Icelandic Authors

A list of Icelandic authors and their books in translations.

- Videos with Icelandic Authors.



Authors

Andri Snær Magnason - Arabic Arabíska Barna– og ungmennabækur Bulgarian Búlgarska Children – YA Chinese Croatian Czech Danish Danska Dutch Eistneska English Enska Estonian Faroese Fiction Finnish Finnska Franska French Fræðibækur Færeyska German Greek Greenlandic Gríska Grænlenska Hebreska Hebrew Hollenska Hungarian Italian Ítalska Japanese Japanska Kínverska Korean Kóreska Króatíska Latvian Lettneska Litháíska Lithuanian Ljóð Macedonian Makedónska Non–fiction Norska Norwegian Poetry Polish Portuguese (Brazil) Portúgalska (brasilísk) Pólska Romanian Russian Rúmenska Rússneska Serbian Serbneska Skáldverk Slovak Slóvakíska Spanish Spænska Swedish Sænska Taílenska Tékkneska Thai Turkish Tyrkneska Ukrainian Ungverska Úkraínska Þýska

Andri Snær Magnason is one of Iceland's most celebrated writers. He has won the Icelandic Literary Prize for fiction, children's fiction and non-fiction. In addition, Magnason has written poetry, plays, short stories and essays. In 2009 Magnason co-directed the documentary Dreamland, which was based on his book Dreamland: A Self-Help Manual for a Frightened Nation. Magnason ran for president of Iceland in 2016 and came third out of nine candidates. Magnason lives in Reykjavik with his wife and four children.

Further information


Works in translation

  • Um tímann og vatnið (On Time and Water) 2019 

Bulgaria (Janet45), Canada (in English, Biblioasis) Lytton Smith, Canada (in French, Éditions XYZ) Catherine Mercy and Véronique Mercy, Croatia (Planetopija D.O.O.) Casper Sare, Czech Republic (Argo) Marta Bartoskova , Denmark (Klim) Nanna Kalkar, Egypt (Al Arabi), Estonia (Postimees Kirjastus), Finland (Aula) Tapio Koivukari, France (Editions Leduc.s/Alisio) Catherine Mercy and Véronique Mercy, Germany (Suhrkamp) Tina Flecken, Hungary (Gondolat) Bence Patat, Italy (Iperborea) Silvia Cosimini, Korea (Bookhouse), Macedonia (ArtConnect Publishing), Norway (Aschehoug) Tone Myklebost, Poland (Karakter Publishing House) Jacek Godek, Russia (Eksmo), Serbia (Dereta), Slovakia (Vydavateľstvo Absynt), Spain (Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial/Salamandra) Rafael Garcia, Sweden (Norstedts) John Swedenmark, The Netherlands (De Geus) Kim Middel, Turkey (Domingo), UK (Profile/Serpent‘s Tail) Lytton Smith, Ukraine (Machaon), US (Open letter) Lytton Smith, Albania (OMBRA GVG), Taiwan 8Azoth Books), Lithuania (Alma littera), Japan (Seidosha)

 

  • Tímakistan (Time Casket) 2013 

Denmark (Tiderne Skifter) Kim Lembek; Hungary (Gondolat Kiado) Bence Patat; Turkey (Domingo Yayınevi); Brazil (Morro Branco) Suzannah Almeida; Japan (NHK); Mainland China (Jieli); Taiwan (Eastern); Italy (Giunti) Silvia Cosimini; Greece (Patakis) Tziritas Manos; Finland (Aula & Co); Korea (Arumbooks); Romania (Paralela 45); World English (Restless Books) Björg Árnadóttir & Andrew Cauthery; Macedonia (Antolog); Czech Republic (Argo); Egypt (Mahrousa)

 

