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John Albert Bauer
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Swedish Folk Tales Hardcover – Picture Book, October 15, 2004

by John Bauer (Illustrator), Holger Lundburgh (Translator)
4.9 out of 5 stars 818 ratings

John Bauer's original, evocative illustrations bring these classic Swedish folk tales to life.

This collection comprises 29 stories, including Elsa Beskow's When Mother Troll Took in the King's Washing; The Magician's Cape by Anna Wahlenberg; The Seven Wishes by Alfred Smedberg; The Ring by Helena Nyblom; Stalo and Kauras by P. A. Lindholm; The Maiden in the Castle of Rosy Clouds by Harald Ostenson.

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  1. Reading age
    5 - 9 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    239 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    2 - 3
  5. Dimensions
    8.5 x 0.9 x 11.5 inches
  6. Publisher
    Floris Books
  7. Publication date
    October 15, 2004
  8. ISBN-10
    0863154573
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0863154577
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Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'[John Bauer's] stylised images seem to suggest the universal ... they are extremely evocative. His use of muted tones means his rare flashes of colour... seem to illuminate his dark forest scenes with a magical glow. His big-nosed, good-natured trolls are also a delight (fans of Brian Fround's Dark Crystal will adore them). Adults will enjoy these pictures just as much as children.'
– Armadillo

'When John Bauer was tragically drowned at the age of only 36, he had already become Sweden's best-known illustrator of children's books. This handsome volume shows why. These stories are remarkably contemporary in their continuing appeal and their attractions were cleverly identified and enhanced by Bauer.'
– Mary Medlicott, School Librarian

'This is real storytelling. The stories represent a hitherto-neglected tradition of fairy tale, in bright readable English, which the added bonus of Bauer's pictures for those who respond to the strength of his compositions and the humour of his line.'
– Books for Keeps

'John Bauer is one of the world's greatest illustrators of fairy tales. His precise and beautiful work has been compared with that of Durer and Holbein. This book will appeal equally to both children and adults.'
– Booktrust

'A delightful anthology brimming with trolls, giants, villains and heroines. The stories, which are full of humour, are stunningly illustrated. A book to treasure.'
– Juno Magazine

'This superb collection of traditional fairy tales from Sweden is fantastic value, and you'll treasure the book for the illustrations alone. My kids can't get enough of it – and it's very popular with mum and dad, too.'
– Families Magazine

'These stories are entertaining, well told and have been translated into readable English. The illustrations are excellent, highly imaginative and reminiscent in style of the work of Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulak.'
– New View

About the Author

John Bauer (1882-1918) was a highly acclaimed Swedish artist. Influenced by Anders Zorn and Carl Larsson, and by the fantasy work of Arnold Bocklin, he started illustrating fairy stories whilst still a student at the Swedish Royal Academy. His best-known illustrations were for an annual Christmas book for children, Bland Tomtar och Troll (Among Elves and Trolls), which delighted readers with their gentle humour and delicate detail. Bauer died at the age of just 35 when he, his wife and their three-year-old son were drowned when a ferry they were taking to Jonkoping sank in Lake Vättern.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Floris Books; Later Printing edition (October 15, 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 239 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0863154573
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0863154577
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 5 - 9 years, from customers
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 2 - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.6 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.9 x 11.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 out of 5 stars 818 ratings

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John Albert Bauer

John Albert Bauer

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Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
818 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the folk tales in this beautifully produced book, finding them enjoyable to read. The illustrations receive praise for being absolutely gorgeous, and customers appreciate that the stories are appropriate for children with uplifting messages and morals.

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62 customers mention "Story quality"62 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the folk tales in this beautifully produced book, finding them well written and interesting to read.

"Beautiful illustrations in a very nice book. We have enjoyed the stories multiple times over the years" Read more

"Beautifully done fairy tales." Read more

"...The illustrations are not just beautiful, imaginative, and magically evocative; they are plentiful, too, with one on nearly every other page...." Read more

"...The Treasury is a collection of stories in an imaginative writing style that reminds me of the Book House Books our family had when I was a child...." Read more

53 customers mention "Illustrations"53 positive0 negative

Customers love the illustrations in this book, describing them as absolutely gorgeous and fantastic, with one customer noting the beautiful maidens depicted.

