Children's & YA

The Billy Goats Gruff at the Water Park

Bjørn F. Rørvik

The three Billy Goats Gruff are on their way to the meadow to eat the green grass. But along the road they find a new sign: Water Park – 200 meters. The Gruff brothers think this sounds tempting. And maybe they won't have to face the troll that is always waiting under the bridge to scare them every time they head for the hills.The water park is exciting, especially the long slide. But then the troll shows up …‘Fun reading for the whole family. It doesn’t get much better than this!’FORELDRE & BARN ‘In this staggeringly wise and amusing new version of an old tale, Bjørn F. Rørvik sets the story in the modern day, and has transformed the troll into an uncontrollable bully of the kind that all children are familiar with ... This has become a powerful, colourful and energetic book, and a very contemporary tale with its mix of fairy tale traditions and contemporary children’s culture.’ ADRESSEAVISEN ‘This new and different version of the Billy Goats Gruff is the best children’s book I’ve read in a long time. There’s a bit of everything: a large dose of humour, familiarity, fantastic illustrations, and text that is trendy and well suited both to many children’s daily life experiences and to the illustrations. It’s a perfect length for reading at bedtime, and even a little educational, too ... I’d recommend this to parents looking for something to read to their sweet young things, but also for older children up to around 8 years old. And adults, too! Wonderful stuff!’ GUDBRANDSDØLEN DAGNINGEN ‘The text is well composed, simple and accessible to readers. It will pose no problem to children to follow the story and dramatic composition. There is a wonderful fluency throughout the tale and the book is a very suitable length. Children who are young (and even a little older than that) will be captivated by the story and greatly enjoy this book! ... I give this book a little extra applause for its fantastic illustrations, which are incredibly charming.’ URIKS.NO ‘The Norwegian tale of the Billy Goats Gruff at the Water Park, with text by Bjørn Rørvik and illustrations by Gry Moursund, is among the best I’ve come across within the genre of children’s literature. What makes this book so unique is that it has succeeded in mimicking the naive. Rørvik’s narrative, which comes directly from the Billy Goats Gruff, is highly reminiscent of how children adapt fairy tales in their play. ... I maintain that this is a masterpiece. The book has been my faithful companion for several months and the majority of those who I have shared this with have been utterly enchanted.’BARNBOKSBILDENS VÄNNER, Sweden ‘... This alteration of a well-known fairy tale has become a hugely successful picture book, with a troll that simply has to be seen. Move over, Theodor Kittelsen! ... Moursund and Rørvik have hit upon a common wavelength in both the text and illustrations, where the same playful humour runs throughout ... The Billy Goats Gruff adventure at the water park proves to be perfect reading from the outset. Sometimes a book is based on such a good idea that you feel slightly envious that you didn’t come up with it yourself. This is one of those occasions.’BARNEBOKKRITIKK.NO"Ingeniously crazy! As a reader you will fall instantly for this book!" DIE ZEIT, Germany

Featherfart

Rune Belsvik

The small country by the creek is a place for small happenings and great thoughts - where water in the creek is the fastest there is, and every day life becomes a party whenever something happens. Usually Featherfart (Dustefjerten) throws ploppy stones into the creek and talk to the duckling. The Holesnoop (Holesnusken) chops wood. Bunfarts (Bollefisen) has wet feet, and always dreams about something sweet to eat. The ruskfox (Kavringreven) bakes rusks. Oktava sings her songs and maybe dreams of a really cool theatre. And far into the woods, the mountainhen is warming a stone. In this book you find the three first books about Sillyfart and his neighbours and friends. The stories about Dustefjerten are loved by generations of Norwegian children. The books have also been sold to The Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Serbia and The Ukraine.

God Night, Night

Gro Dahle / Svein Nyhus

Good Night, Night is a collection of poetry and drawings that wish the world a good night. The poems are full of tenderness and love for everything from trees and houses to dogs and humans. This is a book that comforts. It is a lullaby-book. A book that can be read over and over. A beautiful and poetic book. For ages 4–8 years

Gravenstein

Øyvind Torseter

Gravenstein is a suspense book about apples! The book is small, thick and yellow – just like a delicious, juicy apple. But frightening things are happening too. Miss and The Elephant boy, whom we have met in Øyvind Torseter’s previous books, are here as well. An original picture book by one of Norways foremost illustrators. ’A fantastically beautiful, funny and scary little yellow book… Equally as entertaining for big and small alike.’ HAMAR ARBEIDERBLAD

Hello City!

