Ulf Stark (1944–2017)

Grump the tomte and all of his woodland friends return in this follow-up to Swedish author/illustrator team Ulf Stark and Eva Eriksson's The Yule Tomte and the Little Rabbits. As Grump tries to deny the sense of loss and loneliness he feels when the bumblebee he rescued and cared for departs, the Rabbit family learns about Midsummer, and wonder whether they can put together some appropriate festivities. But when a terrible storm and flood strikes the forest, all the little animals head to show more Grump's seeking shelter and care. There, after various dramas are resolved, both Grump and Binny Rabbit tie themselves to the one they love, and a wonderful Midsummer celebration is had by all...

Originally published in Sweden as Sommar i Stora Skogen, and then translated into English by Susan Beard and published by the Edinburgh-based Floris Books, The Midsummer Tomte and the Little Rabbits is a worthy successor to the earlier book featuring these characters. Divided into twenty-one very short chapters, it would make a wonderful multiple-day bedtime story, particularly for young children who love both fairy-tales and animal stories. I appreciated the way that the narrative depicted Grump, who is genuinely grumpy and often very gruff on the outside, but whose actions show him to be generous and kind, as I think this subtly teaches children the lesson that sometimes people's bite is worse than their bite, and that there is a difference between being nice, and being kind. As with the earlier title, I found the artwork here delightful, and thought it perfectly captured the beauty of the summertime world, and the charm of the animals and tomte. Recommended to anyone who has already read and enjoyed the first book about Grump, as well as to young fantasy lovers looking for stories about tomte, or set at Midsummer. show less

Grump was a solitary tomte, living in the converted doghouse of a long abandoned old home, and although he continued his duties of keeping an eye on the place, he was none too happy about it. Grudgingly caring for a sleepy bee that he had rescued from a spider's web, he became extremely irate after losing both mittens and hat to the strong December winds, deciding that he would no longer be a tomte at all. Elsewhere, a large and happy family of rabbits, discovering his hat and mittens, and show more learning that they belonged to the "Yule Tomte," become convinced that Grump is coming to visit them. Together with the other woodland animals, the rabbits make all of the preparations they can for the visit, only to find themselves waiting in vain. Can Binny and Barty, two of the rabbit family's youngest members, track down the tomte, and bring him to the Christmas celebration...?

Originally published in Swedish as Jul i Stora Skogen, and then in English by the Edinburgh-based Floris Books, The Yule Tomte and the Little Rabbits: A Christmas Story for Advent is a sweet work of fantasy for the holiday season. Divided into twenty-five short chapters, it is intended to be read throughout the season of Advent, although I myself read it in one sitting. I love stories about tomte - little gnome-like creatures said to care for homes and farms in Scandinavian folklore, they are known as nisse in Norway and Denmark - and have been meaning to read Ulf Stark's book for a few years now. I'm glad I did, as I found the story both humorous and heartwarming. I particularly liked the subtle way in which Grump is depicted, as he verbally grouches at the various animal characters he encounters, declaring he isn't interested in taking care of them, all while taking care of them. The accompanying artwork from Eva Eriksson is lovely, capturing the charm of the characters and the beauty of the wintry world around them. Recommended to young fantasy lovers looking for stories about tomte, or set at Christmas. For my part, I look forward to reading the summer sequel, The Midsummer Tomte and the Little Rabbits. show less

What a treasure of a fable. A very quick read, illustrated, but it's got humor, pathos, and a heck of a lot of wisdom. Definitely for all ages. Perfect for a family to read aloud together, whether or not they have (or have lost) a grandfather. Secular, but with enough of a spiritual vibe that I don't imagine Christians will be bothered.

There is a cigar, and some *very* petty 'theft' so you might want to be ready to discuss those aspects with your children.

Convinced he will be no good as king, something elk are destined to be, the cervine hero of this Swedish picture book wanders the forest, encountering a series of animals in need. Although not able to find a solution for any of these distressed creatures, the elk does give assistance to each, when asked to do so. Eventually, visiting a farm on the edge of the forest, where he like to eat the apples, the elk frees a domestic pig who fancies life in the wild. Both elk and pig found they have show more made a mistake however, as the elk is unanimously welcomed in as king by the other forest residents and the pig discovers that he is not meant to live in the forest...

I had no idea that the furniture store IKEA also published children's books for the international market, apparently releasing titles from well-known Swedish authors and illustrators in multiple languages, and selling them in their stores around the world. Then I found King Elk and two others from author Ulf Stark at my local public library's annual sale, and immediately picked them up, having greatly enjoyed this author's The Yule Tomte and the Little Rabbits. I found myself wondering, as I read, whether the story here was written and illustrated explicitly for IKEA, or whether that company chose books already published in Sweden for their collection. In any case, while I don't think this was anywhere near the equal of Stark's books about Grumpy the tomte, I did find it engaging. The story is sweet and reassuring, and the accompanying artwork from illustrator Ann-Cathrine Sigrid Ståhlberg is expressive and appealing. Recommended to young picture book audiences who enjoy animal stories. show less