The Best Summer Guest

ENGLISH
EDITION
Tuula Pere • Milena Radeva
The Best Summer Guest
W
ickWick

The Best Summer Guest
Story by Tuula Pere
Illustrations by Milena Radeva
Layout by Peter Stone
English translation by Päivi Vuoriaro
Edited in US English by Susan Korman
ISBN 978-952-325-837-2 (ePub)
ISBN 978-952-325-337-7 (Print)
First edition
Copyright © 2017 Wickwick Ltd
Published 2017 by Wickwick Ltd
Helsinki, Finland
Printed in EU
Originally published in Finland by Wickwick Ltd in 2017
Finnish “Jonttu kesävieraana”, ISBN 978-952-325-084-0 (Print), ISBN 978-952-325-584-5 (ePub)
English “The Best Summer Guest”, ISBN 978-952-325-337-7 (Print), ISBN 978-952-325-837-2 (ePub)
The Best Summer Guest text with illustrations by Tuula Pere has been published by Wickwick Ltd in 2014
Finnish “Jonttu kesävieraana”, ISBN 978-952-5878-70-7 (Print), 978-952-5878-73-8 and 978-952-5878-15-8 (ePub)
English “The Best Summer Guest”, ISBN 978-952-5878-71-4 (Print), 978-952-5878-74-5 and 978-952-5878-16-5 (ePub)
Swedish “Jonte som sommargäst”, ISBN 978-952-5878-72-1 (Print), 978-952-5878-75-2 and 978-952-5878-17-2 (ePub)
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written permission of the publisher Wickwick Ltd. The only exception is brief quotations in printed articles and
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Wickwick books are available at special discounts when purchased in quantity for premiums and promotions as
well as fundraising or educational use. Special editions can also be created to specification. For details, contact
specialsales@wickwick.fi.

ENGLISH
EDITION
The Best
Summer Guest
Tuula Pere • Milena Radeva
W
ickWick
Children’s Books from the Heart
1

2

Jonty watches Mom pack a suitcase.
Why do Mom and Dad have to go away? Jonty thinks. Mom says she and Dad
have a lot to talk about. But in Jonty’s opinion, they could do that at home too.
Mom sees Jonty watching her. “We’ll be back soon,” she says, smiling at him. “And
you’ll have a lovely time with Grandma Gladys at her summer house.”
Jonty nods. It is always fun to stay with Grandma, he thinks.
He is still a little worried about the nights, though. That’s when he misses his parents
the most. Luckily, Grandma always has fun ideas. She knows how to build a sleeping
tent—with room for all ten of his sleep toys, too!
Mom gives Jonty a hug. “We’ll be back before you know it,” she says.
3

The car is cramped. The trunk is filled with luggage. Jonty’s parents plan to go to
the airport after dropping Jonty off at Grandma’s house.
Grandma runs out to meet them. “Welcome, Jonty!” She hugs him.
Mom takes Jonty’s bags out of the backseat. “The bigger suitcase has clothes for
all kinds of weather,” she explains to Grandma. “The other suitcase is the fun bag.
Jonty’s video games and some extra batteries are in the side pocket.”
“Bye! Have fun!” Jonty and Grandma wave good-bye as Mom and Dad back out of
the driveway.
Mom said they would be back soon, Jonty reminds himself.
Grandma puts Jonty’s big bag on the bedroom floor. Then she stuffs the fun bag into
a corner of the closet.
She winks at him. “I think we’ll have plenty of fun around here without that bag!”
4

5

After breakfast, Jonty puts together a jigsaw puzzle at the kitchen table. Some of
the pieces are missing. But when Jonty puts the last piece in place, he sees three
kittens. They look cute, even though one kitten is missing its tail and another one,
its ears.
“Your father used to play with that jigsaw puzzle, too, when he was a little boy,”
Grandma says. “I think he got it as a Christmas present once.”
Jonty studies the picture quietly. He misses his parents.
6

“Time to go!” Grandma says brightly. She holds up a basket. “We need to go to the
farmer’s market for potatoes and strawberries.”
At the farmer’s market, Grandma Gladys knows everyone and everyone knows
Grandma. A coffee seller offers her an extra cup of coffee and a greengrocer gives
Jonty a handful of peapods.
7

One day Jonty plays jungle on the staircase. He puts his stuffed animals on the
steps and uses scarves for pretend vines. He makes his monkey climb a vine.
“Grandma, help!” Jonty yelps when the monkey falls through the banister rails. He
peers at the darkness below. “I’m too scared to go down and get it by myself!”
“How about I sing from the top of the stairs while you fetch it?” Grandma suggests.
She sits as Jonty starts down the steps. “Whistle while you work, la, la, la, la, la, la,
la . . .”
Jonty feels much braver right away.
8

9

Before bedtime Grandma Gladys moisturizes her feet with cream. Jonty does it
too, scooping some cream from the jar and rubbing it on his toes.
“Grandma, why are your toes so wrinkly?” Jonty asks.
“Because I have walked on them for so many years,” Grandma replies.
10

