Sonja and the Hat Split

Måns Gahrton, illustrated by Johan Unenge

A beautiful and thought-provoking story about divorce and finding your place in a new family constellation. Sonja alternates living with Mummy one week and Daddy the next. Both places are nice but in different ways. When autumn comes Daddy brings out a hand-knitted stripy hat for Sonja so that she won’t get cold. But when it’s Mummy’s turn to collect her, she doesn’t like it and buys her a new hat – with a bobble on. Every week throughout the autumn Sonja doesn’t just swap houses but also hats. Daddy’s week becomes “stripy hat week” and Mummy’s week “bobble hat week”. But one day Sonja has had enough! Måns Gahrton and Johan Unenge let the main character, Sonja, tell her version of what it’s like to live with divorced parents, with empathy and warmth. Johan Unenge’s beautiful water colours paint an everyday life where there is both happiness and sorrow.