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itsomgitsgreenblogging · 8 years ago

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New Perspective: A Solangelo Fanfiction

Drew’s the best and also the worst, and also I haven’t written a lot of witty dialogue lately, I missed that. So you know I had to bring back some of the snap. Also all the lube available and Nico with a ponytail. Cause you know, those things should never be mutually exclusive in fanfiction ;)

(this fic takes place after the events of Lover-Cares)

Enjoy!

Read on AO3

Preview:

“Nico, what the heck?” Austin said, looking rather startled. “Did you seriously just refer to yourself in the third person.”

“It’s never too early for some good old fashion dissociation and self-hatred my guy,” Nico said with a probably terrifying half-smile half-baring of teeth he cheers his coffee and downed it. Noting Kayla and Austin’s genuinely unamused faces, he scoffed. “My comedic skills are lost on you people, I swear.”

“—I’m just saying, Drew Tanaka can shove it up hers if she has enough room besides the giant stick up her butt,” Kayla fumed, and Nico couldn’t help but look up from where he was absentmindedly stirring him cream of wheat. “I swear sometimes I just want to smack that girl upside the head, and the Stolls, and—“

“—and Nico di Angelo, by the gods he’s such an asshole am I right?” Nico said irritably as he took a sip of his coffee, watching as Sebastian from Aphrodite Cabin and Malcom from Athena Cabin got into an argument about if Beyoncé was or was not the most influential philosopher who tackled the properties of love and relationships in modern time.

“Nico, what the heck?” Austin said, looking rather startled. “Did you seriously just refer to yourself in the third person.”

“It’s more like you have a really screwed up sense of humor but alright man whatever floats your boat,” Kayla said with a shrug.

Nico stewed in his general daily angst, definitely not upset that he hadn’t seen Will all morning because he was in charge of taking care of a camper, no, Nico was not that petty. Or at least, he was trying to convince himself that he wasn’t as he sat in the shadow of a tree that was diagonally across from the infirmary, a book laying on his lap that Nico wasn’t reading. He hadn’t managed to get any alone time with Will in so long, he was actually missing Will even though he had seen Will every single day, and his head wasn’t feeling so great.

Pathetic, Nico thought at himself angrily, wanting to bash something or break something to get the raw feeling out from beneath his nails and his head. Get used to being around people and suddenly you are clinging again.

“Oh hey there lover-boy, what’s the reason for the doom and gloom and the fact you obviously haven’t combed your hair?” Drew Tanaka said as she placed one hand on her hip and looked down at Nico as if he had walked out of his room wearing only orange from behind her pink eyeliner.

“Oh wow, it’s almost like I can hear something…but I can’t quite make it out over the sound of all the hot air escaping your face,” Nico said saintly.

“You are lucky you are hot and an asshole,” Drew Tanaka scoffed. “Otherwise being around you would be a chore.”

“I’m gay, Drew.”

“First off sweetie,” Drew said with the inflection she would give “cancer” or “Walmart clothing sale”, “did I say I wanted to suck face with discount Brendon Urie from circa 2005? No I did not. Stop projecting your insecurities onto me, every time you do so another fabulous bitch like me gets a blister when walking in heels to the club. Secondly just because you are gay does not mean you stop being hot. Those things aren’t mutually exclusive. “Mutually exclusive” meaning two things that cannot both be true at the same time, like eating bread on the Atkins diet or Ellis Wakefield not wanting to suck Markowitz’s dick when he walks into a room. Being gay and attractive can definitely both happen so deal with it, and it makes your shitty attitude worth it because I can appreciate good bone structure when I see it.”

“Drew you are an awful human being,” Nico told her seriously, rubbing his temples adamantly. “Like really, is something wrong with you?”

“What can I say, I’m just keeping it real,” Drew said with a toss of her hair. “So what’s got your panties in a twist? Is it Will?”

“Drew, if you seriously think I’m going to talk to you about relationships you have another thing coming,” Nico said with a vague ache starting up behind his eyes.

It was when Drew and Nico were about to have their version of a heart to heart (which was basically them insulting each other) when it sounded like the Asphodel Fields broke out in the center of camp. It looked like Butch from Iris Cabin was barely holding back Sherman as Lacy, Mitchell, and Sebastian milled on the edge of the archery fields. Julia Fiengold, who was good friends with Lacy, had planted herself by Lacy’s side but looked concerned as Alice casted a few solid glares in Sherman’s direction (and Nico wouldn’t have been surprised if she was carrying some serious prank artillery with her). Clovis had somehow fallen asleep on one of the white lines in the center of the archery field, and Nico found himself somewhat glad for it as Will had emerged from the infirmary to try to drag him off with the intervention of Lou Ellen and Cecil Markowitz—though they had all apparently dropped Clovis mid-carry as the fight broke out as he was snoring, looking rather at peace on the grass.

