New Swedish Books, Autumn 2018 1
New Swedish Books 54 Under the Rug When a picture
book engages the most its images don’t always function in relation to a specific word or a section of text. Instead it’s as if the images compel the reader to produce their own words, finding new expressive nuances in the gap between the image and the text. The picture book turns into a language machine. It starts one day with a tiny monster in the kitchen that Dad sweeps away under the carpet. And the rest of the family continue, filling it up with rubbish, leftovers and all sorts of things. The bulge beneath the carpet grows and takes on ever more fantastical forms. Then one day it erupts and the family hunt goblins throughout the house and garden. What’s really happening? There are no accurate words, no way of fully describing an image that continuously changes shape. The only thing left to do is to allow yourself to be fascinated and let the words flow through you. Under the carpet language hides. You just need to try and catch it. Sara Lövestam (text) b. 1980 Per Gustavsson (ill) b. 1962 Under the Rug Publisher Lilla Piratförlaget www.lillapiratforlaget.se Rights Lilla Piratförlaget Linda Widman linda@lillapiratforlaget.se Sara Lövestam Selected Works Udda 2009 Hjärta av jazz 2013 Luften är fri 2016 Sara Lövestam Literary Prizes Svenska Deckarakademien 2015 Grand Prix de Littérature Policière 2017 De gouden vleermuis 2017 Per Gustavsson Selected Works Skuggsidan 2013 Maskrosdagen 2012 När prinsessor tar semester 2008 Per Gustavsson Literary Prizes Elsa Beskowplaketten 2014 Photo: Peter Knutson Photo: Stefan Tell