Can You Whistle Johanna?

When Berra wonders why he doesn’t have a grandfather of his own, Ulf suggests finding one at the local retirement home. They go together, looking for a suitable old man who eats pig’s trotters, invites you to tea, and can teach you to whistle. This book tells a sad but endearing story about the friendship between two boys and an old man.

I particularly enjoyed how this was told from the boy’s point of view without any apology for sometimes shocking results. Ulf knows that grandfathers are old so he assumes they can get one at the retirement home. When the new grandfather tells Berra, he needs to whistle by the time he returns, Berra ends up waiting a little too long by taking his wish too seriously. The author uses the little boys’ ideas in a way that makes the book extremely funny even when dealing with serious topics like mortality and senior loneliness.

I would recommend this book to anyone above the age of eight as it teaches the valuable lesson that time is precious.