New Swedish Books, autumn 2020 1
27 Autumn 2020 Sonja and the Hat Split A thoughtf
ul story about divorce and finding your place in a new family constellation. Sonja alternates living with Mummy one week and Daddy the next. Both places are nice but in different ways. When autumn comes Daddy takes out a hand-knitted stripy hat and gives it to Sonja so that she won’t be cold. But when it’s Mummy’s turn to collect her, she doesn’t think the hat is very good and buys her a new one – one with a bobble on. Every week throughout that autumn Sonja doesn’t just swap houses but also hats. Daddy’s week becomes “stripy hat week” and Mummy’s week “bobble hat week”. But one day Sonja has had enough! With empathy and warmth Måns Gahrton and Johan Unenge let the main character, Sonja, tell her version of what it’s like to live with divorced parents. Johan Unenge’s beautiful watercolours paint an everyday life where there is both happiness and sorrow. Måns Gahrton and Johan Unenge The jury: Which choice of hat best shows that you love a parent? A beautiful book, also for adults, with illustrations that are spot on. Picturebook, 3–6 years, 32 p. Måns Gahrton, Johan Unenge (ill.) Publisher Bonnier Carlsen Rights Bonnier Rights Mathilde Coffy mathilde.coffy@bonnierrights.se Photo: Stefan Tell Photo: Stefan Tell