Elsa Beskow (1874–1953)
Author of Children of the Forest
About the Author
Series
Works by Elsa Beskow
Den lilla vävaren 4 copies
Sagan om Gnällmåns : alla skrikhalsar till varning och deras mammor till hjälp : [en saga för små barn] (1984) 4 copies
Farbror Blås nya båt 2 copies
O pato sapato 2 copies
Farmors lapptäcke : berättelser 2 copies
The Art of Elsa Beskow: 20 Pull-Out Frameable Prints: Vintage Scandinavian Wall Prints (2024) 2 copies
Jan och alla hans vänner 1 copy
Hat = House 1 copy
Bo quan ao moi cua Pelle 1 copy
Aninha e Margarida 1 copy
Petter och Lotta 1 copy
Elsa Beskow 1 copy
Peter o xu so việt quat 1 copy
Olles Reise zu König Winter 1 copy
En aprilsaga och andra sagor 1 copy
Les petits elfes de la fort̊ 1 copy
Sagor och sagospel 1 copy
Tant Bruns fd̲elsedag 1 copy
Associated Works
The Illustrated Treasury of Children's Literature, Volumes 1-2 (1955) — Contributor — 523 copies, 4 reviews
An Illustrated Treasury of Swedish Folk and Fairy Tales (2019) — Contributor, some editions — 118 copies, 1 review
John Bauers sagovärld : en vandring bland tomtar och troll, riddare och prinsessor tillsammans med några av våra främsta sagodiktare (1977) — Contributor — 100 copies, 1 review
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Other names
- Maartman, Elsa (birth name)
- Birthdate
- 1874-02-11
- Date of death
- 1953-06-30
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Tekniska skolan, Stockholm, Sweden
Konstfackskolan - Occupations
- art teacher
artist
children's book author
children's book illustrator - Awards and honors
- Nils Holgersson plaque, 1952
- Relationships
- Beskow, Bo (son)
Beskow, Gunnar (son) - Short biography
- Elsa Beskow, née Maartman, studied art education at Konstfack in Stockholm, then called Tekniska skolan. In 1897, she married Natanael Beskow, whom she had met while working as a teacher at the school where he served as headmaster. They had six sons, including Bo Beskow, who grew up to become an artist. During her career, Elsa Beskow wrote or illustrated about 40 books and became one of the best-known of all Swedish children's book authors. Many of her books became classics and are continually reprinted. Her books were often decorated in Art Nouveau style.
- Nationality
- Sweden
- Birthplace
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Places of residence
- Östermalm, Sweden
Djursholm, Sweden - Place of death
- Djursholm, Sweden
- Associated Place (for map)
- Sweden
Members
Reviews
Elf Children of the Woods, translated by Zita Beskow.
"Deep under the roots of a pine tree, in the quiet of the woods, there lives a tiny elf with his wife and children. Four chubby wee children there are, and all are dressed in huge red caps with white polka dots." So begins this classic woodland fairy-tale from renowned Swedish children's author and illustrator Elsa Beskow, for whom Sweden's Elsa Beskow Plaque, given to the best-illustrated children's books, is named. What follows is a show more gentle but enchanting story, in which the four "elf children of the woods" work and play throughout the seasons of the year. Friends with the squirrels, the frogs and the bats, they enjoy games in their own pine tree and at the nearby woodland pool. There are dangers in the forest as well, from the deadly snake their father kills to the ogre whose lair they frequently creep past. They must work to gather mushrooms and berries for their winter food store, and cottongrass to be made into sweaters and blankets. Games with the ethereal fairies, school with Mrs. Owl - these round out their days until winter comes, and they enjoy the beauty of the snowy world. When spring finally arrives again, it brings a rebirth of the woodland world, and an addition to the elf family...
Originally published in 1910 as Tomtebobarnen, this Swedish classic is one I first encountered through the Floris Books edition, Children of the Forest, which contains the Alison Sage translation, originally from 1982. I was therefore quite interested to see what I would think of this 1932 edition, published in New York by Harper & Brothers, and containing a translation done by Zita Beskow. Given the name of the translator, I thought at first it must be a daughter, but as Beskow only had sons (six of them!), perhaps Zita was a daughter-in-law or niece. I find it unlikely that she was no connection at all. Leaving that aside, I found this edition delightful. The story is engaging, with lots of fascinating little details about the elf family's life, and the artwork is (of course!) lovely. When I did a page-by-page comparison with Children of the Forest, I found some fascinating things. Wereas in the Sage translation the children are named at the beginning of the tale - Tom, Harriet, Sam and Daisy - they are not in the Beskow translation, and only two of them - Tommy and Katie - are named later during the course of the story. While in this edition the family are described as elves, in the Sage they are simply caled "forest people," and the term 'elf' is not used. These differences are interesting, and in the case of the elf vs. forest people contrast, no doubt indicate the fact that there is no direct English equivalent for the Swedish word (and category of being) 'tomato.' That said, these minor differences don't really effect the story and its overarching tone that significantly, unlike some more significant distinctions later on in the narrative.
