Author(s): Ulf Nilsson

Picture Books

Theme: gently funny, non-sentimental story about death in a play context, from a child's' view. Illustrations: Sugar tough, apple green and corn yellow: Eva Eriksson is one of Sweden's best loved illustrators. Appeal: adults and children aged 4 plus. 'The whole world is full of dead things,' said Esther. 'In every bush there is a bird, a butterfly, a mouse. Someone must be kind and look after them. Someone must make a sacrifice and see that all these things are buried.' 'Who must?' I asked. 'We must,' she said. Esther was very brave. I was little and scared...One summer's day we started a business called Funerals Ltd, to help all the poor dead little animals in the world. Esther did the digging, I wrote the poems, and Esther's little brother, Puttie, cried.

About the author:
Eva Eriksson is one Sweden's best loved children's illustrators, winning the Astrid Lindgren and prestigious August prizes. Ulf Nilsson is a celebrated Swedish children's writer, who has won the August and US Batchelder prizes.