We’ve mentioned Gecko Press before, but a gorgeous new release of theirs deserves special mention of its own.

It’s called Can you whistle, Johanna? by Ulf Stark and Anna Höglund, and it held our two girls (5 and 8) entranced.

Gecko specializes in English versions of children's books by internationally well-established authors and illustrators. Stark is a good choice: his books have been translated into more than 20 languages and he’s won over 10 major international awards.

Can you whistle, Johanna? is about a gentle friendship between two boys and the man they adopt as their grandfather. It’s a simple and elegant tale, beautifully told, and tinged with sadness. The expert translation is by Julia Marshall, the owner of Gecko.

Our girls were silent for a few moments after I finished reading the book, and you could almost hear them thinking about the story. A good sign, and the sign of a very good book.