Björn Granath

Based on Astrid Lindgren's books. Madicken's life on Junibacken is filled with ups and down.

Stig-Helmer takes another vacation with his Norwegian friend Ole. This time it's time for a skiing vacation in the Alps. Of course, Stig-Helmer has never learned downhill skiing, but he attends a ski school. And together they manage to charm two women also on vacation. The other Swedish tourists are a diverse group of people, including the choleric Mr. Jönsson and his family and two men trying to sell kick sleds.

Alone among assassins, Jack is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact Pavel that his next assignment will be his last. Jack reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell. The assignment, as specified by a Belgian woman, Mathilde, is in the offing as a weapon is constructed. Surprising himself, Jack seeks out the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto and pursues romance with local woman Clara. But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.

In 1218 Danish king Valdemar sends his homonymous young son and heir in safety, as war is at the borders, to Erskil, the bishop of Ravensburg, who is instructed to see to the prince's education. Alas the bishop is the brain of a conspiracy to seize the crown for himself, as most of the nobles are dissatisfied with the endless wars that bring them no profit. The prince and kitchen-boy Aske accidentally fall out of the castle and overhear the conspirators, but are seen and pursued by the men of the One-eyed Man, a feared mercenary who is in the conspiracy to take mortal revenge on the king for leaving him behind on a battlefield where he lost an eye which was eaten by an eagle, which he tamed and now shares his sight with.

In rural Sweden of the early 1950s, little Elina goes to school again after recovering from tuberculosis, the same illness that has killed her father a few years earlier. Elina's family belongs to Finnish-speaking Finns frowned upon by a staunch schoolmistress who starts hounding Elina for questioning her authority. Elina's mother, sister, and a liberal young male teacher all try to mediate the ensuing battle of wills between Elina and Miss Holm. Elina finds consolation in wandering out on the dangerous marshlands to have imaginary conversations with her dead father.

Her parents dead, Tuva discovers that she is adopted, and she and her daughter begin trying to find their hidden roots. This leads back to the small town where she grew up, but it seems people are desperately trying to hide something...

Madicken never means for anything to go wrong, but somehow it gets that way. Neither this time, when her little sister got a concussion, and it's not her fault that she puts a pea up her own nose.

Madicken is a Swedish girl from the upper level family, growing up during the time of first world war which did not include Sweden. She lives happily with her family, experiencing the world and making brave and crazy things.

Insurance Director Stig Roxby is worth a hundred times more than a regular high school teacher. But he does not think it's enough.