“So what’s going on?” Nico asked in general as he and Drew approached the chaos.

“Oh, you know, the daily life at CHB,” Will said weakly. “Honestly they had been arguing when I got here, I think things started escalating.”

“What you are saying is disrespectful to all the warriors—!” Sherman half-screamed, looking very much like he wanted to shove Lacy out of a moving car. “Get off me Brony!”

“Ugh, man, do not make me regret this or I swear!” Butch snapped at him.

“I was just saying…!” Lacy half-sobbed, her brothers who were comforting her looking like they were planning to switch out Sherman’s spears with makeup brushes and for Cover Girl makeup and lots of highlighter to be in Sherman’s immediate future.

“Wait, can we all hold up a hot second! What is happening and why is Tweedle Dumber threatening Lacy?” Drew said, holding out her hands and flipped her dark hair out of her face. There was charmspeak laden in her words, and with the threat of physical violence gone, the actual situation came out.

“So I was Iris messaging with Piper and she said that her dad told Jason he knew a plastic surgeon that could fix his lip and how Jason thought that was funny. But I said, oh that might be a good idea for scars, and then Sherman overheard me!” Lacy blurted out, her words a tumble of panic.

“A warrior should take pride in his scars, anything else is a weakness!” Sherman snapped back at her. Drew looked like she just rolled her eyes so hard she might have sprained something, and Nico just sat back and let the madness start as Drew opened her lipsticked-lips.

“Okay so I hear that Jason’s got some scars. I wouldn’t really know because like Medusa I try to avoid eye contact with him on the account of someone cough cough Piper cough cough being absolutely sure I’m a homewrecker. I don’t know what the big deal is. If you don’t like something about your body, you should just change it. Or maybe not, maybe Jason needs his scar to get into some lesbian biker gang or maybe he’s leaving Piper and going on an Eat-Pray-Love style self-discovery vacation and the scars will help him sell his memoir as “a man with a troubled past takes the road to new enlightenment”. Anyways, it’s not like we haven’t all thought about something like that. I’m convinced every time that Jackson opens his gab Annabeth reasons over the pros and cons of mouth reduction surgery. I’m sure Butch’s thought of getting that rainbow tramp stamp removed because let’s be honest he’s not slaying the ladies with it—“

“Drew I am going to kick you in the head—!“ Butch threatened.

“—Cecil has probably rifled through pamphlets about fixing that huge beak of his because he isn’t really using it to break nuts and seeds over here. And Alice has definitely thought about getting an eye-deslanting.”

“Screw you Drew, that’s racist,” Alice Miyazawa scoffed, as Cecil suddenly turned to Lou Ellen who gave him an apologetic look in return.

“Self-hating Asians oughtta stick together,” Drew retorted with a shrug.

“I don’t think that’s necessarily true, Drew. I mean, sure, everyone has insecurities, but it’s also good to try to embrace them,” Will told Drew as he placed a hand on Alice's shoulder to keep the girl from giving Drew a probably well-earned knuckle sandwich.

“Oh please, Solace, you’ve got a weird spiral belly button. You could frost it and pass it off as a cinnamon bun,” Drew said with a roll of her eyes, Nico had to cover the laugh of surprise that came out of him with his hand, and Will gave him a long-suffering look. “I’m just saying, there’s this thing called plastic surgery. It’s science. And if you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see and also have the means, you should go for it. If you don’t want to, don’t. Simple as that. Passing judgment is so un-hot, and who knows? Maybe Jason will wake up from general anesthesia and realize who the hotter child of Aphrodite that he could be with is. Either way, what people do or do not decide to do with their bodies is no one else’s choice,” Drew said before with a final hair flip and sway of hip, Drew was off to terrorize another section of camp. With Hurricane Drew now over, the campers who had gathered dispersed to mutter amongst themselves, Sherman and Ellis and Butch grabbed Clovis by his appendages and dragging him off the field as he slept talk about Great White Sharks, macaroons, and a tennis racket.

“I hate that girl with a fiery passion, but by all the Gods she’s a freaking insult-genius,” Lou Ellen said with a sort of strange awe.

“And she really loves what she does,” Cecil said just as quietly. “She has a gift.”

“Yeah she’s something alright,” Will noted before looking to Nico with an almost shy grin, bumping his shoulder against Nico’s. “Hey there, long time no see.”

“Oh yuck, mushy feelings. We’re out,” Lou Ellen called as she and Cecil made kissy faces at Nico and Will before also walking off.

“How’s the infirmary?” Nico asked him as they began to walk, he tried to pat his hair down absently.

“Not so busy, were you really busy? You look like you just rolled out of bed,” Will noted and Nico sighed heavily.

“I desperately need a haircut,” Nico groaned, twisting a lock of hair around his fingers and trying to get it out of his eyes.

