Rose Lagercrantz (text), Eva Eriksson (illus.), Life According to Dani, Gecko Press New Zealand, July 2016, 108pp., $33.99 (pbk), ISBN: 9781776570706
Life According to Dani is the perfect book for younger readers who are excited to move into the grown-up world of chapter books. This is the fourth book in a series about Dani, a young lively girl who lives with her father. At the beginning of this instalment, we meet Dani on an island in the sea, where she is staying with her friend Ella and family. Her father has been hit by a car and is recovering in hospital. On the island, Dani and Ella spend their days playing, fishing, swimming (even skinny-dipping!) and selling coffee and buns to visiting tourists. Dani talks to her father every night, until one night, he doesn’t call.
In the great tradition of Astrid Lindgren and Tove Jansson, Lagercrantz skilfully creates a charming world on the little island, a paradise for two adventurous girls. They spy on eagles and moose, go swimming without any clothes, just like two water sprites, and take care of their hamsters, Roy and Partyboy. The writing is simple, but never simplistic, especially when dealing with the emotional crux of the story. Dani’s father comes to visit, but brings a new girlfriend with him. Simple but powerful metaphors reveal Dani’s inner turmoil at this situation, ‘Dani felt a knife in her chest.’ Through clever use of description, dialogue and action, the cast of characters are specific and real, from Dani’s stern grandmother, to her dense cousin Sven and, of course, bold and fierce Ella.
Eriksson’s illustrations give readers a window into this island, and the mix of emotions that Dani experiences. Beautifully captured line drawings complement the events. We get through-the-binocular views of animals on the island, animated portraits of the girls, and funny close ups of facial expressions.
Teachers could use this book for literature circles, especially with students who are just beginning to analyse longer narratives. It could also be used to explore representations of non-nuclear families, such as Dani’s, but also Ella’s and Sven’s, or to explore how characters deal with change in their lives.
When children begin reading chapter books, sometimes the emotional complexity and depth of story can be lost in the simplicity of language. This book demonstrates that this need never be the case. Younger readers will delight in not only following the carefree adventures of these two girls, but also in the trickiness of dealing with relationships and big, overwhelming feelings.
Reviewed by Madeleine Crofts