The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (Nils Holgersson #1) [B1870]

1947 HC Pantheon illustrated (b&w) reprint of the 1906 classic Swedish children's tale, 539-pages, in nice clean condition (without dust jacket). From Swedish novelist Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940), winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1909 - the first woman (and LGBT) to be so honored. Lagerlöf was a gifted storyteller whose writings often embraced the supernatural and were rooted in the sagas and legends of her homeland. She secured her reputation as a children's book author with The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, long considered a masterpiece of children's literature. Written at the request of Swedish school authorities and first published in 1906, it is the enchanting and remarkably original tale of Nils Holgersson, a mischievous boy of 14 who is transformed by an elf into a tiny being able to understand the speech of birds and animals. Brilliantly weaving fact and fiction into a breathtaking and beautiful fable, the story recounts Nils's adventures as he is transported over the countryside on the back of a goose. From this vantage point, Nils witnesses a host of events that provide young readers with an abundance of information about nature, geography, folklore, animal life, and more.

From the surprisingly many recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Long before Harry Potter there was Nils, a young troublemaker, who is shrunken by a gnome the boy has teased and bullied. Now no larger than a wren, he rides on the back of a wild goose to experience exciting and harrowing adventures all across Sweden. He has one wild adventure after another as he changes from a very selfish boy to one who treats animals and people with care and concern. All this while teaching the reader the geography of Sweden, an added bonus. A simply delightful, delightful book."; "This was as beautiful as I remember it from my childhood. Lovely story of a little boy learning about friendship, kindness and courage along wild geese during a year long trip around Sweden."; "The real appeal of this book is that Nils doesn't miss his former life and joyfully discovers all of Sweden, its beauty, and sometimes its dangers (a tenacious fox, the wind, frozen ground, etc.). Nils also encounters other bird species, rats, an imaginary city, and the Swedish people. Some passages are very moving, particularly Nils's act of pure kindness towards Smirre, the fox who only wants to harm him, and the story of Asa and Mats, young goose herders and Nils's friends, who travel alone in search of their father. The ending is beautiful."; "Absolutely wonderful book for big kids and adults. Joy and imagination from this Nobel Prize winning author. Read, read, read."; "What a little old treasure. Reminded me of both a fairy tale and a travel adventure. Written in 1906 in Sweden, it is filled with the lives of birds and animals and the moral progression of a young boy who learns from his winged and furry companions how to be a moral being. Very fun book group read."