“Well, why don’t I at least get you a hair tie? Kayla keeps a whole bunch on the desk,” Will offered.

They walked to Apollo Cabin in companionable silence, when they got there Nico sat down on the bed as Will grabbed one of Kayla’s dark hair ties from her desk and his own brush. Kayla and Austin were spending their free period helping Nyssa and Harley with some new target practice gadget, so for once in a long time Cabin Seven was quiet.

“My hair’s pretty thick,” Nico warned him as well approached with a few things in hand, a brush among them.

“I’ve got some spray in stuff,” Will offered, holding up a very suspicious slender bottle filled with what Nico would have assumed was a cream based dessert.

“Isn’t that Aphrodite stuff?”

“Personal grooming is not just an Aphrodite Cabin thing,” Will scoffed and Nico resisted making a son-of-Apollo-joke before Nico allowed him to do whatever he was planning on by motioning to the spot next to him, and he couldn’t help but sigh as Will’s fingers ran through his hair. “You have really nice hair though.”

“It’s so dratted thick,” Nico scoffed, tugging at a renegade curl. “And it curls weirdly. I was thinking of maybe shaving it.”

“Really?” Will asked and Nico felt the gentle tug of the brush through his hair.

“Yeah, when my dad first gave me my card I tried to go to the hair dresser’s, but when they were shampooing my head and they started rubbing my scalp and stuff I really couldn’t take it. I almost kicked the lady in the leg,” Nico admitted awkwardly with a shudder at both the memory and how nice whatever Will was doing felt. “I’ve been trimming it myself ever since, I sort of forgot to though.”

“That sounds like you,” Will laughed, and Nico could almost hear Will’s smile. That was the nice thing about Will’s voice, it didn’t hide anything, it was pure and genuine. “You aren’t a huge fan of other people touching you, are you?”

“It’s hard when you don’t know them,” Nico groaned. “I’m normally fine when it’s people I don’t hate. You’re just too laid back.”

“Maybe,” Will chuckled good-naturedly and Nico leaned his head back so he could see Will’s bright and slightly sheepish smile. “Hazard of the healing arts. I’ve gotten used to people touching me out of the blue because I heal them. I think your hesitance is one of your cute features anyways.”

“You’re a weirdo,” Nico said with a roll of his eyes.

“You’re the one dating a weirdo, what does that say about you?” Will asked, and with gentle fingers his pulled the hair that was about his neck up into a tie. Immediately, Nico felt his warm lips press against the back of his neck, making Nico jump slightly at the unexpected sensation. Will immediately moved back, but Nico grasped his arm and kept him close.

“I know things have been awkward since…since last time,” Nico said quietly. “But I want you to touch me, I do.”

“But you…you really hated it,” Will nearly whined, sitting back on his heels. “Honestly, I’m fine being on the bottom for the rest of my life if it makes you so uncomfortable.”

“I didn’t hate it, I just froze,” Nico corrected him, before sighing heavily. “I’m…there’s a thing about me I wish I could change I guess.”

“If you want to talk about it I’m open ears?” Will asked, and didn’t push. There was no trace of judgment in his features, and somehow that made Nico feel even more desolate.

“I just…I’m always worried I’m being selfish.”

“Nico, you are the most unselfish person I know,” Will said, eyes wide with shock, as he sat back on his heels thoughtfully. “I mean, holy Hera, you almost killed yourself for your friends and everyone else. You are constantly putting other people before yourself.”

“I…” Nico tried to begin to explain, but just shook his head. “It’s just hard for me is all. Sometimes I feel like I don’t see you as much as I want to, but I know you’re busy. And then when I do see you, I’m uncooperative.”

Will was quiet for a moment, before he felt Will’s hands slip beneath his shirt, Will’s mouth tenderly pressing against the back of his neck. Nico gasped as Will’s fingers brushed against his nipple.

“Nico, this doesn’t feel uncooperative. This feels sensitive,” Will sighed as he continue to tease with loving mouth and hands in a way that made all of Nico’s blood travel south. “And I would never want you to change that. So what if it takes a bit for you to get used to my touch? The fact I get to touch you at all makes me happy and then you make these noises that turn me on so much.”

“Greedy asshole,” Nico snarked, turning to meet Will’s lips, opening his mouth so he could pull Will in deeper. Nico reached over to palm the very obvious heaviness in Will’s great sweatpants and smiled against Will’s lips. “Someone else is pretty sensitive too.”

“Oh, yes, sometimes it’s good to be selfish,” Will told Nico with a sweet look that could have melted Nico, and Nico lay down and let Will lay his body on top, reveling in the delicious weight. “Especially when you have someone like me who could be happy spoiling you for the rest of your life. But please, give me a head’s up? I’m not a mind-reader so I appreciate specific directions.”

