The Wonderful Adventure of Nils Holgersson (Penguin Classics)

Sweden's most beloved adventurer, Nils is a disobedient child shrunken to the height of a gnome. He slowly befriends various native animals and flies around Sweden on a goose. He grows more mature as he copes with death and suffering, learning to help as he can.

You'll learn more about Sweden's plants and animals than you bargained for. Martens are pretty cute though.