The 1932 Zita Beskow translation has a number of descriptions and phrases that feel a little old-fashioned, maybe even outdated, making me wonder whether Alison Sage changed or omitted these elements, to make the tale more palatable to contemporary readers. It's tempting to think the Beskow translation, because it is older, and because it is done by a Beskow, is closer to the original, and a more accurate representation of it than the Sage. As someone with little to no Swedish however, it's impossible for me to say that this is the case with any certainty. Some of the more significant differences include tha fact that the father goes off to actively hunt the snake in the Beskow, but only fights him when he first attacks the children, in the Sage. In the Beskow the children gleefully carry the dead snake to Mr. Hedgehog, whereas in the Sage they are thinking of burying him, when Mr. Hedgehog comes along. More significantly, in the Beskow the boy elves know that one day they will have to hunt the snake, and they practice on the ants, whereas in the Sage they simply poke the ants' nest, with no commentary offered as to why they might have been doing so. When their mother comforts them afterward, in the Beskow she simply binds up their wounds, whereas in the Sage she admonishes them, telling them to "never hurt the creatures of the forest, unless they mean you harm" Where has Sage come by this admonishment? Is it in the original text, or did she add it, in order to add a salutary message to a potentially disturbing incident? If her intention is to depict the elf family as being more at peace with the woodland world, why then, in the next episode involving the ogre, does the Beskow describe the creature as "a kind old thing" that doesn't mean any real harm, when she (Sage) describes him as laughing, because he doesn't have many chances to "give someone a fright"?
These and other differences - notably, in the episode involving gathering mushrooms, the father spanks his children for picking the wrong ones in Beskow, but only gives them a talking to in Sage - make for interesting comparisons, if one has access to both versions. In the end I find both translations appealing, and am curious to see how I will react to the other two English versions with which I am familiar, The Little Elves of Elf Nook, translated by Sonja Bergvall, and Children of the Forest, adapted by William Jay Smith. show less
"Deep under the roots of a pine tree, in the quiet of the woods, there lives a tiny elf with his wife and children. Four chubby wee children there are, and all are dressed in huge red caps with white polka dots." So begins this classic woodland fairy-tale from renowned Swedish children's author and illustrator Elsa Beskow, for whom Sweden's Elsa Beskow Plaque, given to the best-illustrated children's books, is named. What follows is a show more gentle but enchanting story, in which the four "elf children of the woods" work and play throughout the seasons of the year. Friends with the squirrels, the frogs and the bats, they enjoy games in their own pine tree and at the nearby woodland pool. There are dangers in the forest as well, from the deadly snake their father kills to the ogre whose lair they frequently creep past. They must work to gather mushrooms and berries for their winter food store, and cottongrass to be made into sweaters and blankets. Games with the ethereal fairies, school with Mrs. Owl - these round out their days until winter comes, and they enjoy the beauty of the snowy world. When spring finally arrives again, it brings a rebirth of the woodland world, and an addition to the elf family...
Originally published in 1910 as Tomtebobarnen, this Swedish classic is one I first encountered through the Floris Books edition, Children of the Forest, which contains the Alison Sage translation, originally from 1982. I was therefore quite interested to see what I would think of this 1932 edition, published in New York by Harper & Brothers, and containing a translation done by Zita Beskow. Given the name of the translator, I thought at first it must be a daughter, but as Beskow only had sons (six of them!), perhaps Zita was a daughter-in-law or niece. I find it unlikely that she was no connection at all. Leaving that aside, I found this edition delightful. The story is engaging, with lots of fascinating little details about the elf family's life, and the artwork is (of course!) lovely. When I did a page-by-page comparison with Children of the Forest, I found some fascinating things. Wereas in the Sage translation the children are named at the beginning of the tale - Tom, Harriet, Sam and Daisy - they are not in the Beskow translation, and only two of them - Tommy and Katie - are named later during the course of the story. While in this edition the family are described as elves, in the Sage they are simply caled "forest people," and the term 'elf' is not used. These differences are interesting, and in the case of the elf vs. forest people contrast, no doubt indicate the fact that there is no direct English equivalent for the Swedish word (and category of being) 'tomato.' That said, these minor differences don't really effect the story and its overarching tone that significantly, unlike some more significant distinctions later on in the narrative.