“I can be pretty demanding,” Nico said somewhat weakly, reaching up to trace Will’s cheek. “If you give me a little bit, I’ll just want more.”

“And I can be pretty stubborn, anything you want, I’ll be happy to give you,” Will promised him. “Just let me, Nico. Tell what you want.”

“Can we try…again?” Nico asked, but his words stopped as Will caught his hand and kissed it, perking up immediately as Nico’s gaze drifted over to the left.

“Of course,” Will asked him and Nico nodded and reached over to the bedside table Nico had been eyeing and opened up the drawer.

“How should I…um?” Nico asked him and Will shrugged.

“Do whatever you think will make you the most comfortable,” Will said as he unscrewed the bottle and almost doused his fingers in it, warming the lube between his fingers.

“Alright,” Nico said, laying down on his stomach, helping Will place a pillow beneath his hips.

“You can be selfish with me, Nico,” Will promised him as he kissed Nico’s neck and shoulder comfortingly, and Nico shuddered as he felt Will’s fingers gently rub against his entrance. Nico couldn’t understand why it felt so good, his whole body jolted as Will’s slick finger slid inside, the intrusion not entirely pleasant or unpleasant as he moved it. “Relax, as much as you can.”

“It feels…weird…!” Nico admitted between clenched teeth, forcing his body to remain relaxed despite what urges he felt. He wanted to try this, Nico reminded himself.

“Does it hurt?” Will asked worriedly and Nico shook his head. “Here, I��m going to add another one. Try to stay as loose as you can, alright?”

Nico nodded and gripped the pillow, just as a second finger pressed inside of him with the help of ample lube. Nico fought and lost against the desire to clamp down, and his lack of control over his body’s reaction was damn near infuriating to him. As if sensing this by Nico’s stiff-lipped reaction Will reached down to slide his hand along Nico’s length, which had softened considerably at the previous activities. The smooth, almost comforting sensation of Will’s hand on him, and the gentle probing finally got Nico to relax.

“It’s okay, Nico. You’re doing so good right now,” Will promised as he kissed Nico’s back.

“Ugh…this feels so bizarre,” Nico couldn’t help but groan as he turned his head and gave Will a look.

“Does it hurt?” Will asked as his fingers continued to move inside Nico, and with him massaging and rubbing him on the inside and outside, a thankful sigh escaped Nico’s mouth. It was beginning to feel vaguely pleasant now, and he naturally relaxed against Will’s touch.

“Trust me, you would know if it hurt,” Nico promised him. He could do this, Nico thought very rationally. It certainly didn’t feel bad, and judging by the hooded expression and the evidence of Will’s desire pressed against his thigh, if Will wanted to do this then—

Suddenly Will found something inside of Nico that made him surge with pleasure, and his breath caught harshly in his throat. Will’s fingers hit it again more adamantly and Nico moaned into the sheets as he pressed back against Will’s fingers as he searched against for that feeling.

“There!” Nico moaned demandingly. “Oh Gods, is that what I hit in you? Oh—that feels so good.”

“Nico, allow me to introduce you to your prostate,” Will chuckled good-naturedly, as close as they were Nico could feel that rumble in Will’s belly, and it made Nico’s face get hotter.

“Don’t be a dork,” Nico groaned. “Just do whatever you just did again.”

“Alright then, needy,” Will teased, as Will’s fingers continued to scissor and rub and hit the plac inside of him that felt so good that Nico’s vision swam. His cock ached with desire, and Will removed his hand to grab the bottle and add a third very slick finger inside and Nico felt so full and so good that he couldn’t think straight. He wanted—needed more.

“I want you inside,” Nico blurted out, his hand reaching blindly and clamping on Will’s wrist. “Will, I want to feel you on the inside.”

“Shit!” Will said sharply, and Nico stared at him in concern. Will answered it with a delightfully embarrassed expression. “Sorry, that was—that was just really sexy, like whoa.”

“Um…sorry?” Nico said, feeling himself blush hard because had those words really come out of his mouth? He couldn’t believe it himself.

“Don’t be sorry, I feel like I deserve a pat on the back,” Will said with a wide smile that Nico returned before turning, hooking Will’s hips with his legs, and pulling Will down on top of him. Both of them laughed into their mouths as they kissed with more intensity, Will fumbling with the foil on the condom. He rolled it on and slicked it with lube, before reaching back to Nico with newly spread fingers.

“No, I don’t need anymore more,” Nico complained half-heartedly, but spread his legs as Will’s fingers sank inside of him with relative ease. Oh Gods, Nico thought before his thoughts went fuzzy as Will crooked a finger and found a weak spot that had his jaw hanging open. He could get addicted to this, and now he totally got why Will was totally into this.

“We have to make sure it doesn’t hurt, don’t we?” Will teased as he kissed Nico’s neck.

