Pettson and Findus facts for kids

Pettson and Findus (Swedish: Pettson och Findus) is a popular series of children's books. They are written and illustrated by the Swedish author Sven Nordqvist. These fun stories are about an old farmer named Pettson and his clever cat, Findus. They live together in a cozy, old farmhouse in the Swedish countryside. The very first book in the series was called Pannkakstårtan (Pancake Pie) and came out in 1984.

So far, nine main story books have been published in Swedish. There are also other books like a puzzle book, a song book, and even a cookbook! These books are super popular around the world. Over 15 million copies have been sold, and they have been translated into 55 different languages. In some English versions, Pettson and Findus keep their original names. But in books published in the USA, their names are sometimes changed to Festus and Mercury.

Besides the books, there are also three animated movies about Pettson and Findus. There's also an animated TV show with 26 episodes. You can even find computer games and board games based on their adventures! In 1993, a special Christmas story called Tomtemaskinen (The Mechanical Santa) was shown on Swedish TV as a daily Christmas calendar. In 2000, the world of Pettson and Findus was brought to life at the Junibacken Children's Museum in Stockholm. You could visit a full-scale version of their farm!

Meet Pettson and Findus

Pettson is an old farmer who lives in a charming, red-painted wooden farmhouse. It's in the beautiful Swedish countryside. He seems to live alone, but he has the best company: his talking cat, Findus! Findus is a very special cat. He wears a green-striped costume and a cap. He can talk to Pettson and even stand on two legs, just like a person. Findus acts a lot like a small child.

Findus also knows about tiny, unseen creatures called mumbles who live in the house. These mumbles sometimes cause mischief with Pettson's things. Each story in the series starts with simple, everyday events. These include things like gardening, going fishing, or getting ready for Christmas.

How Findus Got His Name

In one of the later books, When Findus was little and disappeared, we learn how Pettson and Findus first met. Pettson got Findus as a tiny kitten. The kitten arrived in a cardboard box that had "Findus Fresh Peas" written on the side. That's where Pettson got the idea for his cat's unique name!

The Pettson and Findus Books

Here are some of the popular books in the Pettson and Findus series:

• Pancakes for Findus (Original: Pannkakstårtan, 1985)
• Findus and the Fox (Original: Rävjakten, 1986)
• Findus at Christmas (Original: Pettson får julbesök, 1989)
• Findus Plants Meatballs (Original: Kackel i grönsakslandet, 1990)
• Findus Goes Fishing (Original: Stackars Pettson, 1991)
• Findus Goes Camping (Original: Pettson tältar, 1992)
• The Mechanical Santa (Original: Tomtemaskinen, 1994)
• The Rooster's Minute (Original: Tuppens minut, 1996)
• When Findus was Little and Disappeared (Original: När Findus var liten och försvann, 2001)
• Findus Moves Out (Original: Findus flyttar ut, 2012)
• Findus, Food and Fun (Original: Pyssla med Findus)
• Pettson and Findus Song book (Original: Pettson och Findus sångbok)
• Pettson and Findus cookbook (Original: Pettson och Findus kokbok)
• Kan du ingenting, Pettson? (2019)

Pettson and Findus on Screen

The adventures of Pettson and Findus have also been made into films and TV shows:

• Pettson & Findus – The cat and the old man years (1999)
• Pettson och Findus – Kattonauten (2000)
• Pettson & Findus – Pettson's Promise (2005)
• Pettson & Findus – Forget-Abilities (2009)
• Pettson & Findus: Fun Stuff (2014)
• Pettson och Findus - Juligheter (2016)
• Pettson och Findus - Findus flyttar hemifrån (2018)

Visit the Pettson and Findus Farm

A sign welcoming visitors to the Pettson and Findus farm

At Julita manor, a real-life farm was built to look just like the one in the books! Author Sven Nordqvist helped design it. He even made some of the furniture and decorations inside. Everything on the farm is built at a smaller scale (2:3 size). This makes it perfect for children to explore and feel like they are truly part of Pettson and Findus's world.

Pettson and Findus' farm at Julita manor