  • LoveStar 2002

Germany/Switzerland/Austria (Verlagsgruppe Lübbe) Tina Flecken; World English (Seven Stories Press) Victoria Cribb; Hungary (Gondolat Kiadó) Péter Papolczy; France/Switzerland/ Luxembourg (Zulma) Eric Boury; Québec (Alto) Eric Boury; Japan (Tokyo Sogensha); Egypt (Al Arabi); Turkey (Final Yayıncılık) Kayaoglu, Ersel; Brazil (Morro Branco); Portugal (Bertrand); Korea (Booklog); Macedonia (Ikona); Norway (Bokvennen); Albanian Minority of Macedonia (Skhupi); Serbia (Presing)

 

  • Sagan af bláa hnettinum (The Story of the Blue Planet) 1999

France (Gallimard Jeunesse) Francois Emion; Denmark (Gads Forlag); Sweden (Kabusa); Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin); Greenland (Atuakkiorfik); Estonia (Eesti Raamat); Spain (Omega); Italy (RCS Libri/Fabbri Editori); Yugoslavia (Izdavacka Kuca Draganic); Thailand (Image Publishing); Greece (Patakis); Korea (Tin Drum Publishing); Japan (Gakken); China (Beijing Yuanliu Classic Culture, Ltd.); Romania and Hungary (Koinónia); Lithuania (Zara); Germany (Leipziger Kinderbuchverlag); Finland (Pieni Karhu); Russia (OM Books); Turkey (Pegasus Yayinlari); Norway (Commentum/audiobook: Karviland); US/UK/Australia/ Canada (Seven Stories Press); Brazil/Portugal (Hedra); Taiwan (Commonwealth Publishing ); Lebanon (Arab Scientific Publishing); Poland (EneDueRabe); Romania (Paralela 45); Bulgaria (Ergon); Macedonia (Antolog); Latvia (Liels un mazs), Croatia (Znanje d.o.o.); Israel (Aryeh Nir), Iran (AnaPol)


 

Contact 

Gerður Kristný - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Danish Danska English Enska Fiction Finnish Finnska German Ljóð Norska Norwegian Poetry Serbian Serbneska Skáldverk Spanish Spænska Swedish Sænska Þýska

Gerður Kristný is the author of more than 30 books and has received numerous prizes and accolades for her work, which has been translated into many languages. She proved herself as one of Iceland‘s most interesting poets with her first book and has since then published several books of poetry, as well as short stories, novels and children‘s books. Awards for her work include the Icelandic Literature Prize and a nomination for the Nordic Council Literary Prize, the Icelandic Journalist Award, the Icelandic Children‘s Book Award and The Halldor Laxness Literary Award. Her poetry and short stories have been included in school textbooks at the elementary and secondary level, as well as in anthologies published in Iceland and overseas.

 


Works in translation

  • Urta (Cow Seal) 2022 

Norway (Cappelen Damm), Denmark (Herman & Frudit)

  • Heimskaut (Arctic) 2019

Denmark (Vandkunsten), Finland (Enostone), Norway (Nordsjøforlaget)

  • Sálumessa (Reykjavik Requiem) 2018

Denmark (Forlaget Vandkunsten) transl. Erik Skyum-Nielsen, Norway (Nordsjøforlaget) transl. Oskar Vistdal, UK (Arch Publications) transl. Rory McTurk

 

  • Smartís (Smarties) 2017 

Denmark (Vandkunsten) transl. Erik Skyum-Nielsen

 

  • Hestvík (The Lake Hestvík) 2016 

Norway (Aschehoug) transl. Tone Myklebost; Denmark (Vandkunsten) transl. Erik Skyum Nielsen

 

  • Ljóðasafn 2014

Serbia (Treći Trg) transl. Casper Sare

 

  • Drápa 2014

Denmark (Forlaget Vandkunsten) transl. Erik Skyum-Nielsen, Norway (Nordsjøforlaget), UK (Arch Publications) transl. Rory McTurk, Finland (Enostone)

 

  • Strandir 2012

Norway (Nordsjøforlaget) transl. Oskar Vistdal

 

