During an orienteering race, twelve-year-old Erik Dahlquist is lured off course to snap photos of a little wren on her nest. He loses his bearings until spotting a familiar landmark, the red hut on the cliff by the sea.

It’s Gunnar Eklund’s place. The reclusive old fisherman is said to not take kindly to trespassers. After a brief God Afton, the two strike up a friendship. Later, it turns out old Gunnar has good advice for Erik when his know-it-all cousin Bertil arrives from Stockholm to stay for the summer.

Join the Dahlquists and learn Swedish customs as they celebrate the holidays. There’s Midsummer’s Eve, crayfish fishing in August with a huge feast, culminating with St. Lucia Day and then Julafton.

This endearing read-aloud, of warm relationships between family and friends, is sure to become a favorite. Charming illustrations by Lorence F. Bjorklund.