The Summer Book : A Novel

Celebrating 50 years of Tove Jansson’s classic, bestselling novelFeatured in the BBC 2 Between the Covers Bookclub Special (Eurovision series 2023)’Distils the essence of summer’ Robert Macfarlane’Magical, life-affirming’ Elizabeth Gilbert The Worldwide Classic about a tiny island and larger love.

An elderly artist and her six-year-old grand-daughter while away a summer together on a tiny island in the gulf of Finland. As the two learn to adjust to each other’s fears, whims and yearnings, a fierce yet understated love emerges – one that encompasses not only the summer inhabitants but the very island itself.

Written in a clear, unsentimental style, full of brusque humour, and wisdom, The Summer Book is a profoundly life-affirming story. Tove Jansson captured much of her own life and spirit in the book, which was her favourite of her adult novels. With a foreword by Esther Freud and an afterword by Sophia Jansson (on whom the child ‘Sophia’ is based) who returns to the island during the pandemic at the point of becoming a grandmother herself.

Includes a 15pp epilogue by Tove’s niece Sophia Jansson – the inspiration for ‘Sophia’ – on a personal and moving return to the island.

‘Eccentric, funny, wise, full of joys and small adventures. This is a book for life.’ Esther Freud’Tove Jansson was a genius. This is a marvellous, beautiful, wise novel, which is also very funny.’ Philip Pullman