Norway
Special
Mention
185
Berggren, Arne (text)
Ekman, Fam (illus.)
Stor gutt (Big boy)
Oslo : Aschehoug, 2003. – [32] p.
ISBN 82-03-24574-9
Father – Son – Swimming lessons – Fear
Arne Berggren generally has a penchant for topics ranging from weird to
gloomy. This is equally true for this novel, which tells the story of a child
who is torn between his artist mother, who wants to encourage his
understanding of art, and his father, who strives to make his son a practical,
down-to-earth person. The father takes the boy to the swimming pool to teach
him how to swim. But the boy is afraid and even has a near-death experience
and hallucinations. Yet in the end, he succeeds, even if the ambivalent
feelings inside him remain. For illustrator Fam Ekman, this hovering between
dream and reality is a graphic delight. Her delicate drawings with only a few
traces of colour and the peculiar creatures she invents inspire the reader’s
imagination and stand outside the mainstream of illustration styles. Moreover,
the unusual, rough cardboard cover also sets this book apart from the majority
of picture books and makes it a bibliophile’s treasure. (8+)
186
Dahle, Gro (text)
Nyhus, Svein (illus.)
Sinna Mann (Evil
man)
Oslo : Cappelen, 2003. – [38] p.
ISBN 82-02-23116-7
Father – Son – Violence – Fear
This story about an irascible father who turns violent against wife and child
is told in a very reserved and sober style. Only the illustrations, depicting
a menacingly growing father who finally burns bright red with anger, show the
readers the oppressive fear that the boy and his mother feel. Innocent and
open-minded, the child desperately tries to contact the increasingly irritated
father. Although he does not understand what is going on, he senses that his
father is not himself but possessed by an evil monster. Eventually, the state
authority, represented by the king and a social worker, intervenes and takes
the father away – quite possibly to a psychiatric ward from where he will
return to his family cured. (6+)
187
Gaarder, Jostein
Appelsinpiken (The orange-girl)
Oslo : Aschehoug, 2003. – 175 p.
ISBN 82-03-24514-5. - 82-525-5468-7
Father – Death – Son – Grief – Childhood
Mystification is one of Jostein Gaarder’s particular strengths. A father who
died of cancer left a long letter to his son in which he tells him the story
of his love for the boy’s mother – the orange-girl. Since this letter lay
hidden for more than ten years, the son reading it embarks on a journey into
the distant past, travelling to the beginning of his own life. In this novel,
Gaarder does not only describe the boy’s grief and his search for his
identity in a very convincing manner. He has also succeeded in creating a
touching and light-hearted love story. (13+)
188
Hagen, Oddmund (text)
Düzakin, Akin (illus.)
Bort frå jordet (Away from the countryside)
Oslo : Det Norske Samlaget, 2003. – [32] p.
ISBN 82-521-5948-6
Child – Arson – Guilty conscience
Two rabbit brothers and their parents live in a rural idyll seemingly free
from catastrophies. Too much peace, however, inspires forbidden adventures:
Thus, the two boys light a small fire with stolen matches. Although they do
extinguish the fire before leaving the place, the younger brother feels guilty
and hides himself when a forest fire starts that same day. But then his
parents track him down and explain that the careless farmer was to blame. The
soft colours and shapes of Düzakin’s pictures emanate calmness. They are
characteristic for his style and perfectly match the country idyll. Even
though he does not indulge in red seas of flame, the danger – only visible
as heavy clouds of smoke hovering above the forest – is frightening enough. (6+)
189
Lunde, Stein Erik
Sanger fra rom 22 (Songs from room no. 22)
Oslo : Gyldendal Tiden, 2002. – 200 p.
ISBN 82-05-30706-7
School – Classmate – Human
relationship
This typical school novel tells the readers about the beginning of a normal
school day and about all the boring daily events, such as school problems,
love problems, dreams of a future etc. Luckily enough, Stein Erik Lunde’s
ironic narrative style makes all this turn into a very amusing tale.
Naturally, the author also describes how tough it can be to approach someone
you love, especially if you are a little clumsy. The easy-to-read book arouses
readers’ interest in literature. The author, who writes about everyday
events in the lives of teenagers without resorting to stereotypes, is an
experienced song-text writer and has already won some awards for the few
teenage novels he has written so far. (13+)