“Just put it inside me,” Nico half-begged, half-growled.

“Are you ready? You sure?”

“Yes,” Nico agreed, his head nodding vigorously.

“Alright then, your wish it my command,” Will chuckled, and Nico felt him line up and slid inside.

They both moaned, the sensation was intense to say the least. There was the barest twinge of discomfort, but he had been so thoroughly prepared that it disappeared quickly as Will seated himself fully inside. What mattered most was the divine sensation that was making him tremble.

“Oh Will,” Nico gasped breathlessly, wrapping his legs around Will’s hips as Will trembled. “I can feel you.”

“I feel you too,” Will moaned, his eyes fluttered, and Nico couldn’t help but find his expression to be utterly adorable. “Oh gods you are so perfect, Nico. I love you so much.”

“Yeah? Does it feel good?” Nico asked, unable to stop himself from smiling an odd grin as Will nodded desperately. “You can move, Will. I want you too. If it hurts I’ll tell you, I promise.”

“You promise?” Will asked, faking being very obviously suspicious.

“You’ll be the first to know, scout’s honor,” Nico said making a Live-Long-and Prosper sign with his hands. Will laughed and leaned down to press a kiss to Nico’s forehead.

Will began to move in gentle controlled thrusts, Nico suspected it was half for him and half to keep Will from coming. But he couldn’t help but enjoy and be frustrated by the movements in equal measure because while it didn’t hurt, Will’s broad shoulders and larger chest was making Nico feel oddly caged. Finally, Nico pressed up on Will’s shoulder’s.

“Will, I can’t breathe,” Nico told him between kisses. “Maybe change position?”

“Yeah, uh, what do you want to…?” Will asked with a hitched breath as he pulled up, Nico let Will sit himself against the headboard and settled himself firmly on Will’s lap. “Better?”

“Yeah, I can—oh,” Nico groaned as he latched onto Will, arms wrapped around Will’s back. In this position he could feel Will’s length, pressing in deep and filling him. Will bent down and their mouths melted against each other, and they rocked together, slightly unsteady as they worked together to find the perfect angle, or when Will reached down to grasp him, or Nico bucked up unexpectedly as Will once again struck his prostrate. Finally something was building up, white hot pleasure that Nico almost wished could keep building inside of him forever so he could keep burning with it, but it couldn’t happen. Nico moaned into Will’s mouth and felt himself come into Will’s hand. Will continued to move for a moment or two, thrusts uneven, and Nico felt a pulsing inside as Will came into the condom.

Nico lay down as Will removed the condom and threw it out, falling back on the bed with an exhausted huff.

“So what did you think?” Will asked, as they both tried to catch their breath and curling his arms around the pillow in front of him. Nico normally would have chastised him for getting sweat all over his pillows, but with Will stretched out looking so content and with those golden arms of his Nico just couldn’t fault him. Instead Nico grabbed the nearly empty lube bottle and held it up with a crook of his brow.

“Are you kidding?”

“What, you were totally into it and you were super hot and it helped, you’ll be thanking me when that wow-that-seat-was-uncomfortable ache doesn’t turn into a holy-shit-was-I-hit-by-a-train ache,” Will told him as he gave Nico a grin and a thumb’s up as he placed the bottle on the bed side table.

“You are insufferable did you know that,” Nico sighed as he turned over to kiss Will’s shoulder and give his back an absent scratch, which had Will sighing in pleasure. “But yeah, that was pretty hot.”

“Mm, I must have done something right for you to be so good to me,” Will said as he turned his head to look at Nico, eyes a deep hazy blue, a warm grin glinting across his teeth.

“You are an idiot,” Nico sighed as he leaned down to kiss him. “But you are also disgustingly sweet.”

“Don’t say it like a compliment or I’ll believe you like me or something,” Will teased as he pushed up to meet Nico’s mouth again.

“How embarrassing that would be,” Nico murmured between brushes of lips. “It was good, Will.”

“I’m totally down if you want to torture me with those sexy pianist fingers next,” Will told him, and Nico honestly couldn’t tell if he was being serious or joking. “I have more lube in my cabin—“

“Will, seriously—?“

Nico sat down to get his hair cut by Mitchell, and could see Drew smirk at him from the corner of his eye. Nico immediately flipped her off.

Just another day at CHB.

#Solangelo #Solangelo fanfic #Nico di Angelo #Will Solace #pjo fanfic

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sentrava · 6 years ago

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Six Classic Swedish Children’s Books to Read

Children’s literature of Sweden has had an outsized effect on global books for kids, thanks in part to a few memorable and delightful characters like Pippi Longstocking and Alfie Atkins. While there are so many Swedish children’s books to love, we’ve chosen a few that can serve as the building blocks of your child’s library (or your own – adults should read kids’ books too!), and that you’ll love reading with your family over and over again.