The 1932 Zita Beskow translation has a number of descriptions and phrases that feel a little old-fashioned, maybe even outdated, making me wonder whether Alison Sage changed or omitted these elements, to make the tale more palatable to contemporary readers. It's tempting to think the Beskow translation, because it is older, and because it is done by a Beskow, is closer to the original, and a more accurate representation of it than the Sage. As someone with little to no Swedish however, it's impossible for me to say that this is the case with any certainty. Some of the more significant differences include tha fact that the father goes off to actively hunt the snake in the Beskow, but only fights him when he first attacks the children, in the Sage. In the Beskow the children gleefully carry the dead snake to Mr. Hedgehog, whereas in the Sage they are thinking of burying him, when Mr. Hedgehog comes along. More significantly, in the Beskow the boy elves know that one day they will have to hunt the snake, and they practice on the ants, whereas in the Sage they simply poke the ants' nest, with no commentary offered as to why they might have been doing so. When their mother comforts them afterward, in the Beskow she simply binds up their wounds, whereas in the Sage she admonishes them, telling them to "never hurt the creatures of the forest, unless they mean you harm" Where has Sage come by this admonishment? Is it in the original text, or did she add it, in order to add a salutary message to a potentially disturbing incident? If her intention is to depict the elf family as being more at peace with the woodland world, why then, in the next episode involving the ogre, does the Beskow describe the creature as "a kind old thing" that doesn't mean any real harm, when she (Sage) describes him as laughing, because he doesn't have many chances to "give someone a fright"?
These and other differences - notably, in the episode involving gathering mushrooms, the father spanks his children for picking the wrong ones in Beskow, but only gives them a talking to in Sage - make for interesting comparisons, if one has access to both versions. In the end I find both translations appealing, and am curious to see how I will react to the other two English versions with which I am familiar, The Little Elves of Elf Nook, translated by Sonja Bergvall, and Children of the Forest, adapted by William Jay Smith. show less
A young girl witnesses the flowers' Midsummer festival in this Swedish picture-book, first published in 1914 as Blomsterfesten. Too young to go to the Midsummer dance on her own, Lisa is left alone for the day by her grandmother, who must go out. When she encounters the Midsummer fairy, that beautiful lady makes her invisible, allowing her to witness the flowers of the field, forest and home as they gather to celebrate high summer. Presided over by Queen Rose, with her many lovely attendants show more - Ladies Pansy, Peony, Lilac and Honeysuckle, Lords Crown Imperial and Bleeding Heart, Sir Iris - the floral gathering is dominated by storytelling, as various insects and birds relate tales involving various flowers and plants. From the bumblebee's observations about the unhappy Bird's-Foot Trefoil, who is displeased at being called a 'vetch' - so like a witch! - to the goldfinch's chronicle of Mrs. Chestnut and her many sons, the selections presented win universal acclaim. All, that is, save the sparrow's song in tribute to the ever-lasting weeds, banished to the area outside the garden gate...
