Self Help / Children's Books · Hardback

What happened to you?

Norwegian title: Hva skjedde egentlig med deg?

Jenny Jordahl

Janne isn’t like the rest of her family. That’s what Grandma says. The others are slim, while Janne is big. What happened to her, really? Grandma isn’t the only one who comments on Janne’s appearance. People at school do too. Janne is comfort eating and cutting herself off from others, but suddenly her parents suggest a solution to the problem: She’ll get 100 kroner for every kilo she loses. Janne goes along with the agreement and slowly but surely, she gets smaller. But does she get any happier? And does it solve her real problems?

What Happened to You? is a powerful, brave and thought-provoking graphic novel about friendship, being an outsider and living with eating disorders. Jenny Jordahl (best know as the illustrator of the international bestseller Women in Battle) delivers an important and absorbing story for children and young people aged 9 and older.WINNER OF THE 2020 BRAGE PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG READERS!The Brage Prize Jury said: The winner of the category Children’s and Young Adult Literature addresses serious issues which leave an impression on the reader. Yet the book is easy to read and shows great concern for – and confidence in – its young readers. This year’s winning entry is an important work that engages the reader through different techniques: The succinct dialogue between the characters is illustrated with vivid drawings, and it is intense in both form and content. Clear use of colour, non-verbal features and the visual representation of the central character’s inner life all contribute to enhancing her range of emotions.

The winner of this year’s prize is an established writer and illustrator with a book that lets us get close to a child with an eating disorder. Congratulations to Jenny Jordahl for winning the Brage Prize for her graphic novel: What Happened to You?

Reviews: Strong as well as entertaining book on a difficult subject.AFTENPOSTENThis book can be used as a starting point for important talks both at school and at home. NRK