Tomte were mythical elf-like creatures of Scandinavian folklore. They were believed to inhabit farms and take care of the farmer's home and children and protect them from misfortune, in particular at night, when the house folk were asleep
Sometimes a Tomten can be mischievous...
HEDGIE'S SURPRISE
written and illustrated by Jan Brett. After viewing Goosey-Goosey's brood of chicks, Henny the hen longs for her very own offspring. But each morning a greedy, elf-like "Tomten" steals her newly laid egg, insisting he needs "a little yummy for my hungry, hungry tummy." Henny awakens her friend, Hedgie the hedgehog, with a loud wail, "No eggs, no chicks, no peeping babies," and he offers to help Henny put a stop to the Tomten's thievery. (Click
here to read my previous post about the author, Jan Brett.)
THE TOMTEN
by Astrid Lindgren, illustrations by Harald Wieberg. I love the moonlit scenes of the quiet farm. This is an adaptation of the poem written by Viktor Rydberg. To read my previous post about Astrid Lindgren and this book, click here. |
| Rydberg's poem, written in the 1880's, with illustrations by Jenny Nystrom, was the beginning of the Tomten's association with Christmas. |
by Astrid Lindgren. This is a sweet chapter book that kids ages 6-10 will love, featuring those mischeivious children from Noisy Village.
by Jan Brett. A fun picture book for kids ages 4-8 about Treva and the troublesome trolls, this time in a Christmas story.
by Edward Lear, illustrated by Jan Brett. "Edward Lear's nonsense poem about two unlikely sweethearts--an elegant owl and a beautiful cat--has found a perfect match in artist Jan Brett. She traveled to the Caribbean (the land where the Bong-tree grows, perhaps?) to research her illustrations as well as the settings, costume details, plants, and fish native to the area. Readers can follow an illustrated subplot of two yellow fish who also fall in love under the pea-green boat. A charming treatment of a classic children's poem." -Amazon Review. (Ages 3 to 7) 
If you're not familiar with author/illustrator Jan Brett, get ready to experience lots of fun animal stories, all beautifully illustrated with colorful detail and imaginative border "story within a story" pages that hint at what will happen later in the book. Brett writes about human and animal cultures ranging from Scandinavia to Africa. Her extensive travel, in order to get a better idea of the architecture, landscapes, and costumes of the countries she draws in her books, really sets her stories apart.