Like all of Elsa Beskow's books, The Flowers' Festival is a aesthetically pleasing volume, with its creator's appealing artwork gracing every page. Each two-page spread features the bulk of the text on the left, with black-and-white drawings, and the remainder of the text on the right, with full-colour paintings. All are beautiful, although I tend to prefer the colour paintings. The scene in which Lisa meets the Midsummer fairy was particularly lovely, I thought. The story itself is engaging, revealing Beskow's long-standing interest in nature, and her evident belief that it was a magical realm, if the child (and through them, the reader) could only find a way to truly see it. I thought the fairy's use of poppy juice to make Lisa invisible was amusing. Adults today might question the inclusion of such a substance in a children's book, but in the early 20th century, it would have been far less remarkable. One has only to think of the field of poppies that puts Dorothy and her companions to sleep in The Wizard of Oz (1900), or the magical tobacco the five-year-old hero smokes in The Old Tobacco Shop (1921). The conflict between the flowers and vegetables on the one hand, and the weeds on the other, was also quite interesting, smacking a bit a classism. The flowers are all refined delicacy - many of them ladies and lords - while the weeds are depicted as rowdy and rough, and of a lower social order. This was an interesting formulation for a nature lover to impose on her floral world, I thought, as so many weeds are also beautiful flowers. For myself, I have always loved Queen Anne's Lace, although it is considered a weed. Perhaps Beskow approached the question with a gardener's dislike of invasive plants that make her task more difficult? However that may be, I thought the subplot involving the weeds inserted a decidedly human element into the floral world being depicted. show less
Like all of Elsa Beskow's books, The Flowers' Festival is a aesthetically pleasing volume, with its creator's appealing artwork gracing every page. Each two-page spread features the bulk of the text on the left, with black-and-white drawings, and the remainder of the text on the right, with full-colour paintings. All are beautiful, although I tend to prefer the colour paintings. The scene in which Lisa meets the Midsummer fairy was particularly lovely, I thought. The story itself is engaging, revealing Beskow's long-standing interest in nature, and her evident belief that it was a magical realm, if the child (and through them, the reader) could only find a way to truly see it. I thought the fairy's use of poppy juice to make Lisa invisible was amusing. Adults today might question the inclusion of such a substance in a children's book, but in the early 20th century, it would have been far less remarkable. One has only to think of the field of poppies that puts Dorothy and her companions to sleep in The Wizard of Oz (1900), or the magical tobacco the five-year-old hero smokes in The Old Tobacco Shop (1921). The conflict between the flowers and vegetables on the one hand, and the weeds on the other, was also quite interesting, smacking a bit a classism. The flowers are all refined delicacy - many of them ladies and lords - while the weeds are depicted as rowdy and rough, and of a lower social order. This was an interesting formulation for a nature lover to impose on her floral world, I thought, as so many weeds are also beautiful flowers. For myself, I have always loved Queen Anne's Lace, although it is considered a weed. Perhaps Beskow approached the question with a gardener's dislike of invasive plants that make her task more difficult? However that may be, I thought the subplot involving the weeds inserted a decidedly human element into the floral world being depicted. show less
The second of five picture-books devoted to the adventures of Peter and Lotta - the first was Aunt Green, Aunt Brown and Aunt Lavender, and the subsequent three Peter and Lotta's Adventure, Uncle Blue's New Boat, and Peter and Lotta's Christmas - this entertaining romp of a tale was first published in Sweden in 1925 as Tant Bruns Födelsedag. As the title suggests, it concerns Aunt Brown's birthday, which all of her family prepares for in various ways. Uncle Blue, who is Peter and Lotta's show more tutor, suggests that he and the children dress up as Spring, Summer and Autumn, and recite poetry for the occasion. Aunt Green and Aunt Lavender decide to give her a hat and a necklace, respectively, and there the trouble begins. For to do this they need to borrow Aunt Brown's good dress, in order to match their gifts. When Aunt Brown goes to bed with a cold, it seems the ideal opportunity, but leads to a series of comical misunderstandings, culminating in Aunts Green and Lavender being mistaken for burglars...
