1. Tove Jansson: Moominpappa at Sea
Here we have the sea, a lighthouse, a mother who has abandoned her garden and a father looking for adventure – and the Moomin troll of course! A book for adults and junior readers who want to enjoy the bitter, and the beautiful!
2. Shaun Tan: Tales from outer suburbia
I don’t know of any book more magical than this. For everyone. An expedition to the edges of reality where the road map ends, where you meet water buffalo and a very, I mean really very little exchange student. Read, look and marvel!
3. Eric Linklater: The Wind on the Moon
A book with everything: adventure, comedy, two nasty (but courageous) girls, eating disorders, animals that speak, an evil egg thief and an even more evil dictator. An impossible combination? Yes! But magical.
4. Astrid Lindgren: Rasmus and the Vagabond
Rasmus escapes from the orphanage and luckily meets an unshaven vagabond angel. Together they enjoy the outdoors, freedom and pork sandwiches. A book which had me run away from home for three hours when I was little.
5. Elsa Beskow: The Sun Egg
The sun has laid an egg! Right in the middle of the Swedish countryside. It causes consternation among the animals: imagine if it cracks open! Only the finch knows what it is: an orange! Elsa Beskow paints in a way that has you walking in the woods and tasting the orange juice. Mmmm!
One of Andersen’s stories that I loved the most when I was little was ”Dummerjöns” (Jack the Dullard). For me nothing was better than reading about how somebody who was dumb could get the princess. Even though I would rather have had a dog.