"Beautiful illustrations in a very nice book. We have enjoyed the stories multiple times over the years" Read more

"...The hardcover is very sturdy, nice binding, gorgeous colors and clarity in the photos...." Read more

"The book has quality illustrations. A gift for Scandinavian dad to read to my nephew." Read more

"This book far exceeded my expectations. The illustrations are not just beautiful, imaginative, and magically evocative; they are plentiful, too,..." Read more

10 customers mention "Ages"7 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate that the book is suitable for all ages, with one customer noting that each story contains a moral lesson, and another mentioning that it appeals to both children and adults.

"...Most of the fairy tales include subtle insights or morals that will appeal to both children and adults...." Read more

"Fantastic stories and beautiful artwork! Appropriate for children with uplifting messages and morals." Read more

"These stories have good morals and are fun. I have enjoyed reading them. Thanks!" Read more

"I love the book but it certainly wasn't written for young children, i bought it to read to my kids who are all under 5 and its vocabulary is beyond..." Read more

Beautiful book, condition not so great
4 out of 5 stars
Beautiful book, condition not so great
Book itself is beautiful but came with corners of pages all bent up. No surprise. Done buying physical books off Amazon unless I can’t find them elsewhere.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Sunny
    5.0 out of 5 stars Book worthy of your child's library
    Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Beautiful illustrations in a very nice book. We have enjoyed the stories multiple times over the years
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  • MUDMUD
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic collection of stories, beautiful photos by John Bauer, TOP QUALITY
    Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    My grandfather used to have a small library about trolls, tomtes, and other such creatures. He was an old Swede who passed away at age 99 1/2 who loved to tell us grandchildren stories. Some of the same tales and also many photos from John Bauer are in this collection. I bought 2 books (hardcover version) for my daughter and my nephews as Christmas gifts. Before I wrapped them up I locked myself away in the room to read and look at the photos. I can't express how happy I am with this book. It brings back so many memories of my grandfather. This type of story telling is lost in our modern day children's books.
    I have read 4 of the stories to my daughter so far. She loves them and asks to see the photos for several minutes at a time before we turn the pages.
    The hardcover is very sturdy, nice binding, gorgeous colors and clarity in the photos. The print and pages are large enough to read at a slight distance if you are sitting with your child or trying to show them the pictures as you read. Brilliant!
    45 people found this helpful
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  • P&W
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great grandson loved the book
    Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Beautifully done fairy tales.
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  • Kirsten Magnuson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nice illustrations, quality book
    Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    The book has quality illustrations. A gift for Scandinavian dad to read to my nephew.
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  • RH
    5.0 out of 5 stars outstanding: very readable; beautifully written and illustrated
    Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    This book far exceeded my expectations. The illustrations are not just beautiful, imaginative, and magically evocative; they are plentiful, too, with one on nearly every other page. The tales are well constructed and wonderfully readable in this translation. I assume they are 19th century art tales, but they are in the folk tradition and they keep to a standard stable of fantastic creatures (usually trolls, sometimes also tomtes or gnomes or elves). I would have liked a bit more bibliographic and biographical information on the writers (not just on the remarkable John Bauer), but this is a quibble that maybe a future printing can fix (along with the occasional typo).

    Quibbles aside, I recommend this collection most highly. I read it out loud to an almost-four year old daughter and a five-and-a-half year old son and they love it. Princesses, trolls, brave and clever peasants making their way in the big world: what more could one wish for?

    In short, the stories are a good length for reading aloud, the pictures are plentiful, and altogether this is a truly enjoyable book. I don't write many reviews, but I had to sing the praises of this gem.
    28 people found this helpful
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  • thebep
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Book. I May Need More Copies.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This was a gift to an adult son, who has a penchant for good storytelling and yes, he has Scandinavian roots. He read a tale the moment he opened this gift. The Treasury is a collection of stories in an imaginative writing style that reminds me of the Book House Books our family had when I was a child. The illustrations are wonderful, as are the quirky descriptions of characters in the stories. Time passing is handled in an elusive way in the tales. Jump into this book, and you may find that time you spend absorbed in these pages also becomes irrelevant.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Wendy
    5.0 out of 5 stars and he was very happy. The quality is very good
    Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    my uncle bought this book because he loves both fairy tales and art, and he was very happy. The quality is very good. The paper is great, and the hardcover edition is quite big and sturdy. The spine might feel like it's cracking because it creaks a little bit but we haven't had any problems with it. Just in case you're wondering it doesn't have a dust cover, but it's not necessary. I've read people complaining about the quality of the images but John Bauer made the illustrations in the 1890s-1900s and to be honest I feel they're actually pretty neat, clean copies of them. Some of the pictures might be in a different size than originally but it doesn't feel intrusive. Overall very nice book, great collection of stories, and even though I sent for it from abroad the States, it was delivered two days ahead of schedule. I'd recommend it happily.
    20 people found this helpful
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  • Leila
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and enchanting collection
    Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    This book combines absolutely gorgeous illustrations with a selection of traditional fairy tales that tend to include more independent female characters than similar fairy tale collections. For example, in "Agneta and the Sea King," the heroine follows her own path and removes herself from a home where her husband is emotionally manipulative. The stories are well-written and unique; I have not seen them in other collections.

