| Author | Elsa Beskow |
| ISBN | 0863154972 |
Although I do at least somewhat wish that this English language version of Elsa Beskow's 1910 classic Tomtetobarnen had adhered to the poetry, the lyricism of the original (I have a copy of it, but as my Swedish is extremely rudimentary and self taught, I do not understand all that much of it), I also can...
Pancakes for Findus is the first story in the adventures of farmer Pettson and his cat Findus. Pettson wants to bake a birthday cake for Findus, who has three birthdays a year. But how will they get the eggs with the bull in the way?
Findus and Pettson live in a ramshackle cottage in the country, with...
| Author | Margaret Wise Brown |
| ISBN | 0064434664 |
Experience all the mystery and beauty of Christmas through the eyes of a cat in this simple, rhythmic story by Margaret Wise Brown, beloved author of Goodnight Moon. With stunning illustrations by Anne Mortimer, this is a perfect gift for cat lovers and Christmas revelers of all ages.
“She...
| Author | Berkeley Breathed |
| ISBN | 0316102490 |
Using glowing, hypnotic images and a funny, provocative text, the narrator relives his father's most amazing childhood Christmas.
A moody young boy living with his aunt on an island, "Red" Breathed sees himself as the "Red Ranger from Mars", his hero from the movie serials, and cannot picture...
| Author | Ingri d'Aulaire |
| ISBN | 1590172175 |
In this spectacular follow-up to their beloved Book of Norse Myths, the husband-and-wife team of Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire explore the uncanny reaches of Norse mythology, an enchanted night-world populated by trolls of all kinds--mountain trolls, forest trolls, trolls who live underwater...
| Author | Wendy Pfeffer |
| ISBN | 0525469680 |
The beginning of winter is marked by the solstice, the shortest day of the year. Long ago, people grew afraid when each day had fewer hours of sunshine than the day before. Over time, they realized that one day each year the sun started moving toward them again. In lyrical prose and cozy illustrations,...
| Author | Phyllis Root |
| ISBN | 0763622966 |
Luminously illustrated by Mary GrandPre, a timeless adventure from master storyteller Phyllis Root about the loss of the sun - and one girl's brave quest to find it.
In a cozy cabin high in the mountains of the Far North, Lucia and her family live a snug and contented life. But one day the wind screams...
| Author | Jill Barklem |
| ISBN | 0689830904 |
It was Midwinter's Eve and the mice of Brambly Hedge were very busy. That evening, after dark, they would all be gathering round a blazing fire for the traditional midwinter celebrations. A grand entertainment was planned, and Primrose and Wilfred had chosen to recite a poem. They went up to the attics...
Child of Faerie, Child of Earth
| Author | Jane Yolen |
| ISBN | 0316968978 |
Caressing and sweet, with a rhythmic and songlike lyricism (although the rhyming scheme and word choices of Child of Faerie, Child of Earth unfortunately and a trifle annoyingly do feel somewhat awkwardly halting and forced at times, especially near the end of the presented narrative), Jane Yolen's...
| Author | Sibylle von Olfers |
| ISBN | 0863154999 |
Poppy is gazing out of the window at the snow when, all of a sudden, she sees that the snowflakes are really little Snow Children dancing and whirling in the garden. Soon, they whisk her away to the Snow Queen's wintry kingdom.
From the author of The Story of the Root Children, here is another...
This book has wonderful tales and equally wonderful artwork by John Bauer. Three tales stand out, "The Magician's Cape", "The Queen," and "The Changelings". The stories include encounters with trolls and feature a good mixture of heros and heroines.
It should be noted, however, that the...
| Author | Jim LaMarche |
| ISBN | 0064438562 |
Inspired by various experiences from his childhood, Jim LaMarche, beloved illustrator of A Story for Bear and The Elves and the Shoemaker, brings this touching story about one boy's unexpected summer as a river rat to life with his bold, picturesque paintings.
Nicky isn't one bit happy about...
The Mitten: An Old Ukrainian Folktale
| Author | Alvin Tresselt |
| ISBN | 0688092381 |
Now, let me say from the start that, having read Jan Brett's version first, I prefer it. And unless your home library is enormous, you probably don't need both books. However, as the comments here show, many people prefer this version, which predates Brett's version by quite a while. If you can get your...
| Author | M. Christina Butler |
| ISBN | 1561484520 |
One of a series of "touch-and-feel" picture-books featuring the adorable Little Hedgehog - other entries include
One Winter's Day
,
The Special Blankie
, and
One Rainy Day
- this winsome holiday title follows the journey of a little red hat, originally intended as a gift from Father Christmas...
