Many years ago, while attending high school in Stockholm, Sweden, we read a poem that I simply fell in love with.

It was Vintergatan (Winter Street) by Zacharias Topelius.

Fast forward to 2010 when I happened upon my old book of poetry. I reread Vintergatan and was just as charmed by it as before. Wishing I could share it with my husband, children, and friends who did not speak Swedish, I searched for its English translation. I found a few that were beautiful, yet to me, they sounded old-fashioned or too formal--not the kind of poetic language I envisioned my teenage grandchildren falling in love with as I once did. I decided to come up with my own translation, attempting to remain faithful to the original Swedish yet maintain a closer sound or cadence of contemporary written or spoken English.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to a select group of friends who were pleased to discuss my translation efforts with me. There were pros and cons and suggestions, all to be considered. Thank you for your support, input, and encouragement. It meant the world to me!

Finally, I thank my lucky star for the day I met and became friends with Jamie Hogan, a wonderful person and exceptionally talented artist and illustrator with a long list of accomplishments. In this book, she invites you into a whole other dimension of The Milky Way to appreciate and absorb long after you have finished reading.