Geir Gulliksen og Anna Fiske (Ill.)

Joel is in first grade when he falls in love for the very first time. It happens on a Tuesday without any warning at all. He suddenly sees a girl called Io. The text intimates that Io notices Joel as well, but she must quickly show that she’s a year older than he is and can neither play with him nor have feelings for someone so little. Or, after closer consideration, perhaps she can play with him a little bit. And perhaps she can pretend that they’re in love when they’re playing.

This short, poetic love story consistently maintains a child’s perspective. The language is observant, the sentences are short and precise, and it makes use of original linguistic imagery. The dialogue is realistic and humorous in a somewhat unobtrusive way. Although not an awful lot happens in this story, it is nonetheless an exciting little story about love and friendship. The love story doesn’t end too well, yet the book still offers an uplifting ending in a manner that is not only open but also intimates how things might progress. This is a book about what it’s like to like someone, about the rules for what is and isn’t allowed, about the thrill of breaking those rules, and the poetry contained in doing so. Most of all it is a story about being alone and quite invisible, only to see someone and discover that you yourself are seen.

Anna Fiske’s drawings also have a poetic expression. Shyness, contemplation, and physical contact are well expressed in a distinctive, playful style. At a couple of points in the text, comic strips have been inserted, elaborating the scene and playing on what’s happening. This contributes to the book’s unique expression.

As readers we experience a formidable presence in both the text and the images. Adults can easily recognise themselves in many of the situations. Joel og Io. En kjærlighetshistorie (”Joel and Io. A love story”, not translated into English) is aimed at younger readers aged between 6 and 9, but can be read by children of all ages.

Geir Gulliksen is the author and publishing editor. He made his début in 1986 and has written poems, essays, novels, and children’s books. Gulliksen was awarded the Mads Wiel Nygaard Endowment in 2008 for his writing, and nominated for the Ibsen Award in 2013 for his début as a playwright.

Anna Fiske is an award-winning illustrator, picture book author, and cartoonist. She is originally Swedish, but has lived in Norway since 1994. Fiske has released a series of picture books with her own texts, but she has also illustrated for other authors and commissioners. She recently received the Norwegian Ministry of Culture’s illustration prize for her overall contribution to illustrated literature for children and young people in 2014.