Meet the nominees of the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize

Come and listen to a debate between the nominees about what Nordic children and youth literature is and can be. Fourteen Nordic picture books, youth novels, and future epics have been nominated for the 2021 Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize. This year’s nominated works deal with topics including sustainability and the current climate crisis, as well as issues such as identity, existence, and sexuality, and depict the social cycle which we are all a part of. We’ve teamed up with assistant professor Dr. Nadia Mansour. She’ll steer proceedings and ensure that we get some titbits from all the nominees’ works.

Arranged by Nordic Co-operation and Nordatlantens Brygge’s literature salon NordOrd.

Denmark

Vulkan by Zakiya Ajmi. Youth novel, Gads Forlag, 2020.

Den rustne verden, 3 - Ukrudt by Adam O. Framtidsepos, Høst & Søn/Gyldendal, 20…

Finland

Mitt bottenliv – av en ensam axolotl by Linda Bondestam. Picture book, Förlaget M,...

Kesämyrsky by Siiri Enoranta. Novel, WSOY, 2020.

Faroe Islands

Sum rótskot by Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs. Youth novel, Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelags...

Greenland

Aima Qaqqap Arnaalu by Bolatta Silis-Høegh. Picture book, Milik Publishing, 2020.

Iceland

Blokkin á heimsenda by Arndís Þórarinsdóttir and Hulda Sigrún Bjarnadóttir. Youth…

Grísafjörður: Ævintýri um vináttu og fjör by Lóa H. Hjálmtýsdóttir. Youth novel...

Norway

Min venn, Piraten by Ole Kristian Løyning and Ronny Haugeland (ill.). Children’s book…

Aleksander den store by Peter F. Strassegger. Youth novel, Samlaget, 2020.

The Sami Language Area

Jođašeaddji Násti by Kirste Paltto and Laila Labba (ill.). Youth novel, Davvi ...

Sweden

Jag och alla by Ylva Karlsson and Sara Lundberg (ill.). Picture book, Rabén & Sjögren...

De afghanska sönerna by Elin Persson. Youth literature, Bonnier Carlsen, 2020.

Åland

Nattexpressen by Karin Erlandsson and Peter Bergting (ill.). Youth novel...

Winner to be announced on 2 November

The winner of the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize will be announced together with the winners of the other Nordic Council prizes on 2 November in Copenhagen in conjunction with the Session of the Nordic Council. The winner will receive the Nordlys statuette and DKK 300,000.

About the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize

The Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize was first awarded in 2013. The prize was born out of the long-standing desire of the Nordic ministers for culture to strengthen and highlight literature for children and young people in the Nordic Region. The prize goes to a literary work for children and young people written in one of the Nordic languages. The work can combine text and images, and must meet high literary and artistic standards.

The purpose of the Nordic Council’s five prizes is to raise interest in the Nordic cultural community and Nordic co-operation on the environment, as well as to recognise outstanding artistic and environmental efforts.