Tomten

I remember reading this book to classes of reception age children, and to my own boys, several years ago. I loved the atmospheric artwork, and the quiet repetitive story - and this seemed to be absorbed by the children. Although nothing much seems to happen as the tomten makes his nightly rounds it provides a window into a magical world of hard winters and thick snow. At the end we glimpse the coming of summer in the tomten's thoughts.I found it very useful to have a story which is set in midwinter, but doesn't mention Christmas. In Britain snow and cold weather usually occurs in January and it is good to have stories which reflect the one without limiting it to Christmas. My grandchildren have loved it this winter - snuggling down to hear the story of the tomten in the same way as their parents did!

This is a gentle story but very satisfying in its location and in the walk around the remote farm in the depth of winter. It's been a longstanding firm favourite with my sons (aged 2 & 6) and we bought this second copy for an old friend's daughter. We feel that it's a special gift. Let's just hope they agree!

This was my favourite book as a child, but my copy was my brother's before being handed on to me, is well over 40 years old, and is fragile to say the least. So got this lovely new copy so that I can enjoy it with my small son. He loves it.

I liked this story as a child. I liked the slight mystery about it and the calm repetitiveness of the story. A good story for a cold and stormy winter evening in front of a fire. Just as it would have been in Sweden where the story is set. This is not an adventure with lots of goings on, it's a picture book with soothing words. It must have made an impact on me as a child as I can still remember it today. I bought it for my little goddaughter and she enjoyed it.

Magical lyrical story. Daughter was enchanted and particularly lovely to read at Christmas time

Very disappointed. Didn’t like this book, dull in every sense. Donated to local library as I didn’t want to give it to my granddaughter as a gift.

The pictures are photocopied or scanned and the lines are blurry

I had this book read to me as a small girl growing up in Denmark, back then I thought the story was magical! Reading the book as an adult I thought it might be disappointing but Astrid Lindgren's writing was brilliant.