The Summer Book

The Summer Book Tove Jansson

In this beloved little book, Jansson evokes the essence of the summer—filled with both sunlight and storms—into twenty-two brief chapters. This novel tells the story of six-year-old Sophia and her grandmother as they spend the summer on a tiny rustic island in the Gulf of Finland. Grandmother is wise, but a bit cranky; Sophia is impetuous but caring and curious. Together they spend time exploring and foraging, entertaining each other with fantasy stories. They touch on topics of life, death, and of love. “On an island,” thinks the grandmother, “everything is complete.” In The Summer Book, Jansson shows the reader a complete world inspired by her own island home and the joys and sorrows of life we all experience.

Paperback, 184 pages, 2008.