Woody, Hazel and Little Pip

Originally published in 1939, as Ocke, Nutta, och Pillerill, this charming Swedish picture-book follows the adventures of two Acorn boys - Woody and Little Pip - and a young Hazelnut girl named (what else?) Hazel, who all find themselves far from home one sunny Autumn day. Climbing aboard a large

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oak leaf, Woody and Pip are blown across the forest, and - having landed in the midst of some gnomes doing laundry - are pressed into the delivery business. Meanwhile, Hazel hitches a ride with Mr. Squirrel, when he goes in search of the missing Acorn boys, and also finds herself abroad in the woods. Meeting up, the three children have many wonderful adventures - floating downstream on a home-made raft, playing with the Chestnut boys - before they are eventually returned to the bosom of their worried families.

Although I wouldn't describe the story of Woody, Hazel, and Little Pip as one of my favorites, when it comes to the slew of Elsa Beskow books I've been reading lately, it is still quite engaging, from a visual perspective. It's not that there's anything specifically wrong with the story, of course - although I do think that titles like The Sun Egg and Children of the Forest are superior explorations of the "elfin creatures of the woodland" theme - but it just didn't grab me. Beskow's artwork, on the other hand, is just lovely, perfectly capturing the warm light of an Autumn landscape, and the insouciant charm of her forest dwelling characters. Recommended to young readers who enjoy tales of "little people," and to fans of Beskow's artwork.

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