Wish again as Anja’s adventure continues
A family affair
Book review by Tove Andersson
Oslo
Book cover: The Polar Bear Wish
The story of the little elf that became the main character from The New York Times bestseller The Christmas Wish continues. This year The Polar Bear Wish is out.
The Christmas Wish is a photographic fairy tale from Norway. Inspired by his native Norway and his daughter, Anja, award-winning photographer Per Breiehagen, who grew up in Ål, a small mountain town in southern Norway, created a series of images of Anja dressed in traditional Norwegian clothing and Sámi reindeer shoes. It was his Christmas cards, made for friends and family, that became the Christmas Wish series that captured the world.
Photo: juritzen forlag
The “Wish” series of photographic fairy tales set in a Norwegian winter wonderland is a family affair, with Per Breiehagen as photographer, Lori Evert as author, and daughter Anja as star.
Lori Evert, Anja’s mother, was so inspired by the beauty and magic of the image of Anja and the reindeer that she wrote a story to go with the pictures. The family then created more pictures to illustrate the story.
Breiehagen started early, as his father was a photographer. His passion for outdoor activities and landscape photography has led to assignments around the world, including shoots at the North Pole, Greenland, and Antarctica. Born and raised in Norway, his childhood had centered on Nordic fairytales and lore.
The baby polar bear
Another winter has come and Anja, her cousin Erik, and her new puppy, Birki, are excited to explore the snow on their dogsled.
But on their journey, a great blizzard strands the travelers, and a lost baby polar bear comes to their tent looking for help.
Husband-and-wife team Lori Evert and Per Breiehagen bring us back to their classic Nordic world in a story illustrated with extraordinary photographs, once again.
“Wish” books:
- The Christmas Wish
- The Tiny Wish
- The Reindeer Wish
- The Brave Little Puppy
- The Puppy’s Wish
This article originally appeared in the December 28, 2018, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
