Children's Books · Hardback

The Return of The Billy Goats Gruff

Norwegian title: Bukkene Bruse vender tilbake

Bjørn F. Rørvik

The Billy Goats Gruff at the Water Park (Bukkene Bruse på badeland) has been one our greatest picture book successes in recent years, as a comical, adventure-fuelled text with lively, vivid illustrations. The Return of the Billy Goats Gruff (Bukkene Bruse vender tilbake) is the sequel to this success. It’s been a while, and the Billy Goats Gruff are beginning to wonder what they should do during their summer break. The two smallest billy goats want to take a trip abroad, but the biggest billy goat tells them that it’s too expensive. He wants them all to join him out to pasture, just like they did last time. Against their will, the two smallest billy goats join him, but there have been some big changes. The troll has gone and the mountain pasture offering the best waffles has closed. It becomes clear that the troll has gone into a retirement home and the billy goats decide to visit him there.

The Return of the Billy Goats Gruff is a wild, fantastic tale and a perfect sequel to the first book.

‘You would be hard pressed to find a cooler fairy tale… Adult humour is a common characteristic of many bestsellers for children, such as in series by Jo Nesbø and Ingvar Ambjørnsen. It’s a nice bonus for the person reading it aloud, providing it doesn’t have a negative impact on the humour aimed at children. It doesn’t here. This book was written to be read by adults and children together, with typography to indicate when you should raise and lower your voice, or baaaaa a bit more.’ DAGBLADET

'… a charming return to the hilarious Billy Goats Gruff with playful illustrations from Gry Moursund … Whether cunning or furious, scared or miserable, the troll is just as magnificently portrayed as before. No one can draw like a child better than Gry Moursund. Not even children.' BARNEBOKKRITIKK.NO 'This is both familiar yet provocative, recognisable yet new. Laid back, free and modern language is combined with traditional folk tale turns of phrase to great effect. Closely linked to Gry Moursund’s naïve yet detailed illustrations, which fill the pages with colourful specimens from the animal kingdom.' HAMAR ARBEIDERBLAD