“Will my toes look like that someday?” Jonty asks.
“Probably. But before that, a whole bunch of other things will happen, too,” Grandma
says and strokes Jonty’s head.
11

12

Jonty loves to bake. One day Grandma and Jonty plan to bake cinnamon buns.
Grandma’s friends, the “bun angels,” are gathering at Grandma’s house for a
meeting.
When it’s time to add the cinnamon, Jonty gets a bit carried away. He shakes in
some cinnamon, and then he rolls the dough, flips it over, and adds some more cinnamon.
His buns come out of the oven looking very brown.
“I’m sure they will be delicious!” Grandma says and wipes flour from Jonty’s nose.
“When I grow up I’m going to have my own bakery,” Jonty says excitedly. “I’ll name
it Sweet Cheeks’ Bakery. Others will have to pay, but you’ll get everything for free,
Grandma.”
“I can be the taster at your bakery, then,” Grandma says, laughing.
13

14

The doorbell rings. The first “bun angels” have arrived. Jonty is a little disappointed
to see that none of them have wings on their backs! But they all bring
platters of sweet treats.
Soon the dining room table is filled with cinnamon rolls, tarts, cookies, and cakes.
The bun angels gather around the table with their coffee cups. They fill their coffee
cups and chatter away to each other.
Jonty crawls under the table with a cinnamon bun. It’s fun to listen to the bun angels
chat. But when they start to sing old songs, Jonty slips out of the room.
15

The next day Grandma and Jonty drive to the summer cottage
at Spruce Cape.
Grandma says they are in no hurry at all. “We’ll take our time and
enjoy the sights along the way.”
They drive for only ten minutes when Grandma announces
it’s time to stop for lunch—sandwiches and cold juice.
16

“Everything tastes delicious when you’re on a road trip!” Jonty says and Grandma
agrees.
They get back on the road, and Grandma turns on the radio. The air is so hot and
still, Grandma lets Jonty open the window halfway down. There is no air conditioning
in Grandma’s car.
Soon Grandma and Jonty turn into a cemetery. They bring summer flowers to
Grandpa’s grave.
“He was one kind man.” Grandma sighs.
“He sure was,” Jonty says, nodding, although he no longer remembers Grandpa very
well.
At a candy shop by the lake, Jonty gets one of his favorite treats—fire balls. The
candy is so hot, his lips pucker as he eats it.
Grandma chooses an ice-cream bar for herself. She sits under the shop’s awning to
enjoy it, and waves at Jonty. Now he’s on the playground, having a wild spin on the
carousel.
17

Jonty thinks the village market is tiny. The shelves are packed, filled with cans and
other goods.
“What can I get for you today, Gladys?” the shopkeeper asks.
Grandma reads from her list. “Yogurt, flour, buttermilk, and rye bread.”
Uh-oh, thinks Jonty, worried. I don’t like any of that stuff.
“Oh yes, and some herring, dried peas, and smoked bacon for soup,” Grandma continues.
“But what am I going to eat?” Jonty blurts out.
“I’m sure you won’t starve,” Grandma teases him. “We’ll make things you like, I
promise.”
“Okay.” Jonty looks around the crowded shop. Besides groceries, there are candles,
flyswatters, gardening gloves, rope, and clothespins.
“Why isn’t there a toy department in this store?” he asks.
“There is one,” Grandma answers. She picks up a stack of drawing paper and a notebook
with a blue cover and buys them too.
18

19

At last Grandma turns down a familiar driveway. Jonty has visited the Spruce
Cape cottage many times before. They put the groceries in the fridge and then
hurry to the lake.
Grandma is already swimming before Jonty is standing only knee-deep in the water.
20

Later Jonty lays in the sun on a warm rock. Grandma has funny beach towels.
His has a parrot on it. Grandma herself is wrapped in one that says, “Snip Snap
Chocolate Waffles.”
21

In the evening Grandma sits in a rattan chair, doing a crossword
puzzle.
Jonty gets bored. “Grandma, I have nothing to do,” he complains.
“Now that’s odd because I have something really fun to do,” Grandma says. “I was
just about to go outside to toss some pinecones into a bucket. Care to join me?”
Jonty and Grandma play for a long time. As they toss them, the pinecones ping
against the sides of the bucket. Finally, Jonty wins by one pinecone.
22

23

24

It’s going to be a windy day. The air is getting colder and rain clouds are gathering
over Spruce Cape. Jonty likes to watch the strong gusts of wind shake the trees
around the cottage.
Grandma and Jonty must go to the shed for more firewood.
“Where’s your hat?” Grandma wants to know.
“I think I left it in town,” Jonty says.
“Not to worry. I’m sure there’s one here you can wear.” Grandma peers into a large
closet.
There’s a hat for everyone in Grandma’s closet. Jonty gets to wear a worn-out woolen
hat. It covers his ears, and almost covers his eyes, too.
25

The storm is growing fiercer. Outside it’s raining
cats and dogs.
“The rain will water the flowers nicely,” Grandma says, content.
“Yes, and the fish too,” Jonty adds.
“Exactly. Tomorrow we get to go fishing.”
The roof over the cottage is old. It has seen countless rains. This time water finds its
way between the roof shingles. Drip, drip, drip.
26