  • Blóðhófnir 2010

Denmark (Forlaget Vandkunsten) transl. Erik Skyum-Nielsen, Finland (Savukeidas Publishing) transl. Tapio Kauvukari, Norway (Nordsjøforlaget) transl. Knut Ødegård, Spain (Ediciones Torremozas S.L) transl. Rafael García Perez; Sweden (Ariel Förlag) transl. John Swedenmark, UK (Arch Publications) transl. Rory McTurk

 

  • Garðurinn (The Garden) 2008

Germany/Austria/Switzerland (Bloomsbury / Saga Verlag) transl. Karl-Ludwig Wetzig; Norway (Bokvennen); Denmark (Vandkunsten); Finland (Enostone)

 

  • Bátur með segli og allt (A Boat with Sails and All) 2004 

Germany/Austria/Switzerland (Ullstein) transl. Tina Flecken


Contact

 

Lani Yamamoto - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Chinese Danish Danska English Enska Franska French German Italian Ítalska Japanese Japanska Kínverska Korean Kóreska Norska Norwegian Portuguese (Brazil) Portúgalska (brasilísk) Slovene Slóvenska Spanish Spænska Þýska

Lani Yamamoto has written and illustrated six philosophical children's books, including the Albert series. Her most recent book, Egill spámaður, was nominated for the Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize, the Icelandic Literature Prize, and the Reykjavik Children's Book Award. Her previous book, Stína stórasæng, was nominated for the Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize and the Italian Scelte di Classe Award. It was awarded the Icelandic Women's Literature Prize and the Dimmalimm Illustration Award.

Lani holds a BA in psychology from Bryn Mawr College, a diploma in filmmaking from the London Film School, and master's degrees in both creative writing and the study of religions from the University of Oxford. In 2017, she was a Benediktson Fellow at the Leighton Artists Colony at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

Her first novel, Ours and Others', is currently shortlisted for the 2020 Novel Prize from Fitzcarraldo Editions, New Directions Publishing, and Giramondo Publishing.

Originally from Boston, Lani has lived in Reykjavík for the past 25 years.


Works in translation

  • Albert – four books. Frances Lincoln, 2004-2006

Brazil (Difusão Cultural do Livro, 2011); China (King-in Culture, 2012); Denmark (Hr. Ferdinand, 2007) Hr. Ferdinand; Italy (Ape Junior 2005); Japan (Kodansha 2008); Korea (Bear Books, 2016, 2008); Norway (Hr. Ferdinand); Spain (Art Blume, 2006, 2005); UK, Electronic rights, (Mimic Books, 2009); US/Canada (Sleeping Bear Press, 2007, 2005, 2004)

 

  • Stína stórasæng, V & A Publishing, 2015

Denmark (Turbine Forlaget); Italy (Terre di mezzo editore); Spain (Nórdica libros); Catalan (Babulinka Books); UK (Victoria & Albert Museum, 2015); US/Canada (Abrams Books); Switzerland: French and German (Helvetiq, 2018); Slovenia (Knizana Dielna)


Contact

Hildur Knútsdóttir - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Czech English Enska Franska French Macedonian Makedónska Tékkneska

Hildur Knútsdóttir has garnered widespread attention and awards with her books Winter Dark and Winter Frost, which have been translated into several languages and are being turned into a television series. The Witch is the sequel to The Lion, which won the Reykjavik Children's Literature Prize and was nominated for the Icelandic Literature Prize. Knútsdottir has written many popular books for young adults and garnered much critical praise.

 


Works in translation

  • Myrkrið milli stjarnanna (The Night Guest) Forlagið 2021

USA (Thor) 

  • Vetrarhörkur (Winter Frost) 2016 

France (Thierry Magnier); Czech Republic (Práh); TV Rights sold to RVK Studios

  • Vetrarfrí (Winter Dark) 2015

France (Thierry Magnier); Czech Republic (Práh); Macedonia (Publisher); TV Rights sold to RVK Studios


Contact

Hjörleifur Hjartarson - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Italian Ítalska

 Hjörleifur Hjartarson holds a B.Ed. in education and has worked as a writer, publisher, translator, playwright and musician alongside his job as a music teacher. He's written a variety of exhibition notes and explanatory texts, for both museums and theatres. Along with all that he operates a two men music theatre, which political satires have been extremely well received and broadcasted on national television.


