About A Man Called Ove
Meet Ove (OOH-vah), a curmudgeon who has staunch principles, strict routines and a short fuse. When a chatty young coupe with two lively daughters moves in next door, it leads to a comical and heartwarming tale of unexpected friendship that will shake one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.
Books for Younger Readers
For grades 3-7 (ages 8-12):
Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
For preschool to grade 3:
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli
Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt
The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
Book Club Materials
A Man Called Ove Book Club Questions
About Fredrik Backman
An Interview with Fredrik Backman
Recipes for Your Meeting
Swedish Specialties
Pea Soup (A Thursday Tradition)
Persian Specialties
Morgh Polo (Persian Saffron Rice with Chicken)
Essay Contest Winners
In A Man Called Ove, a grumpy but loveable curmudgeon finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. Considering this year’s theme of “neighbors,” contestants were invited to write about their own personal neighbor stories—either actual or fiction. The contest was open to Wauwatosa residents and students who attend a Wauwatosa public or private school.
Grades 3-5
- First prize: Vida Hutchinson (Madison Elementary), My Fairy Godmother
- Second prize: Sophia Searing (Roosevelt Elementary), My Neighbor
Grades 6-8
- First prize: Madison Sveum (Longfellow), Miss Hanson
- Second prize: Gianna Poniewaz (Christ King), The End of the Line Hotel
High School
- First prize: Mary Catherine McMahon (Wauwatosa East), First Encounters
- Second prize: Ingrid Meulemans (Wauwatosa East), Two Wilted Flowers
Adult (18+)
- First prize: Patricia Foldvary, Talking to Strangers
- Second prize: Mary Kogler, Good Neighbors
Visual Arts Contest Winners
Artists were asked to create an original visual response to the themes in the story using any medium, including paint, pen and ink, pencil, pastel, sculpture, ceramics, fiber, printmaking or digital media. Responses were to incorporate at least one of the following themes (grief, aging, order vs. disorder, community, diversity, destiny, acceptance, change) and one or more plot elements (a happy memory, a tragic accident, a colorful neighbor, a misfit, a solid structure, a stray cat, cars and/or train, Swedish and/or Persian culture).
Grades 3-5
First prize: Sophia Sherry (Madison Elementary), “Untitled”
Grades 6-8
First prize: Madaline Kachelski (Longfellow), “On the Front Porch”
Second prize: Anna Krupka (Crist King), “A Happy Walk with My Dog
High School
First prize: Lilly Frank (Wauwatosa East) “Older”
Second prize: Lilly Frank (Wauwatosa East) “Okay”
Adults
First prize: Jill Bylow Mickey, “Brittany’s Ghost Bike”
Second prize: Sarah Hunt-Frank, “Great Grandpa’s House”
