Step Inside The Elsa Beskow Peter and Lotta Collection

In The Elsa Beskow Peter and Lotta Collection, a pair of adventurous orphans find their new home with Aunt Lavender, Aunt Brown, Aunt Green and Uncle Blue. Follow along as the mischievous siblings explore, make new friends, and learn some important lessons with their new family.

This beautiful edition includes the stories Aunt Green, Aunt Brown and Aunt Lavender; Aunt Brown’s Birthday; Peter and Lotta’s Adventure; and Uncle Blue’s New Boat.

The extract below is from the story, Uncle Blue’s New Boat. It wouldn’t be a family outing with Peter and Lotta without a few hiccups along the way…

Uncle Blue’s New Boat

Uncle Blue began to row with long, even strokes, while the aunts declared how wonderful it was to be on the glassy lake. Peter and Lotta sat in the bow looking at the fish in the lake and at the rings the oars made in the water.

Soon the boat grated against the sandy beach of the island, and Uncle Blue and Peter and Lotta pulled it up so the aunts could climb ashore.

Then they chose a pleasant spot for the picnic. Uncle Blue built a fireplace of stones, while Peter and Lotta gathered twigs and small branches for firewood. In the meantime the aunts unpacked the baskets and set the things out on a cloth.

Just when Uncle Blue was going to light the fire, they found there were no matches, because Aunt Green thought that Aunt Brown had brought them and Aunt Brown was just as sure that Aunt Green had. And they continued talking about that for a long time.
Meanwhile Uncle Blue took out a magnifying glass from his pocket and let the sun shine through it on to a piece of paper. Soon the paper caught fire and he was able to put a flame to the twigs. The aunts said that there had never been a cleverer man than Uncle Blue. And Peter and Lotta thought so too.

Uncle Blue had got so hot working with the fire that he wanted to go and have a swim while the potatoes were boiling. He took his bathing costume and went to another part of the island, taking Peter along to give him a swimming lesson.

Then Lotta asked if she could go swimming too, and Aunt Green said they could go together. Aunt Lavender warned that they were on no account to go too far out in the water.

The beach sloped gently into the lake so there was no danger in swimming there, and Lotta and little Dot splashed around and had a fine time. Then Aunt Green decided to swim out into deeper water, though she was a little anxious. So she took a strong piece of string out of her bag, tied one end round her arm and gave the other end to Lotta to hold. She told her to pull as hard as she could if it ever looked as though Aunt Green was in trouble.

Lotta sat down on a stone on the shore and held the string and watched anxiously as Aunt Green swam further and further out. Suddenly it seemed to Lotta as if Aunt Green might just be in trouble, so she started to pull the string with all her might, calling for help. The other aunts came running and all three of them pulled Aunt Green towards the shore with such speed that water splashed everywhere.

When Aunt Green arrived, she was spluttering with annoyance, because she had got water in her mouth, and was extremely cross with them for pulling her ashore when she was perfectly fine.

Lotta could not help laughing, for she was so glad that Aunt Green was alright. The others laughed too, and even Aunt Green laughed a little, although she was still annoyed.

Lotta and Aunt Green hurried to get dressed before Uncle Blue and Peter arrived back for the picnic. The food was delicious, though the potatoes had cooked a little too long while they were saving Aunt Green.

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Continue the story in The Elsa Beskow Peter and Lotta Collection.

Elsa Beskow’s picture books have been beloved by both adults and children for more than 100 years. Her nostalgic artwork transports readers to an idyllic Sweden at the turn of the 20th century.

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