Anna Fiske

A Search and Find Book We follow six people through the city from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. We also find and discover other things that are happening or changing by the hour—for example, a building that grows and grows, the princess that moves out of the castle and fall in love, and the man who likes flat things. The illustrations are packed with details. This is a book that one can read over and over and always find something new. Rights sold to: DENMARK (Lamberth APS), CHINA (Beijing Sunshine Media Corp), KOREA (BOOKNBEAN).

Johannes Jensen Experiences a Miracle

Henrik Hovland / Torill Kove

Johannes Jensen knows that Frida has a secret. But she won’t tell him what it is. Eventually he understands that the secret is in Frida’s belly. She’s going to have a baby.While Johannes Jensen sits on his bench in Frogner park, Dr. Fjeld comes by. And together they discover what Johannes Jensen has to do to be a good father.‘These books are a comfort for all of us who wrestle with our inner crocodiles, awkward and lonely as we often are.’ Vårt Land

Storm and Albrikt learn to swim

Thomas Framnes

Neither Storm nor Albrikt know how to swim. They splash around the shallow end with floaties on their arms. It is fine—as long as Storm’s mother is the only one who can see them. But then both Georg and Betina spot them. They laugh and Storm’s and Albrikt’s faces turn red. Now they will HAVE to learn to swim! And using their imagination and creative talents they do so by unusual methods.

LIFE

Dag O. Hessen

16 year-old Eirik is taking the train from Bodø to Oslo and the day following his arrival, he will be taking a biology exam that he is dreading. Eirik’s journey is a very strange one. An old man also boards the train and, together, the two of them travel through four millenniums. Charles shows Eirik the strangest life forms. The evolution of life begins… An unusually exciting introduction to Darwin’s theory of evolution. It is important that books like these are published, for they are excellent keys to - and raisers of - interest for science and further learning.AFTENPOSTEN The book is of sorts a lovely combination of the movies Back to the Future, the deep sea thriller The Abyss and Jurassic Park. This is the Sophies World of Biology, and since it is just 153 pages - anyone can get through it.MAGASINET BIOLOG

Mom and Dad in Heaven

Alf Kjetil Walgermo

Mor og far i himmelen is a unique book; poetic, bold, warm, wise and beautifully composed. A young girl has lost both her parents in a car accident. With a deeply serious subject as a starting point, the book dares to ask fundamental questions, formed as a prayer to God. This is a book about a great sorrow, but also a great faith: in angels, in eternal life, in God. And a book about a child’s religious wonder and doubt. How can God let terrible things happen? Reviews A little jewel“This is simply a pretty book (…) Øyvind Torseter cuts, glues, draws and builds his illustrations. Maria, the sorrowful girl we meet, lives in a beautiful world, surrounded by colors (…) The text provides space enough so that also the reader can include his or her own emotions while reading. The language is clean and poetic, and although the book does not provide simple or clear answers, it gives hope (…)”Pernille Bineau, VÅRT LAND About grief and loss in a Christian universe“Mother and Father in Heaven always keep the child’s perspective – and there is something liberating about the child’s way of relating to the world, grief and God (…) The illustrations have a childish, simple and naive line, which fits well with the child’s perspective in the text. They contribute to Mother and Father in Heaven being a beautiful, contrasting book about God, death, sorrow and loss, but equally important: about friendship, fellowship and comfort.”Hilde Dybvik, BARNEBOKKRITIKK.NO Emotive and beautiful about death“The book is beautiful, both in text, image and layout. The author addresses major and difficult topics in this book. He does so in an emotive and understanding way. He should be thanked for that. The book can be read in half an hour, but the content stays with the reader for a long time afterwards. At least that was the case with me.”Bård Hauge, DAGENMAGAZINET “The text is thoughtful, with the intention of asking the difficult questions: Why do we say that someone has an guardian angel? What about those who perish, who cares for them? The tone of the book is characterized by seriousness, wonder and understanding. Torseter’s illustrations are of the same type that he has had great success with in several books in recent years.”Morten Haugen, ADRESSEAVISEN “It opens (…) for conversations, crying, melancholy smiles, empathy, comfort and confidence. No matter who reads it, actually. It fits just as well as a read-together book, as for self-reading (but with an adult nearby if the child has any questions) (…) You don’t have to be a believer in order to benefit from this beautiful book, as the text draws more questions than it answers. Like life itself does.”Anita Hartviksen Ravn, RANA BLAD The unimaginable grief“Since the language is so simple and easy, the text opens up well for conversation and reflection. In an impressive way and with few words, the author creates a rich atmosphere, with room for both Winnie the Pooh and existential pain.”May Grethe Lerum, VG (Norway) "(...) a well-suited read aloud book and a starting point for discussions with children. It is also a good read for grown-ups."LITTERATURAVISEN BOKSTAVER

The Dark Book

Sigbjørn Mostue / Matthijs Holter