Velma Swanston Howard
There is a rich body of folklore that has sprung up around the central events that are said to have occurred in the life of Jesus. This volume, originally written in Swedish, collects a number of charming versions of these tales. It's an inspiring collection that would also be a good choice to read aloud to children.
Younger readers who enjoy fantasy tales like the Harry Potter series will love Selma Lagerloef's timeless classic The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. One day while his parents are out, Nils encounters a magical being who shrinks him to a fraction of his former size. Nils then sets off on a cross-country adventure, hitching a ride on a goose and learning about the wonders of nature in the process.
This collection of stories from Nobel Prize-winning writer Selma Lagerlof offers up fascinating facets of life from turn-of-the-twentieth-century Sweden. Many of the tales are almost fable-like in their simplicity, presenting inspirational and moral messages that will warm readers' hearts.
Though Swedish author August Strindberg produced significant works in fields ranging from memoir to observations of the natural world, he is best remembered as a groundbreaking dramatist whose plays were far ahead of their time and helped to usher in a new era of literature. The five-act drama Lucky Pehr, set in the Middle Ages, highlights the true extent of Strindberg's envelope-pushing creative genius.
5) Jerusalem
Inspired by a visit to a religious commune in the U.S., the novel Jerusalem is regarded by many as the most accomplished work in Nobel Prize-winning author Selma Lagerlof's oeuvre. A stirring examination of the steep toll of religious extremism, it follows a small sect of believers who emigrate to Israel under the sway of a charismatic leader.