In the Land of Twilight facts for kids

In the Land of Twilight (original title: I Skymningslandet) is a children's book written by Astrid Lindgren.

Plot

Göran has a sick leg. Since a year, he has to stay in bed. One night he hears that his parents say that he will never be able to walk again. Göran is desperate. But that very evening he is visited by Mr. Lilyvale from the land of twilight. Mr Lilyvale flies with Göran to his land. There Göran eats candy that grows on trees, drives a tram, visits the king, dances and sings. Then Mr Lilyvale brings Göran home. Göran is no longer sad about his sick leg. Because every evening at dawn Mr. Lilyvale comes back and brings Göran to the land of twilight where Göran is able to fly!

Background

Mr. Lilyvale (Swedish: Herr Liljonkvast) was a fantasy friend of Lindgren's daughter Karin. As a small flying old man, he visited her in her room in the evening. Lindgren's daughter explained that Mr. Lilyvale could not be seen by anyone else because he flew away and hid as soon as someone entered the room. Mr. Lilyvale is a more pleasant and friendly predecessor of Karlsson-on-the-Roof, into whom Mr. Lilyvale later turned, according to Astrid Lindgren.

The story takes place in locations near Astrid Lindgren's apartment at Dalagatan 46 in Stockholm. In front of the Odenplan metro station on the north side of Odengatan there is a row of houses in which the fairy tale begins. From there, the protagonists move across Stockholm. They can see the old town including the entertainment island of Djurgården, the Klara quarters, the Kronobergsparken, the museum Skansen, and they visit the island of Stadsholmen with the royal castle.

In the Land of Twilight was first published in the fairy tale collection Nils Karlsson Pyssling in 1949. In 1950 Astrid Lindgren was awarded the Nils Holgersson Plaque for this book. In 1994 it was published in Sweden as a picture book. In 2012 this picture book was translated into English.