Editorial Content for When Mischief Came to Town

Although Katrina Nannestad’s middle grade novel WHEN MISCHIEF CAME TO TOWN begins with the death of the protagonist’s mother, the story itself is charming, sweet and whimsical in addition to being poignant and emotionally compelling. It tells of the new life that 10-year-old Inge Maria Jensen is building with her grandmother on the Danish island of Bornholm in 1911.

Until her mother’s death, Inge Maria lived with her in a cozy Copenhagen apartment. Her life was full of friends, inspiring teachers, parties and dinners, and punctuated by the tales of Hans Christian Andersen. But crossing the Baltic Sea, sandwiched on a boat between angry geese and a hungry goat, Inge Maria is overcome with grief and apprehensive about meeting her grandmother, Astrid Bruland, for the first time.

This book is nicely paced, full of interesting characters and successfully balances the sorrow Inge Maria feels with her absolute love of life.

Her fears are realized when she finds her grandmother, dressed all in black, to be a stern and serious woman living in a small and muddy town. Right away, Inge Maria must learn to help her grandmother with the animals. From mucking out the pig sty and donkey’s stall to milking the cows and feeding the turkey, Inge Maria’s days on Bornholm begin early in the morning and are messy and lonely. Yet, she finds comfort in her grandmother’s beautiful house, a few special items she brought from Copenhagen, snuggling with her grandmother at night and in the joyful and imaginative habits her mother allowed her to cultivate. Over the coming days and weeks, Astrid, known locally as Dizzy, begins to let her guard down and express her love and affection for Inge Maria. Bonding over their shared grief and getting to know each other, the two come to support and appreciate each other and to create a new life together.

Inge Maria doesn’t just stir up feelings in her grandmother; she also brings a sense of adventure, boldness and the best kind of mischief to Bornholm itself. She brings laughter to her grandmother’s friends, new ideas to the traditional and dull local school and, most importantly, essentially saves the life of a friend named Klaus.

WHEN MISCHIEF CAME TO TOWN is a wonderfully charming story of loss and renewal. Inge Maria and her grandmother are both hurt and understandably cautious with each other, making their connection all the more meaningful. Bornholm makes for a fascinating setting and Nannestad nicely captures the Danish culture. From the brightly painted houses to the smell of smoked herring, the time and place in which Inge Maria lives is vividly presented. This book is nicely paced, full of interesting characters and successfully balances the sorrow Inge Maria feels with her absolute love of life. A quick but touching and fun read, WHEN MISCHIEF CAME TO TOWN, is highly recommended.