The Summer of Diving

Sara Stridsberg & Sara Lundberg

One day Zoe’s dad is gone. She is told that he has become ill and needs to be in a psychiatric hospital for a long time. When she and her mother go to see him, he says that he can’t handle any visits, he needs to be alone. But Zoe keeps coming anyway, and while waiting for her father to get better, she meets the swimmer Sabina, who becomes her friend.

The Summer of Diving is related to Sara Stridsberg’s acclaimed novel Beckomberga – Ode till min familj (The Gravity of Love – Ode to My Family, 2014). It’s the same mythical place, the same main characters and basic storyline, but portrayed from a child’s point of view, inner world and gaze. It’s a vibrant story about a parent’s lost joy of living and a child’s longing for closeness, but also about the power of dream and imagination. Despite the dark theme, the story is full of humor and lightness.

Press voices

Listed as one of the best children’s books of the year 2022 by The New York Times:
“In this child’s-eye view of a father’s depression, evocative language and lush, color-saturated art show how a girl’s imagination helps her swim through loss and heal.”

”A beautiful experience filled of feelings for all ages. Rating 5 (out of 5)” Christina Wedenmark, BTJ

“/…/ something of the most beautiful, bravest and most hopeful I have read in a long time. (…) Finally, a book that scratches the stigma around mental health” Emma Vendelek, Barnboksbildens Vänner

“/…/ the most beautiful picture book in a long time. /…/ The collaboration between author Stridsberg and illustrator Lundberg creates a book where text and image play off each other with remarkable sensitivity, pondering on each page where to reveal and where to remain silent. /…/ Expectations of stability are overturned, and so are expectations of the opposite — this book continually surprises, offering a quiet yet powerful exploration of human resilience.” Tilman Spreckelsen, Frankfurter Allgemeine

“Summer of Diving is a picture book full of symbolism, born from the powerful interaction between Sara Stridsberg’s poetic text and Sara Lundberg’s vibrant illustrations. In this story, we embark on a nostalgic quest that unfolds into adventure, imagination, and resilience, guided by the innocent gaze of Zoe — a girl whose moving story springs from the inexplicable emptiness suddenly left by her father’s absence. In her reunion with him, Zoe finds more questions than answers, until, during her visits to her father’s new cloistered world, she meets Sabine, with whom she forms a fleeting yet profound bond that may stay with her forever. Sabine’s invitation to “swim through the world” leads Zoe to dive into an imaginative experience that will make that summer unforgettable. A theme of mental health is treated here with honesty, sensitivity, and delicacy — presented in a format accessible to children, and captured in an album that celebrates family bonds, friendship, and hope.” – M.A.H., Banco del libro 2025