As the nights grow longer and the air turns crisp, it feels like the perfect time to wander into a quieter corner of folklore, one where snow softens every sound and a tiny guardian makes his rounds under the moon. This week, we’re spending time with The Tomten, adapted by Astrid Lindgren from a poem by Viktor Rydberg and illustrated by Harald Wiberg. Published in 1961 by Coward-McCann in New York, this winter tale follows the tomten, a small, mysterious caretaker who watches over a sleeping farm long after everyone else has gone to bed.
Astrid Lindgren (1907–2002), best known for giving the world Pippi Longstocking, brings warm storytelling to Rydberg’s 19th-century poem. Viktor Rydberg (1828–1895) was one of Sweden’s most celebrated novelists, and Harald Wiberg (1908–1986) adds soft, snowy illustrations that make you feel the hush of a winter night settling in around you. Coward-McCann, The Tomten’s original publisher, was acquired by Putnam back in 1936.
As we lean into the quieter rhythms of the season, The Tomten reminds us that there’s magic in stillness, wonder in winter nights, and comfort in knowing someone (no matter how small) is keeping watch.
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---Melissa (bundled up and gnomebound), Distinctive Collections Library Assistant
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