“The roof is leaking,” Grandma says. “Come on, Jonty!”
Jonty and Grandma hurry to put pots and pans on the floor. To be on the safe side,
Jonty fetches a big umbrella and spreads it over them on the sofa. Pancakes taste
better when they are dry.
Grandma calls Teddy, who lives next door.
“He’s coming tomorrow. Teddy is a builder and he’s good at fixing things,” Grandma
says happily.
27

The next day the rain finally stops. After breakfast, Jonty goes fishing with
Grandma. It’s thrilling to sit at the end of the dock.
Jonty’s dad once told him a story about a huge pike that lives under the dock. At least
it used to live there.
“I’m afraid to dangle my legs over the edge,” Jonty says.
“I’m sure that old pike is gone by now,” Grandma says, smiling and dangling her
own bare feet in the air.
The sounds of hammering echo from the direction of the cottage. Teddy had climbed
up to the roof earlier. He’d looked around, thinking about the job first. Then he’d
rolled up his sleeves and got started.
Jonty turns back to Grandma. “I might become a builder myself,” he says. “There’s
just one problem—I don’t like to climb ladders.”
Grandma smiles. “Then just keep your feet on the ground for now,” she says.
28

29

The buzzing of a fly wakes Jonty up. The room is warm. He gets up from the bed
and shouts for Grandma.
The kitchen is empty and there’s no one in the main room, either.
“Grandmaaa! Grandmaaa!” Jonty hollers, alarmed. Grandma wouldn’t have
returned to town and left him alone at the cottage, would she?
30

Jonty sees the car in front of the cottage. Finally, he finds Grandma herself. She’s
sitting in a chair in the yard.
“You silly little boy, I would never leave without you,” Grandma reassures him. “I
just came out here to enjoy my morning coffee.”
Now Jonty remembers Grandma’s habit of having her first coffee cup of the day
outside. Rain or shine.
Grandma says she likes to sniff the air to find out what the day is going to bring.
31

In the Spruce Cape cottage, there is an old dresser with many drawers. Jonty has
permission to dig through the two big bottom drawers. They are filled with old
toys and small treasures that Jonty’s dad and aunts and uncles used to play with.
He likes the wooden boats and cars best. Jonty is allowed to use a hammer and nails
to repair their loose wheels.
In the bottom of one drawer, he finds some rope and instructions on how to tie different
knots. The first few knots Jonty manages to tie by himself, but soon he needs
Grandma’s help.
“How can a clove hitch knot be so hard?” Jonty says.
Grandma shows him how to do it.
Then Jonty returns to the dresser. In the top drawers are Grandma’s things: some
yarn and needles, bandages and tweezers, some photographs and postcards. Jonty
doesn’t touch them without permission.
32

33

34

Although the Spruce Cape cottage is rather small, there is the biggest cooking
pot Jonty has ever seen. Grandma likes to cook for large groups of people.
At the cottage, there is also a long table, which even has some extension pieces
hidden in it. Today they will come in handy because tonight they are celebrating
Grandma’s birthday.
Grandma stirs the hot pea soup with a long-handled ladle and lets Jonty have a taste.
“How’s the salt?” Grandma asks and smacks her mouth.
“Perfect,” Jonty answers.
“The soup has the best smoked bacon I could find,” Grandma says proudly.
For dessert, Grandma bakes a layer cake. Jonty asks her why the cake looks so yellow.
“It’s made from the eggs we got at the farm yesterday. They have such happy chickens
on the farm, the egg yolks are bright yellow!”
35

36

In the evening, the guests gather at the Spruce Cape cottage. Several cars are
parked beside the potato field, and small motorboats chug to the dock from
cottages across the lake.
Jonty wonders how Grandma Gladys knows all these people.
They all seem to bring peculiar birthday presents for her. But Grandma looks
delighted as she opens each one. She rubs something called “tarry lotion” all
over her hands, and wraps a “shoulder warmer” around her shoulders.
“These potato-washing gloves are a marvelous invention!” Grandma declares.
“And I love my new weed remover!”
After the guests leave, Grandma sits down on the sofa beside Jonty. They look
at some old photos together. In some of them, Jonty sees Grandpa sitting beside
Grandma.
Now it’s me next to Grandma, Jonty thinks, hugging her tightly. “Happy Birthday,
Grandma.”
Grandma hugs him back. “Thank you. Jonty.” She smiles. “You are the best
summer guest of all!”
37

When Jonty’s parents go away, Jonty is a little uneasy about
spending his summer vacation with Grandma Gladys. His
grandmother is lots of fun, but Jonty knows he is going to miss
his parents.
Spending time with Grandma Gladys turns out to be even more
surprising than Jonty imagines. He meets the “Bun Angels,”
watches for a scary pike that lives under the dock, and finds
unusual treasures in Grandma’s old dresser. But Grandma’s
birthday party turns out to be the best day of all.
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