Ævar Þór Benediktsson and Elín Elísabet Einarsdóttir

In Skólastjórinn (“The Principal”, not translated into English), Ævar Þór Benediktsson spins a story that gives voice to one of children’s greatest desires: to be able to decide for themselves. When the book’s narrator, the twelve-year-old mischief-maker Salvar, applies to become headteacher and is actually appointed due to a technical error in the city’s IT system, he soon begins to feel uncertain. The role of headteacher turns out to be something quite different from what he had imagined. 

The story is full of the exuberance and energy that always characterise the author’s work, yet beneath its light-hearted surface lies a sharp social critique. The new headteacher has drawn up a list of desired reforms: pizza should be served for lunch and every classroom should have a pig, but pupils should also be able to influence how the school is run and have the right to dismiss one of the school’s teachers twice a year. Here, the book’s central theme emerges – that children should have power and influence within their immediate community – an idea that in many ways reflects the Nordic social ideal, but is rarely implemented as radically as here. 

It’s particularly interesting how the author has woven into the story a range of ideas gathered directly from children. He conducted a qualitative survey by asking a group of children the following question: What would you change about school if you were in charge? The child’s right to have their voice heard thus becomes not only the theme of the story, but also its true driving force. This approach enriches the book with ideas and also deepens its relationship with its readers, adults and children alike. 

Skólastjórinn presents a rich gallery of characters who are very different from one another, yet all are united in a sincere attempt to do what they believe is best for the school, even if they cannot always agree on priorities – such as whether it’s truly important to serve candyfloss for lunch. 

Elín Elísabet Einarsdóttir’s illustrations effectively support the text. They convey both the humour and the emotional depth of the story, creating a cohesive aesthetic experience in which image and text work together. 

Skólastjórinn constitutes a clear contribution to the ongoing debate about the school system, power, and the communication gap between generations. With humour and warmth, the author succeeds in showing how that gap can be bridged through dialogue and mutual understanding. 

Ævar Þór Benediktsson (b. 1984) works as an author, actor and presenter, and has primarily written for children. He has published more than thirty children’s books and received a number of awards, including an honorary distinction associated with the Margaret Wise Brown Prize for children’s literature. For Skólastjórinn, he and Elín Elísabet Einarsdóttir were awarded the Icelandic Literary Prize as well as the Icelandic Booksellers’ Prize in the children’s and young people’s category. 

Elín Elísabet Einarsdóttir (b. 1992) is a visual artist and illustrator. She holds a BA from the Iceland University of the Arts and is currently studying creative writing at the University of Iceland. She has exhibited her work in several venues and illustrated a large number of books.