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Pelle Svanslös #1

Pelle Tömpsaba seiklused

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Üheksateist lustakat juhtumit kass Pelle Tömpsaba kirevast elust.

54 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1939

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About the author

Gösta Knutsson

73 books9 followers
Gösta Lars August Knutsson (original surname Johansson; 12 October 1908, Stockholm – 4 April 1973) was a Swedish radio producer and writer of a popular series of children's books about the cat Pelle Svanslös.

Gösta Knutsson was born in a middle-class family in Stockholm and came to the University of Uppsala as a student, remaining in Uppsala for the rest of his life. After completing an M.A. degree, he was curator (chairman) of the Stockholm Nation and later chairman of the Uppsala Student Union (1936–1938). He was also editor of the student union paper Ergo 1940-42. During his time as student union chairman, he was also employed as head of the Uppsala office of the Swedish National Radio and remained there from 1936 until 1969. As such he introduced the quiz show in Sweden, with the first one recruiting the two teams from two of the student nations in Uppsala.

Knutsson is most remembered for his series of children's books about Pelle Svanslös, "Peter No-Tail", a good-hearted and often naïve cat whose tail had been bitten off by a rat when he was a kitten. The books contain a number of other cats such as Pelle's darling Maja Gräddnos ("Mary Cream-nose") or his adversary, the bully Elaka Måns ("Mean Magnus"), who never forgets reminding Pelle of his lack of a tail, and Måns' two followers Bill and Bull, who tend to repeat everything Måns says in fragmentary and garbled form. The anthropomorphic cats mostly live in the area around the cathedral and the university in Uppsala, seen from a somewhat feline perspective.

Knutsson has said that the tailless cat Pelle was based on a real cat he had himself known for a summer in his childhood, but also that the cat was his own alter ego. Maja Gräddnos is supposedly based on his own wife Erna. Måns is generically evil with elements fetched from Hitler and Mussolini. The other cats were all caricatures of people among Knutsson's own circle of friends and acquaintances in Uppsala.

Pelle Svanslös made his public debut in a story told by Knutsson on radio in 1937, with the first book appearing in 1939. The Pelle Svanslös books have been reprinted in Swedish many times and have also been translated to Finnish, Danish, Norwegian, German, Latvian, and Polish.

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5 stars
94 (24%)
4 stars
155 (40%)
3 stars
106 (27%)
2 stars
24 (6%)
1 star
4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Sivu kerrallaan.
501 reviews46 followers
April 5, 2021
3.5 ⭐. Ihana Pekka Töpöhäntä, kukapa ei hänestä voi olla pitämättä. Mutta symppaan myös Monnia, ärsyttäähän se jos uus kisu tulee kotikulmille ja vielä mitali kaulassa! 🐱
215 reviews37 followers
December 25, 2016
podroz sentymentalna ;)
Profile Image for denudatio_pulpae.
1,634 reviews36 followers
April 10, 2020
Strasznie mi było żal Filonka, że stracił swój ogonek w tak okropny sposób. Ogólnie było mi żal tego kotka, szczególnie kiedy inne koty były dla niego wredne. Na szczęście nasza futrzasta, mrucząca kulka miała również miłe przygody, a nawet dostała medal za wybitne kocie osiągnięcia :)

