Welcome to the final chapter of Summer Book Club! We’ve loved introducing some new favorites as well as savoring some of our most endearing classics. And it feels only fitting to end our summer reading adventure with a lovingly restored Elsa Beskow classic, The Land of Long Ago.
In this magical tale filled with Elsa Beskow's amazing illustrations, an ordinary log is transformed into a real dragon by a mischievous gnome and siblings Kelly and Kai are carried away on an unforgettable journey to a magical land. Along the way, they meet a princess, outwit trolls, rescue a knight, and discover that courage, kindness, and imagination can lead to extraordinary adventures. Filled with timeless storytelling, magical landscapes, and unforgettable characters, The Land of Long Ago is a classic that invites children to dream adventurously while reminding us all of the comfort and love waiting at home.
Day 1: Read & Discuss
Begin by reading the story aloud together, taking your time and pausing to look closely at Elsa Beskow's beautiful style of illustrations that bring to life a magical world from long ago. When you've finished looking at all the illustrations and reading the story, ask your children what were their favorite parts of this story and which parts really stood out and captured their imaginations.
These kinds slow and thoughtful conversations are simple ways that encourage a story to really sink in so kids remember it long after turning the last page. To help guide the conversation, we've put together a list of some discussion questions and prompts specific to The Land of Long Ago:
- Have you ever found a stump or an old log that looked like it could be something else?
- What do imagine the land of long ago to be? Is it similar to what Kai and Kelly find?
- If you could sprinkle that gnome's magic potion on anything to make it come alive, what would you choose? A favorite stuffed animal? A special rock?
- Would you be brave enough to knock on the troll king's door? Or to ask him for the key?
- What do you think the tune to the song that Kelly sings to the troll is?
- Can you imagine a wedding that lasted for 7 weeks? What kinds of activities do you think they did to pass all of this time?
- Have you ever been homesick?
Day 2: Writing & Drawing Prompts
On the second day, share the story again together and talk more about other favorite parts and connections from the book. One of our favorite Waldorf traditions is extending a story through art, writing, dramatic play, alongside discussion.
Playsilks encourage children to dance to the story and bring it to life through movement and imaginative play. Another way to bring the story to life is to gather crayons, colored pencils, and paper and place them close to the book, creating a spot where kids can draw, write, and revisit the story whenever they get inspired. To help bring this story even more to life, we've created a prompt to inspire drawing and creative writing.
- Find a stump, tree, log or shape in nature and imagine it's a magical creature. Draw your creature and tell a story about a day in it's life.
Day 3: Paired Craft
Window transparencies are a classic Waldorf craft and a perfect accompaniment to a classic Elsa Beskow book! For today's craft, we are creating the dragon from The Land of Long Ago to light up your windows and make them feel extra magical.
Thank you for sharing this Summer Book Club with us. We hope these stories have inspired meaningful moments together and that the books you've discovered this season will continue to be read, loved, and passed from one generation to the next.
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