Swedish Books for Young Readers 1
Swedish Books for Young Readers 8 MARIA GRIPE Mar
ia Gripe (1923-2007) is the author of 38 books. She made her literary breakthrough with the three books about Hugo and Josefin in the 1960s. During the same period she wrote Pappa Pellerin’s Daughter, a contemporary novel about a lonely, headstrong girl. After the poetic tales The Glassblower’s Children, In the Time of the Bells and The Land Beyond, she returned to reality in the 1970s with the five Elvis books, featuring a serious-minded boy who became a classic figure. In the 80s came what was perhaps her most loved books: The Dung Beetle Flies in the Twilight and Agnes Cecilia, as well as the four books in the Shadow series. Maria Gripe has received a number of awards, both in Sweden and abroad. Among others, she has received the Nils Holgersson Plaque, the Astrid Lindgren Prize, the H C Andersen Medal, and Litteraturfrämjandet’s major prize (together with the illustrator Harald Gripe). The Dung Beetle Flies in the Twilight, children’s fiction, 9-12 years, 1978, Bonnier Carlsen Rights: Bonnier Rights Three children stumble upon old letters, sent to a certain Emelie who lived in the 17th century. They tell the story of a threethousand-year-old Egyptian statue in their city. Is it still there? What is it that affects the course of history? Chance, will or something else? Two seemingly random events cause things in the past to unfold again and to finally be revealed. Agnes Cecilia, YA novel, 1981, Bonnier Carlsen Rights: Bonnier Rights Nora is an orphan who moves into an old apartment where strange things start to occur. The clock starts to walk backwards, the dead become present and a doll almost comes alive. The magical adventures help Nora to put closure to the grieving process of her parents. One of Maria Gripe’s most beloved stories. The Glassblower’s Children, children’s fiction, 9-12 years, 1964, Bonnier Carlsen Rights: Bonnier Rights Every year Klas and Klara, together with their parents, go to the fair to sell their glassware. One year they meet Flutter Mildweather, a weaver of magical rugs that foretell the future, and Klas and Klara become the attention of the splendid Lord and Lady of All Wishes Town, who have everything they want except for one thing: children. Photo: private