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Alfons Åberg #11
Τι χαρά, Άλφονς!
«Γιατί δεν μπορούμε να περνάμε καλά πάντα;» λέει ο Άλφονς. «Θα ήθελα να μπορούμε να προσπερνάμε τις βαρετές μέρες και να ζούμε μόνο τις μέρες που συμβαίνει κάτι ωραίο». Τα Χριστούγεννα πέρασαν και ο Άλφονς είναι απαρηγόρητος. Μαζί με τον μπαμπά μελαγχολούν για τις χαρούμενες μέρες που έφυγαν. Η γιαγιά όμως δεν συμμερίζεται τον πόνο τους…
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1984
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 27, 2009
The early Alfons books are simply amazing - some of the best small children's literature ever written. I wouldn't hesitate to compare them with classics like Peter Rabbit. This was #11, and about now it started to go wrong. I don't think it was so much that she got tired, or ran out of ideas. It was more that she suddenly realized that she was telling stories to every small child in Sweden, and the responsibility got to be too much for her. I wouldn't be able to handle it either, so I sympathize.
In this book, it's early January, and Alfons and his Dad are in the middle of a deep post-Christmas depression. Dad is quite likely still hung over; Alfons is perhaps coming down from a sugar high. It's not implausible that both of them are suffering from SAD, a common problem in Stockholm at that time of year, where you are getting about 5 hours of daylight. At any rate, they flop listlessly on the couch, moping and sighing.
Grandma, on the other hand, rushes around hyperactively (what's she been on?) assuring everyone that it's actually very GOOD that they're all so gloomy, because, you see, otherwise they wouldn't appreciate happiness when it inevitably comes back. The English reader half-expects her to tell them that under every grief and pine, runs a joy with silken twine, except that Blake isn't very popular in Sweden. And, sure enough, a couple of moderately good things do happen at the end.
You can of course see what the author is trying to do, and I suppose that at some level it's praiseworthy, but I cannot muster the smallest degree of enthusiasm. Frankly, it's one of the most irritating books I know. And in fact, precisely for that reason, it's frequently quoted in our English/Swedish household. If you want to tease someone who's looking unjustifiably depressed, a surefire way to do it is to quote Grandma's idiotically cheerful lines about how GOOD it is that they are down. This usually provokes teeth-grinding noises at the very least, so the book has arguably succeeded in that department. I doubt, though, that it was quite the success Gunilla Bergström had in mind.
In this book, it's early January, and Alfons and his Dad are in the middle of a deep post-Christmas depression. Dad is quite likely still hung over; Alfons is perhaps coming down from a sugar high. It's not implausible that both of them are suffering from SAD, a common problem in Stockholm at that time of year, where you are getting about 5 hours of daylight. At any rate, they flop listlessly on the couch, moping and sighing.
Grandma, on the other hand, rushes around hyperactively (what's she been on?) assuring everyone that it's actually very GOOD that they're all so gloomy, because, you see, otherwise they wouldn't appreciate happiness when it inevitably comes back. The English reader half-expects her to tell them that under every grief and pine, runs a joy with silken twine, except that Blake isn't very popular in Sweden. And, sure enough, a couple of moderately good things do happen at the end.
You can of course see what the author is trying to do, and I suppose that at some level it's praiseworthy, but I cannot muster the smallest degree of enthusiasm. Frankly, it's one of the most irritating books I know. And in fact, precisely for that reason, it's frequently quoted in our English/Swedish household. If you want to tease someone who's looking unjustifiably depressed, a surefire way to do it is to quote Grandma's idiotically cheerful lines about how GOOD it is that they are down. This usually provokes teeth-grinding noises at the very least, so the book has arguably succeeded in that department. I doubt, though, that it was quite the success Gunilla Bergström had in mind.
April 3, 2023
Joulu on ohi, isoäiti kerää joulukoristeita pois ja Mikko Mallikas ja isä ovat ikävissään, koska seuraavaan jouluun on pitkä aika eikä mitään hauskaa ole tiedossa. Isoäidin mielestä on hyvä että heillä on vähän tylsää, koska silloin hauskat asiat tuntuvat hauskemmilta. Onneksi Mikolle tuleekin pian leikkikaveri kylään ja elämä näyttää vähän valoisammalta. Jotenkin vähän ärsyttävä luettava, mutta lapsi taisi ainakin jossain määrin tykätä. Kirjan lause "isoäiti laittaa Jeesus-lapsen kenkälaatikkoon" jäi sen verran mieleen että on putkahdellut puheen sekaan aina välillä mitä riemastuttavimmissa yhteyksissä.
January 23, 2018
Święta się kończą, Albert i jego tata siedzą markotni pod opadającą z igieł choinką. Tylko Babcia wesoło podśpiewuje pod nosem i cieszy się, że się nudzą. Albert w tej opowieści uczy się, że warto czasami się ponudzić, by potem docenić niezwykłość kolejnych uroczystości.
November 13, 2020
Not the best of the series so far.
May 26, 2022
Vauvan kiinnostus ylsi jonnekin puoliväliin, sitten haukoteltiin. Tarinaan päästiin mukaan taas jossain loppupuolella. Solid 3 tähteä hänen mielestään.
September 22, 2022
Mysig bok
November 1, 2023
Alfons har tråkigt.....
January 9, 2012
I loved this book and will get more from the same series. It was smart, funny, and easy to read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews