About life and death. About important and serious things - without a hint of pomp and pathos, but with subtly woven in humour. Ulf Stark is one of Sweden's best-known and best-loved children's book authors and has won many awards. Since the 1970s, he has written dozens of books in which he tackles difficult and important topics with his usual humour and freshness.
Review:
"Can you whistle, Joanna?" is the story of a little boy Bertil, who would love to have a grandfather. His friend Ulf keeps telling him how enjoyable his time with his is. Together they decide to look for a grandfather for Bertil. They go to an old people's home and there they come across Nils, who is probably suffering from Alzheimer's disease. He welcomes the news of having a grandchild. From then on, he and Bertil become inseparable. "Can you whistle, Joanna?" is a sad story with a positive message. Despite the touching ending and the heart-wrenching events, the reader is well aware that both the boy and the elderly man were very lucky to have met each other. This is a book about the hardest thing of all - goodbyes. Its phenomenon, however, is that it beams with positive energy, and every sentence seems to shout that the world is beautiful and extraordinary.
Do you know how to whistle, Joanna?
15 December 2022