When their mother rows to the mainland for the day, the children of Hat Cottage promise to be good. They try to be helpful by sweeping the chimney, then washing their clothes in the lake, but their good intentions soon turn to mayhem.
© Little Scandinavian
Find out what happens when the mother need to leave three young siblings alone at home, as she needs to row to the mainland to do some errands. The children promises to be good, and so they are as well. Although sweeping the chimney turns out to be far more of a job than what they anticipated. All dirty afterwards they come up with new idea, using twigs to start a fire to heat the water to clean their clothes! Not thinking the fire can spread to the cottage! A neighbour, the shoemaker on the other side of the lake sees what happens and comes the children to the rescue, but it’s too late to save the cottage. The kind shoemaker helps the children and together they build a new, stronger wooden hut. So when the mum returns she not only finds the children safe in bed in a brand new home but there’s also romance in the air. Although the story at one point is quite scary it all, like fairytales often do, ends well.
This charming little fairytale with a true vintage feel to it was published in Sweden in 1930. We think the The Children of Hat Cottage by Elsa Beskow would be suitable for children from 2-6 years. A lovely little book, with simple illustrations, a combination of drawing and watercolors. Perhaps a book you’ll never grow out.
The Children of Hat Cottage by Elsa Beskow
Format: hardback
Page count: 32 pages
Size: 222 x 270 mm
ISBN: 9780863158551
Age Range: From 3 to 6 years
Publisher: Floris Books, the largest children’s book publisher in Scotland. With board and picture books for 0-7 year olds, often international stories and some of the most popular children’s book out of Scandinavia in translation and nostalgic classics; story books and anthologies for 6-10 year olds; and the Kelpies series of Scottish children’s fiction, a much-loved classic series into which they’re publishing brand new contemporary novels. They also publish a wide range of craft and activity books suitable for children of all ages. florisbooks.co.uk