Lindgren, Astrid "Seacrow Island" (Translation: Vi på Saltkråkan) - 1964
One of my favourite stories by Astrid Lindgren besides "The Six Bullerby Children". Similar as in that story, there are a couple of families in Sweden with children of the same age. This time there is the Melkerson family who goes on holiday on a skerry, a little rocky island in Sweden. Here is son Pelle meets Tjorven, the daughter of the local greengrocer and her St. Bernard dog Båtsman (Boatsman). Together with Stiina from Stockholm, they have the most fabulous holidays. Pelle's brothers Johann and Niklas have their own adventures with Tjorven's sisters Teddy and Freddy. And Malin, the older daughter, who looks after their father, has the opportunity to fall in love. Overall, the best holidays ever.
This is a lovely children's story that surely applies to younger children even today, fifty years after it has been written. It surely is a nice memory of my youth. Even though I am not from Sweden, we had similar adventures with neighbour children and friends. I love Astrid Lindgren and like to reread her books from time to time.
From the back cover:
"The four Melkerson children were a little bit worried the day they arrived on Seacrow Island. After all, their impractical father had rented the cottage for the whole summer without ever setting eyes on it. And a man on the boat had told Pelle, the youngest Melkerson, that the cottage had a leaky roof. And here they are getting off the steamer and it is pouring rain."
Astrid Lindgren received the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade (Friedenspreis) in 1978.
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