Lubiłam wszystkie (może z kilkoma wyjątkami) zwierzęta, ale w głębi duszy zawsze byłam kociarą. "Przygody Filonka Bezogonka" wspominam z sentymentem i po ponownym przeczytaniu nic się nie zmieniło.
7/10
Profile Image for Miranda.
46 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2025
Väldigt mysig att lyssna på!
Profile Image for Celestine.
834 reviews10 followers
October 19, 2025
3,5. Sympaattinen pieni kirja. Yllätyin siitä, miten pienessä roolissa Monni tässä vielä oli, ja siitä, että Pekalla oli muitakin luonteenpiirteitä kuin pelkkä kiltteys :D vallan viehättävä lastenkirja, sopi hyvin aikuisellekin iltasaduksi, vaikka ei tämä mikään tajuntaa räjäyttävä kokemus ollut. Kuvitus oli mahdottoman söpöä!
Profile Image for Laura.
130 reviews1 follower
May 18, 2019
Aina ja edelleen ihana!
Profile Image for Anna Granberg.
Author 14 books57 followers
November 6, 2019
"Bra!" tyckte sonen, 4,5 år.
Första kapitelboken vi högläste hela för sonen.
Profile Image for najeżona.książkami.
400 reviews5 followers
May 13, 2023
Niestety polskie tłumaczenie z lat 60-tych XX w. nie zestarzało się zbyt dobrze. Dla dzieci z pewnością język będzie zbyt staroświecki: wyrazy typu poczciwy, pocieszny, nieprawdaż, możeś, urągliwy, była przyjemna/najprzyjemniejsza jako stopniowanie czegoś miłego. Niby czytelnik może domyślić się o co chodzi, tylko że przez takie słownictwo odbiera się wrażenie przesadzonego patosu, a to przecież tylko książeczka dla dzieci. Czuć przedwojenną Szwecję, ale z taką dozą ostrożności, dystansem. Praktycznie każdy europejski kraj mógłby zostać miejscem akcji. Liczyłam na vibe Astrid Lindgren, ale zabrakło mi tego rodzinnego ciepła, które kojarzą mi się z tą szwedzką pisarką.
Profile Image for Ірина Фещенко.
74 reviews
June 26, 2023
Багато років тому читала доньці книжки про Пелле - милого котика без хвоста. А зараз читаю для себе, бо дуже потребую добрих історій.

В першій книзі ми взнаємо хто такий Пелле, куди подівся його хвостик, як він отримав свою родину, про сміливі і нерозважливі вчинки, наївність, яка часом приносить неприємності, а також про лихих і хороших котикових знайомих.

Ніби невеличка книжка, а пригод огого!

Я, звісно, трішки вводжу в оману, бо читаю українське видання. На жаль, його нема на Goodreads:
Пригоди Пелле Безхвостого
96 сторінок
Видавець Юніверс
2005 рік
ISBN 966-8118-13-8
Profile Image for Mima.
511 reviews36 followers
May 2, 2022
Lastenkirjahaasteeseen kuuntelin tämän lapsuuden kirjasuosikin. En kyllä muistanut juonesta oikeastaan mitään. Lähinnä mieleen on jäänyt tarinan pahikset: Monni joka säälimättä kiusasi ja satutti Pekkaa, oli kateellinen kissa joka aina juonitteli ei-ihan-niin-fiksujen-kissakaverusten Pillin ja Pullan kanssa Pekkaa vastaan.
Profile Image for Nova Långström.
65 reviews1 follower
November 15, 2024
Läst denna bok på Universitetet. Tyckte inte om den hahah. Den var gammaldags i språket och hade ingen handling som man ville läsa mer av. Kan förstå att den var mysig att läsa när boken släpptes 1939, men idag hade jag valt något annat. Det enda som var bra med den var nog katterna, då jag tycker om djur.
Profile Image for Eva.
1,621 reviews33 followers
June 17, 2020
Fick denna bok signerad av Gösta Knutsson, så jag antar att jag fick den redan utgivningsåret, men läsa den själv gjorde jag så snart jag börjat skolan några år senare.
Senare har min dotter ärvt boken av mig. Hon älskade även julkalendern som kom 1997 med Pelle Svanslös.
Profile Image for Jonatan Almfjord.
463 reviews4 followers
January 3, 2023
En söt liten barnbok om den nästintill legendariske katten utan svans. Tyvärr lämnar sagoberättandet mig inte helt nöjd, detta är en saga som jag trodde var bättre än den var. Långt ifrån i paritet med t ex Tove Janssons böcker om Mumintrollet.
Profile Image for Hillevi.
139 reviews4 followers
September 16, 2018
En fin liten bok. Jag gillar bäst när Pelle får en ryggsäck.
Profile Image for John.
651 reviews7 followers
October 21, 2019
Barndomsfavorit som fortfarande går att läsa. Underbar historia om naive Pelle som luras av Måns och hans elaka kumpaner, men som oftast får upprättelse...
Profile Image for Natalia.
29 reviews
February 27, 2022
Moim zdaniem tragedia. Dlaczego? Tak w sumie to nie wiem. Po prostu nie przypadła mi do gustu.
Profile Image for Frida Hultgren.
384 reviews35 followers
April 9, 2024
Cute, classic children's book my generation remembers from Christmas.
Profile Image for Bookbooshka.
120 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2025
Książka, która sprawiła, że pokochałam czytać. Dziś pełniąca rolę czytanki przed snem moich dzieci. Łezka w oku się kręci. Kochany, dzielny kotek.
204 reviews22 followers
June 18, 2017
This review can be seen on https://littlebigreads.com/2017/06/19...

