THE latest adventures of a Swedish farmer and his talking cat have been published by Stroud’s Hawthorn Press.

Keeping up with Findus is the latest in Sven Nordqvist’s series of children’s books about Pettson and his mischievous cat Findus, who live in a small ramshackle farmhouse in the countryside.

As they plant, forage, fish, discover and get up to all sorts of mayhem children can explore with them the ups and downs of friendship, fights and forgiveness.

The brightly illustrated book is aimed at readers from two to six years.

To date, nine story books have been published in the Findus series, plus a puzzle book, song book and cook book.

The stories have worldwide sales of over 15 million and have been translated into 55 languages.

Sven Nordqvist is now one of Sweden’s most popular illustrators, winning the Swedish Literature Award, the Astrid Lindgren Prize and the Elsa Beskow Medal.

Based in Sweden, Nordqvist originally wanted to be an illustrator but after being rejected by several art schools, he studied architecture instead.

He continued to look for work as an illustrator, working on advertisements, posters and picture books, and in 1983 he won first prize in a children’s book competition.

Since then has worked exclusively as an author and illustrator of children’s books.