These are the classic Swedish children’s books that bring joy and wonder to readers, young and old:

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

First appearing in 1945, Pippi Longstocking has charmed children and adults alike with her incredible adventures, pet monkey Mr. Nilsson, and bright red pigtails. When she moves into Villa Villakulla next door to Tommy and Annika, the two are fascinated by her independent lifestyle and superhuman strength. It is her ability to solve problems with kindness, however, that makes her a true role model.

The series is made up of three books: Pippi Longstocking (1945), Pippi Goes on Board (1946), and Pippi in the South Seas (1948). These books have been translated into 76 languages and various parts of the books have been turned into picture books and films over the years.

Author Astrid Lindgren, a national treasure in Sweden, has written many wonderful books, but Pippi remains her most lasting legacy. Lindgren has said that Pippi “Pippi represents my own childish longing for a person who has power but does not abuse it.”

Pippi Longstocking (Pippi Långstrump)

Buy the Book: US | UK/EU

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf

This a rare book that is part adventure and part historical document. Published in 1906, the book is a the result of a national commission to create a geography reader for schools. Author Selma Lagerlöf devoted three years to studying various folklore and narratives of the Swedish provinces to make sure she included all she could. She also included the Swedish spelling reforms mandated by government resolution in 1906. Today, the book typically includes both the original version and the sequel, The Further Adventures of Nils (1907).

The story focuses on a young boy, Nils, who mistreats animals on his family farm. He catches an elf (called a tomte in Swedish), who then turns Nils himself into an elf. Nils grabs on to the wing of a farm goose that flies to join a flock of wild geese flying overhead, and his journey across the provinces of Sweden begins. As Nils flies over the country, the reader also follows subplots with characters in the provinces. This is a true adventure book with a deep love of Sweden and nature.

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige)

Buy the Book: US | UK/EU

Mama Moo by Jujja and Tomas Wieslander

This beloved series of books – originally based on a radio play and subsequently turned into books, games, and albums – follows the sweet, silly adventures of a talking cow, Mama Moo, and her best friend. The books first appeared in 1993 and have been translated into 30 languages since.

Mama Moo (Mamma Moo)

Buy the Book: US | UK/EU

Goodnight, Alfie Atkins by Gunilla Bergström

Alfie Atkins, known as Alfons Åberg in Swedish and Danish, appeared in the first of his 24 book series in 1974. He’s a young boy who is in a hurry to grow up. Along with his kind father (there’s no mother in the stories), Alfie goes through everyday moments that all children will relate to. When he’s very young, his days are accompanied by his invisible friend Malcom (Mållgan); as he grows, real friends come into the picture.

The appeal of Alfie lies in his ordinariness; he is sometimes happy, sometimes mad, sometimes afraid, and sometimes brave. They’re small, sweet stories that are full of cheer and charming illustrations, also by Bergstöm.

Goodnight, Afie Atkins (Alfons Åberg)

Buy the Book: US | UK/EU

Can You Whistle Johanna? by Ulf Stark

When Berra decides he wants a grandfather like his friend Uffe, the two boys go to a retirement home to find one. This a beautiful, sad-at-times story of cross-generational friendship and the power of reaching out for the love you need. The book first came out in 1993 and it’s since been made into a classic Swedish film.

This is a tough book to find in its English version, so snap up a copy if you see one!

Can You Whistle Johanna? (Kan Du Vissla Johanna?)

Buy the Book: US | UK/EU

Goodbye Mr. Muffin by Ulf Nilsson

A wonderful, gentle book about a difficult subject, Goodbye Mr. Muffin will help you discuss the topic of death – that of a pet or person – in a way that makes sense and isn’t scary. The book is the story of Mr. Muffin, a guinea pig who is reflecting on his long life.

Topics such as the afterlife, death rites, and saying goodbye are approached with sweet simplicity; if you’re wondering how to speak to your young child about death, this book provides a good framework and language to do so.

Goodbye Mr. Muffin (Adjö, Herr Muffin)

Buy the Book: US | UK/EU

Heads up! This post contains affiliate links. Don’t worry, the commission we make comes at no additional cost to you. For more information on our affiliate program, please see our Disclosure Policy.