If I were to meet Pelle No-Tail I would tell him that at times I loved him so much, other times I worried for his safety… but then I realised that he is just a curious little cat that just wanted to be everybody’s friend.

I have mixed feelings about The Adventures of Pelle No-Tail, especially with some of the wording which I have overlooked mostly because of the age of the original version of the book. However, overall it was a sweet book for young readers and will keep them entertained as they wonder what mischief Pelle will get into next.

Early in the book we learn that Pelle No-Tail is Swedish, he is a curious about many things (which is how he found his family), likes to eat Herring, and is mostly good at making friends except with the neighbourhood cats who aren’t very nice to Pelle No-Tail.

The author who’s work has been translated for the English version of this book, wrote her very first Pelle book in 1939, so it has a long history. Pelle is much loved in Sweden and Swedish children grew up with his stories.

The translators have a note at the beginning of the book which explains about the books being translated to English and that some words have been left in the original Swedish form, which they have gone on further to explain.

So this is just book 1 in the Pelle No-Tail series but there are more to come soon. If your child likes curious cats, adventure, and mischievousness then they will love reading about Pelle No-Tail.

Thank you to Piccolo Nero for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.
Profile Image for Kristi Einberg.
172 reviews2 followers
December 18, 2022
Tore lugemine, aga seal olid momendid mis tegid meele eriti kurvaks. Teiste kasside kius peategelase aadressil seetõttu, et arvati, et kuna tegu kodukassiga siis kohe ülbe + muidugi see, et ta teistsugune oli kuna saba puudus. Mõtlesin sellele kuidas noritakse inimesi kes vähegi teistsugused on. See alati paneb mõtlema, kui katkised need inimesed (kiusajad) on. Ela ise ja lase teistel elada.
Kiputakse ikka arvama, et lasteraamatuid ei peaks täiskasvanud lugema. Kuid kas lapsed saavad alati aru mis raamat öelda tahab? Vanemad lugejad tabavad asja ära. Selle raamatu puhul pole see muidugist kuigi keeruline, aga üleüldises aspektis.
82 reviews7 followers
August 1, 2017
This story is a Swedish classic recently translated into English keeping some of the Swedish vernacular where possible to maintain character. It is adorable. I would love to read these adventures with junior primary students. The chapters are short and quick. The characters easily relatable and text to world writing ideas seems to flow. I think this is a great class novel for Years 1-3. And as it is part of a series of adventures, encourages independent reading.
Profile Image for Stephan.
463 reviews13 followers
May 5, 2017
Nja. Visst var det en fin och trevlig berättelse. Men är det bar jag som reagerar på hur godtroget korkad katten faktiskt är? Hur många gånger ska han egentligen få för sig att Måns har blivit snäll och att allt är som det ska innan han lär sig?
Profile Image for Violet the Reading Fairy.
19 reviews
July 2, 2017
I received a review copy from Piccolo Nero.

I loved this book. I liked how Pelle was a brave cat when he got lost and found his way back to his owner Birgitta. I also liked how Pelle stood up to three big Tom cats. He showed that even when you're small you can be big.
Profile Image for Anna.
3,522 reviews196 followers
November 14, 2010
Absolutnie świetna książeczka dla dzieci i dorosłych. Filonek Bezogonek to postać z lektury dla dzieci, która nie jest pełna agresji.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews