Materials from Sweden
12-year-old Joel lives with his father in the cold northern part of Sweden. At night he often sneaks out of the house to look for a lonely dog he has seen from his window. On the bridge across the icy river he starts a secret society and has adventures. But one night he discovers that his father’s bed is also empty, and so he will have to come to terms with his father’s newfound love.
Joel will soon be 12, and he thinks nothing is going on in the small community where he lives. But he’s wrong. One day, an incident that could easily have been a catastrophe turns into a miracle. Now Joel believes he owes the world a good deed, to prove that he deserved what might have been divine intervention. He thinks up an elaborate scheme, but it doesn’t go as anticipated. Even though his heart is in the right place, feelings are hurt. If he confesses what he’s done and why, will things be put right again?
Readers who met Joel Gustafson, his father, and their friends in A Bridge to the Stars will follow, with appreciation, Henning Mankell’s shrewd depiction, in this companion novel, of the surprising changes in Joel’s existence. Mankell deftly explores Joel’s self-discovery, his realization that lives can be altered in a single moment, and his new understanding that a choice between telling the truth and keeping silent can make all the difference.
Will’s uncle has sent him a mysterious and gigantic package! All Will’s friends help him to carry it home, and stay to find out what’s inside.
Four hens live on a chicken farm. A little rooster lives there, too. “What a nice little rooster you have here,” everyone says when they come to visit. Indeed, it seems so for a while. But then the rooster begins to take more food for himself, and the hens get less. When the hens try talking to him about fairness, they’re not prepared for his reaction. The rooster turns into an egotistical barnyard bully, and the hens are worse off than before. Finally, the oldest hen puts her foot down: “We can’t go on like this. We must do something.”
One day, Snipp, Snapp, and Snurr decided to buy their mother the perfect birthday present–a pair of red shoes. So they set out to earn some money. Things did not go exactly as planned, but in the end, Mother was very surprised!
One day, a kindly neighbor gave Snipp, Snapp and Snurr some money to spend. They went straight to the bakery to buy some gingerbread–and fell right into the batter!
When an old lady finds a small elephant in the park, she names him Peanut. She takes him home and treat him like a pet dog. Peanut’s not like other dogs and another walk in the park reveals that he’s missing from the circus. When Peanut returns to the circus, the old lady is sad again, until she comes across a camel. She decides to treat it like a cat.
Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka were three little girls who lived in Sweden. They had blue eyes and yellow curls, and they looked very much alike. One time, while their aunt and uncle were away, Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka offered to take care of Mitzi, the cat. The girls got fresh milk and fish for Mitzi, and they played with her all day. Then Mitzi disappeared! Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka searched everywhere–the streets and even the rooftops. Mitzi stayed hidden–but that was because she had a big surprise.
This book provides comprehensive information on the geography, history, governmental structure, economy, cultural diversity, peoples, religion, and culture of Sweden.
Puzzling and mysterious, mazes and labyrinths have fascinated people around the world for centuries. From England to Egypt, Greece to South Africa and beyond, travel on an exciting journey as you discover the secrets of these patterns.