I enjoyed Aunt Brown's Birthday immensely, finding in it that same sense of humour which makes the other Peter and Lotta adventures so entertaining, as well as the beautiful artwork for which Elsa Beskow is so justly celebrated. I appreciated Uncle Blue's attitude as an educator - strict and indulgent by turn, he makes sure the children do their work properly, but also takes the trouble to make lessons fun, and allows them time to play. The scene in which he joins them in enacting a mock battle was particularly amusing, as they are interrupted by the entrance of the parson! I also appreciated the amusing situations into which Beskow continues to insert her seemingly prim and proper maiden aunts, and thought the scene in which the magistrate and postmaster pounce on Aunt Lavender, while Uncle Blue and the children go after Aunt Green with a trip-wire (ha!) was hilarious. The illustrations are just lovely, with full colour paintings on the right side of each two-page spread, and black and white silhouette illustrations on the left, together with the text. The scene in which Peter and Lotta play outside in the snow with Uncle Blue was particularly beautiful, I thought, although all the paintings were a pleasure to look at. All in all, a worthy follow-up to Aunt Green, Aunt Brown and Aunt Lavender. Having read two of the later stories, I'm happy to have finally tracked down these earlier adventures! show less
I enjoyed Aunt Brown's Birthday immensely, finding in it that same sense of humour which makes the other Peter and Lotta adventures so entertaining, as well as the beautiful artwork for which Elsa Beskow is so justly celebrated. I appreciated Uncle Blue's attitude as an educator - strict and indulgent by turn, he makes sure the children do their work properly, but also takes the trouble to make lessons fun, and allows them time to play. The scene in which he joins them in enacting a mock battle was particularly amusing, as they are interrupted by the entrance of the parson! I also appreciated the amusing situations into which Beskow continues to insert her seemingly prim and proper maiden aunts, and thought the scene in which the magistrate and postmaster pounce on Aunt Lavender, while Uncle Blue and the children go after Aunt Green with a trip-wire (ha!) was hilarious. The illustrations are just lovely, with full colour paintings on the right side of each two-page spread, and black and white silhouette illustrations on the left, together with the text. The scene in which Peter and Lotta play outside in the snow with Uncle Blue was particularly beautiful, I thought, although all the paintings were a pleasure to look at. All in all, a worthy follow-up to Aunt Green, Aunt Brown and Aunt Lavender. Having read two of the later stories, I'm happy to have finally tracked down these earlier adventures! show less
Originally published in 1918 as Tant Grön, Tant Brun och Tant Gredelin, this classic Swedish picture-book is the first of five adventures featuring Peter and Lotta, and explains how those two children came to be living with Aunt Green, Aunt Brown, and Aunt Lavender in the first place. Three maiden sisters living together, the eponymous aunts - so known because of the colour of dress they invariably choose to wear - set out to walk their beloved black poodle Dot, only to find one thing after show more another delaying them. Impatient at being kept waiting, Dot takes off on his own, but soon finds himself in the clutches of a villainous organ grinder (as you do). Naturally, the aunts set out to find him, but they meet with mixed results. As Aunt Green finds herself stuck in a barn with an injured kitten, and Aunt Lavender is marooned in the forest after soaking her shoes and stockings, while attempting to cross a stream, Aunt Brown meets two unhappy young orphans, Peter and Lotta. Cheering them up by replacing their lost penny, she shares the tale of the lost Dot with them, asking them to bring him to the house, should they ever find him. This (of course) they do, rescuing the dognapped Dot from the organ grinder, and restoring him to the aunts (aiding Aunt Lavender and Aunt Green along the way), thereby winning for themselves a luxurious tea, and a permanent home...
Having read a few of the subsequent Peter and Lotta adventures, I am gratified to have finally tracked down this initial title. Aunt Green, Aunt Brown and Aunt Lavender has some of the madcap sense of adventure to be found in others of Elsa Beskow's stories, and much of the same humour as well. I was amused by the way in which Beskow takes the figure of the demure 19th-century maiden spinster - so proper! so prim! - and places her in seemingly incongruous situations. Beskow is not afraid to put adults in awkward places - stranded in a barn loft in the hay, or barefoot in the forest - that the young reader might not expect. The artwork here is just lovely, as one would expect with Beskow, for whom Sweden's premier illustrator's award is named. Each two page spread features the text on the left, and a full-page colour illustration on the right. The page with the text also features some artwork, usually in the form of black silhouettes on the white page. I found that I enjoyed both the silhouette and the full-colour illustrations. All in all, a strong beginning to an engaging series, one that highlights Beskow's talent at depicting small domestic dramas, in addition to her well-known fairy-tale/fantasies. show less
Having read a few of the subsequent Peter and Lotta adventures, I am gratified to have finally tracked down this initial title. Aunt Green, Aunt Brown and Aunt Lavender has some of the madcap sense of adventure to be found in others of Elsa Beskow's stories, and much of the same humour as well. I was amused by the way in which Beskow takes the figure of the demure 19th-century maiden spinster - so proper! so prim! - and places her in seemingly incongruous situations. Beskow is not afraid to put adults in awkward places - stranded in a barn loft in the hay, or barefoot in the forest - that the young reader might not expect. The artwork here is just lovely, as one would expect with Beskow, for whom Sweden's premier illustrator's award is named. Each two page spread features the text on the left, and a full-page colour illustration on the right. The page with the text also features some artwork, usually in the form of black silhouettes on the white page. I found that I enjoyed both the silhouette and the full-colour illustrations. All in all, a strong beginning to an engaging series, one that highlights Beskow's talent at depicting small domestic dramas, in addition to her well-known fairy-tale/fantasies. show less
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