The Summer Book

| 4.24 | 17,814 ratings and reviews

Recommended by Austin Kleon, Zoe Kazan, Jean Webb, and 3 others. See all reviews

Ranked #15 in Summer, Ranked #66 in Translated — see more rankings.

In The Summer Book Tove Jansson distills the essence of the summer—its sunlight and storms—into twenty-two crystalline vignettes. This brief novel tells the story of Sophia, a six-year-old girl awakening to existence, and Sophia’s grandmother, nearing the end of hers, as they spend the summer on a tiny unspoiled island in the Gulf of Finland. The grandmother is unsentimental and wise, if a little cranky; Sophia is impetuous and volatile, but she tends to her grandmother with the care of a new parent. Together they amble over coastline and forest in easy companionship, build boats from... more
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Reviews and Recommendations

We've comprehensively compiled reviews of The Summer Book from the world's leading experts.

Austin Kleon All of Jansson’s work makes me want to move to Finland and live on an island. Less fanciful than my beloved Moomin comics, these stories have an undercurrent of sorrow to them. Really gorgeous book. (Source)

Zoe Kazan @nanzhda I love this book. I’ve given it away so many times I no longer have a copy x (Source)

Jean Webb On the island the grandmother, who is an artist, creates a whole world—a forest with animals made from pieces of wood for the granddaughter. The book explores ways in which they engage with each other. (Source)

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