This volume contains two Norwegian children's novels in English translation, both of which were published separately, by the same publisher (The John C. Winston Company) and in the same year (1935) as this bind-up edition. Sidsel Longskirt, originally published in Norwegian in 1903 as Sidsel Sidsærk, relates the tale of a young orphan girl who comes to live at the Hoel Farm when her mother dies. The story describes her life and work as an animal herder for Kersti Hoel, and concludes with her confirmation, at fifteen years of age. Similarly, Solve Suntrap, originally published in 1910 as Sølve Solfeng, chronicles the childhood experiences of a young boy who comes to stay at Kjelle Farm, when his mountainside home burns down. It too describes its young hero's experience of farm life, and concludes shortly after his confirmation.

Although I have read both Sidsel Longskirt and Solve Suntrap in their separate volumes - see my reviews of those titles for a fuller discussion - I was curious to track down this omnibus edition, to see if any extras were included. The only differences I could observe were that the initial color frontispiece from Solve Suntrap was omitted here, and that a brief one-page glossary of terms that was not present in either individual volume, was included in Sidsel Longskirt and Solve Suntrap: Two Children of Norway. I enjoyed both of these stories, despite finding the earlier translation of Sidsel Sidsærk (it was first translated into English in 1907, and entitled Lisbeth Longfrock) preferable to the one included here. Aanrud's stories address themes of loss and belonging, and depict the hard work of living on a farm, and the beauties of the natural world. I would recommend this volume, and the two novels it contains, to anyone interested in Norwegian children's literature specifically, as well as to anyone looking more generally for children's stories about farm life and the natural world. ( )