    Most of the fairy tales include subtle insights or morals that will appeal to both children and adults. Several of the stories emphasize the importance of being kind and generous-- without being dull.

    The mysterious illustrations by John Bauer are, in my mind, a mixture between Arthur Rackham and art nouveau. However, those who find the naked body offensive should avoid this book, as it does contain a few illustrations with undressed children (although a child probably does know what he or she looks like naked) and adults as seen from behind.
    7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Graziano
    5.0 out of 5 stars Tutto perfetto
    Reviewed in Italy on June 30, 2021
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    Tutto perfetto
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  • Isolde
    5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book
    Reviewed in Canada on August 10, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I love the stories in this book, and the illustrations are gorgeous.
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  • BBB
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read! I enjoyed them very much, illustrations are immersive.
    Reviewed in Germany on July 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Read it with great joy, and I wish I could read them for children. Illustrations are above expectations, and gives a extra layer to the stories.
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  • Client_Amazon_
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bonne idée cadeau : très beau et grand livre pour les amoureux de la Suède
    Reviewed in France on June 1, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Produit en lui-même :
    - Le livre est grand, assez épais, imprimé sur un papier de qualité. Le format est un peu plus large que l'A4 et un peu plus haut aussi, pour situer. Couverture épaisse et très rigide aux couleurs bien réalisées et avec une jolie surimpression.
    - La typographie permettra à tous de lire sans trop se fatiguer : bonne lisibilité (seuls les titres ont des effets de style via une autre typographie, pour faire dans l'ambiance livre folklorique) et les caractères sont bien gros. Pas aussi gros que les livres dédiés et imprimés en gros caractères pour les publics concernés, mais je dirais une taille entre le 14 et 16 si on se refère à Verdana, par exemple. L'espacement est aussi un atout pour la lisibilité : un interligne plus grand que présent généralement et des marges importantes sur les côtés.
    Contenu (informations générales supplémentaires) :
    - Anglais facile, je dirais même simplissime voire élémentaire. Pas désagréable cela dit. Dommage qu'il n'y ait pas une version bilingue à côté dans la langue d'origine, même en vieux norrois ou suédois simple, ce qui en aurait fait une édition encore mieux.
    - Tout public (attention quand même aux illustrations qui sont des peintures (réalisme accentué, donc) & rendent un esprit très particulier, véhiculant parfois une certaine mélancolie assez sombre voire lugubre, mais surtout si c'est pour lire avec des enfants assez jeunes, les personnages sont assez inhabituels, un peu difformes par rapport à ce qui se fait dans la littérature pour enfants ou même les représentations de "beaux" petits montres).
    - Pas de commentaire sur le contenu : c'est conforme à ce que décrit la fiche produit, je commente donc le contenu plutôt sur sa forme et son accessibilité. Le reste est trop subjectif : ce sont des historiettes, c'est simplement ni sombre comme du Andersen non censuré/édulcoré, ni non plus des récits drôles ou légers. C'est variable mais sans tomber dans aucun de ces deux extrêmes.
    - Pas grand chose à voir avec la mythologie nordique telle que souvent reprise, représentée. Là c'est spécifiquement suédois, avec bien sûr des influences, de l'hypertexte, de l'intertexte, mais époques et contextes variés, donc rien à voir avec, par exemple, une énième anthologie de récits mythologiques.

    Autre :
    - Bonne idée cadeau, peu plaire à un large public (pour l'illustrateur, les peintures, le folklore suédois ou en général, les petits contes ou faits, une lecture facile et agréable en anglais même pour les débutants ou faux débutants, les amateurs de beaux livres...).
    - Rapport qualité/prix (20€ environ, en neuf) plus qu'excellent sur le produit.

    Espérant vous avoir aidé si vous hésitiez pour cet article...
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  • 淡幽
    5.0 out of 5 stars とても満足！
    Reviewed in Japan on June 2, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    綺麗な童話世界が描かれていて、大人でも楽しむ一冊である。
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