Six Classic Swedish Children’s Books to Read published first on https://medium.com/@OCEANDREAMCHARTERS

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alonsonfl-blog · 7 years ago

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2018 Patriots 53 Man Roster Projection 2.0

Here is my second 53 man roster projection for the 2018 Patriots. I’ll have more out after preseason games. Locks are in bold. Suspended, PUP, and IR players are at the bottom. Have at it:

QB (2): Tom Brady, Brian Hoyer No questions about the top two. Brady got off to a bit of a rusty start in camp, but seems back to his normal self. Hoyer's experience in the system makes him the clearcut backup. Etling has been inconsistent at best, and hasn't shown enough for the team to consider keeping three quarterbacks. A year on the practice squad would be ideal for him. RB (5): Rex Burkhead, James White, Sony Michel, Jeremy Hill, Brandon Bolden I've expected the team to keep four backs throughout the offseason, but Michel's injury opens up a spot for another of Jeremy Hill, Brandon Bolden, and Mike Gillislee. Burkhead, White, and Michel are locks, with the expectation that Burkhead will split some of the early down responsibilities with Hill as Michel gets his legs back under him. Depending on Michel's return timetable, the team could keep four backs and add a developmental player at linebacker (Ja'Whaun Bentley) or edge defender (Eric Lee, Keionta Davis, Harvey Langi)... or, of course, make a trade (John Simon?). WR (6): Chris Hogan, Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett, Cordarrelle Patterson, Eric Decker, Matthew Slater This is the worst wide receiver group the team has had going into week one since 2013, and its floor might be lower than that (which is scary). However, with the week five return of Edelman and projected growth in the system for Britt and Dorsett, the group's upside might rival the 2016 Edelman/Hogan/Amendola/Mitchell outfit, especially with Rob Gronkowski as the top tight end over Martellus Bennett. Britt is my breakout guy for the 2018 Patriots. He's still young (29) even though it feels like he's been around forever, and just had over 1,000 yards with Bad Case Keenum and Rookie Jared Goff throwing to him on the 2016 "We're Not Fucking Going 7-9" Rams. Check out my case for Britt here. Dorsett's side sessions with Brady and glowing praise from coaches and teammates alike, coupled with his flashes of upside in 2017 lead me to believe he has real upside as the fourth receiver with Edelman back after September. He just looks so smooth... admittedly, most of this is theoretical/projection. I only include Decker because of Edelman's suspension and his reported $1.9M contract. I doubt he'll be on the team if the other receivers are healthy after week 5. He really struggled creating separation last year. If I had to present a case for him: he was better late in the season and into the playoffs, has some background in the system, and was coming off major hip and shoulder surgery last year. Also, his wife calls him "Big Dick Decker" ... so there's that. I give Patterson almost no shot to carve out a role for himself as a receiver through anything more than reverse/bubble screen gadgetry. If he does, based on his past with learning playbooks, this team is probably in trouble. FB (1): James Develin Overlooked as a crucial component of the offense. Remember the Patriots playing Shaq Mason at fullback at times in 2015? TE (3): Rob Gronkowski, Jacob Hollister, Dwayne Allen No questions here beyond the Patriots maybe asking Allen to restructure his contract, or releasing him with the hope of bringing him back at a salary more in line with his role and production. Gronk will serve as the top tight end, and I think both Hollister and Allen will play a role as tight ends 2a and 2b. Think of Allen as Michael Williams (except he makes $5M... ugh) and Hollister as a rich man's Tim Wright, with upside to become Gronkowski's second best post-Hernandez sidekick (miss you, Marty). OL (9): Trent Brown, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, Marcus Cannon, Isaiah Wynn, LaAdrian Waddle, Cole Croston, Ted Karras I count the top seven players on the list as locks, leaving competition for one, maybe two offensive line spots. I give those to the incumbents in Croston and Karras because (a) none of the veterans (Bowanko, John, Schwenke, Tobin) the team brought in have separated themselves and (b) experience and trust in the system. I see some people cutting Croston in projections, and while I understand it, I think the team carrying him on the roster for all of last year means they really like him.

I’ve pushed for the team to try Wynn at left guard as a way to simply play their five best linemen, but based on the early returns from camp, it doesn’t seem like the team is strongly considering it at this point. Too bad. I think Wynn is a lot better than Thuney, and a Wynn-Andrews-Mason interior would absolutely maul people with Brown and Cannon flanking.

