Soda Pop by Barbro Lindgren

Gecko Press, 2017. ISBN 9781776570119
(Age: 9+) A faint hum begins and a cloud of smoke slowly advances from the horizon. The hum turns to howling and growling as it comes closer. Then a huge swarm of tigers arrives - through the garden, squeezing into the barn, diving into the swimming pool.
Soda Pop loves bright orange clothes and wears a tea cosy on his head. He has brought up his son Mazarin on sweet buns and love. Grandfather Dartanyong emerges from his woodshed every morning with a new identity, and Great-grandfather thinks he is a cuckoo. Their peaceful existence is shattered when the group of hot dog eating tigers decides to move into the barn and owls that live in the barn start sleeping in the mail box causing Dartanjong problems.
The story is set in a very unusual world. The characters lead a carefree life in a non-judgemental world where anything can happen. The usual rules do not apply in this story full of nonsense. The illustrations by Lisen Adbage add another dimension to the characters.
This is a classic Swedish tale that was first written in 1970 and has only recently been translated to English. It has been so popular in Sweden that it has been made into a stop-motion animation series, a cartoon, a play, an opera and a comic. Suitable for children 9 and up.
Kathryn Schumacher