Trent Brown was such a masterstroke trade by Belichick. From everything we’ve heard, he looks like the team’s best lineman. I’ll bet he upgrades on Solder, at 20% of the cap hit. If the marriage continues to benefit both sides into the season, I think they make a push to extend him similarly to Marcus Cannon in 2016. The team continues to bring in veterans on the interior of the offensive line, which coupled with the depth at that spot that already existed on the roster leads me to the conclusion that Shaq Mason is the WTF Trade Candidate for this year's training camp. I won't predict it, but I had to get it out there. ED (4): Trey Flowers, Deatrich Wise, Adrian Clayborn, Derek Rivers No surprises here. These four guys are locks, and the team will try to make this its four man edge defender rotation. With Wise's training camp jump, Flowers and Clayborn's proven production, and Belichick's praise for Rivers (coupled with his significant talent), I'm optimistic it'll work. Eric Lee, Harvey Langi, or Keionta Davis could sneak on, though Davis has been playing inside at times during practice. If John Simon becomes available I would think the Patriots inquire. Simon is the way-too-obvious trade or cutdown target for the Patriots this preseason. DT (4): Danny Shelton, Lawrence Guy, Malcom Brown, Vincent Valentine Shelton, Guy, and Brown are established as the top rotation, with Shelton the clear top dog and Guy and Brown as solid 2a/2b rotational pieces. All three will ideally wind up playing a similar number of snaps. I wouldn't read much into Brown being "demoted" to the second unit. Valentine makes the team over Adam Butler, a meh situational pass rusher with no value on early downs and therefore very little depth value on the team. Valentine is a great fill in option as a big defensive tackle if one of Shelton, Guy, or Brown get nicked. If Shaq Mason was a possible WTF Trade Candidate, Malcom Brown may be one on a smaller scale, due to the presence of Valentine, Butler's proven ability to be a replacement level situational pass rusher, and Brown's expiring contract. John Atkins has also opened a couple of eyes during camp. The possible spot for a Brown trade: Detroit, who might be looking at starting Ricky Jean Francois at defensive tackle. Who knows, maybe they throw in Golden Tate, whose contract also expires after this season! (yes, I know they won't throw in Golden Tate. Just let me have my fun)... LB (6): Dont'a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, Marquis Flowers, Brandon King, Elandon Roberts, Christian Sam The top five are either locks or very close to it, especially based on Elandon Roberts' heavy usage during camp (usage I expect to fizzle significantly come September). Hightower and Van Noy are the horses, with Roberts and Flowers playing situationally, and Sam developing behind the scenes. If either one of Hightower or Van Noy goes down, the Patriots have experience mixing and matching to fill in their roles, but against the best offenses and offensive minds, they're in trouble. Get those two to January. Roberts was atrocious last year, but he has experience in the system and Belichick apparently trusts him. With the prevalence of big nickel as a base defense, though, I don't think his thumper linebacker role will come into play much with Hightower and Van Noy healthy. I do expect Marquis Flowers to carve out a role for himself on passing downs, moving Hightower to the edge, bumping Trey Flowers inside, and letting Brian Flores get creative with pass rush looks. Typing that sent a wonderful chill down my spine. Ja'Whaun Bentlely was the victim of Michel's injury forcing me to keep five running backs, as he's the last guy out in this projection. I don't exactly weep for the team not being able to keep two complete negatives on passing plays at linebacker, though. Sam has been playing over him in practice. CB (6): Stephon Gilmore, Eric Rowe, Duke Dawson, Jason McCourty, JC Jackson, Ryan Lewis I've been banging the "keep six corners" drum for months, and Lewis and Jackson's strong camps have only added fuel to the fire. Gilmore and Rowe will start. The team should try to extend Rowe at some point, similar to what they did with Van Noy last year. Dawson has been seeing top slot reps, though the team experimented with McCourty outside and Rowe in the slot during the week. I like that corner trio more in a vacuum, though it may lack shiftiness against certain receiver types. I think the slot will vacillate based on matchups. McCourty could be in trouble without a strong preseason, as Jackson and Lewis carry more long term upside and the team saves almost $3M by cutting him before the season. McCourty was great last year, though, and cutting him would leave the team with unproven depth behind Gilmore and Rowe on the outside. Jackson and Lewis emerging allows Jonathan Jones to stay on PUP and come back fully ready to go during the season. With no corner as a lock to make the team beyond Gilmore and Dawson signed beyond this year, Jackson and Lewis making the team would allow for more continuity at the position in 2019. The team should go to great lengths to avoid adding their names to the list of young corners that got away (Darryl Roberts, Justin Coleman, Cre'Von LeBlanc, Troy Hill, Rashaan Melvin, Kenny Moore). S (4): Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Duron Harmon, Eddie Pleasant The top trio stays the top trio, and I try to prepare myself for seeing Duron Harmon wear 21. I don't buy that he'll usurp Chung as the safety alongside McCourty, but stranger things have happened.

Goodbye, Jordan Richards. Eddie Pleasant takes the mantle of dime safety/core special teamer from Richards, with proven competence in the role, and allows Nate Ebner to fully recover from his ACL tear by starting the season on the PUP list. Duke Dawson, Ryan Lewis, and JC Jackson's value as special teamers shouldn't be overlooked as it relates to the safety/special teams mix, either. That is a major part of what allows the team to keep ten DBs while not being forced to keep five safeties. Special Teams (3): Stephen Gostkowski, Joe Cardona, Ryan Allen The triumvirate returns for another season. No questions on Gostkowski or Cardona, but Allen's battle with Corey Bojorquez in the preseason bears watching. Bojorquez has a monster leg.

Suspended: Julian Edelman

PUP: Nate Ebner, Jonathan Jones, Cyrus Jones

IR: Malcolm Mitchell

#Patriots LFG

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