Works in translation

  • Álfar (Elves) Angústúra 2023 

Itaiy (Iperborea)

  • Fuglar (Birds) Angústúra 2017

Italy (Quinto Quarto Edizioni, 2021) transl. Silvia Cosimini


 

Contact

Rán Flygenring - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Danska Enska Faroese Færeyska Hebreska Hebrew Italian Ítalska Japanese Japanska Korean Kóreska Sænska

Rán Flygenring (b. 1987) is an award-winning illustrator, writer and graphic designer. Her books have been published in several countries and she has won awards for her unconventional and lively style of illustration. She has received the Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize, the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, the German-French Youth literature prize and the Jahres-Luchs prize, besides being nominated for the German Academy of Children's and Youth Literature Illustration prize Serafina and the ALMA prize (Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award), to name but a few.


Works in translation

  • Álfar (Elves) Angústúra 2023 

Italy (Iperborea) 

 

  • Eldgos (Volcano) Angústúra 2022 

Estonia (Nordur Kirjastus), Sweden (Opal)

 

  • Vigdís. Bókin um fyrsta konuforsetann, Angústúra, 2019

Faroe Islands (Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelags) transl. Sanna Dahl; Korea (Yellow Brick Books) transl. Hye Joung Park; Israel (Lesa Press) transl. Shai Sendik, World English (Helvetiq), Japan (Heibon-sha)

  • Sagan um Skarphéðin Dungal sem setti fram nýjar kenningar um eðli alheimsins (The Story of Benjamin Dunhill, who introduced a New Thesis on the Nature of the Universe) Angústúra, 2018

Korea (Yellow Brick Books) 

 

  • Fuglar (Birds) Angústúra, 2017

Italy (Quinto Quarto Edizioni ) transl. Silvia Cosimini

Contact

Snæbjörn Arngrímsson - Arabic Arabíska Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Crime Fiction Danish Danska English Enska Glæpasögur Italian Ítalska Norska Norwegian Swedish Sænska

 

Snæbjörn Arngrímsson was born in Reykjavik, 1961. He studied psychology
and literature in the University of Iceland. His first book The Secrets of the Aban-
doned House won the Icelandic Children's Literature Prize 2019 and was nomi-
nated for the Icelandic Bookseller's Prize.

With his first thriller, One True Word, Arngrímsson attracted a lot of attention and he is now being published abroad. His follow-up, The Chosen One, is both an exciting thriller and a well-crafted study of human nature.


Works in translation

  • Eitt satt orð (One True Word) 2022 

Egypt (Al-Arabi Publishing), Iran (Ana Pol Publishing House), Italy (Carbonio Editore Srl), Norway (Gyldendal Norsk Forlag AS), United Kingdom (Pushkin Press Limited).

 

  • Rannsóknin á leyndardómum Eyðihússins (The Secrets of the Abandoned House) 2019

Denmark (ABC forlag) transl. Susanne Torpe; Sweden (ABC forlag) transl. Jenny Nilsson


Contact

Þórdís Gísladóttir - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Hungarian Ungverska

Þórdís Gísladóttir has written seventeen books and translated over twenty books from Swedish to Icelandic. She writes for all ages; Poetry, Novels and Children's Books, and she has also written a play for the National Radio. Þórdís studied Icelandic and literature and has a degree in Scandinavian linguistics from Uppsala University in Sweden. Her first book of Poetry, Leyndarmál annarra (Other People's Secrets), got the Tómas Guðmundsson Poetry Prize, and her first book for children, Randalín og Mundi (Randalín and Mundi), got the Icelandic Women's Literature Prize. Þórdís has been nominated three times to The Icelandic Literature Prize as well as the Maístjarnan Prize for the best book of poetry published 2016. The novel Horfið ekki í ljósið (Don't look into the flash, 2018) garnered critical acclaim and her poetry has been translated to Swedish, German, Russian, English and Finnish.


Works in translation

  • Randalín og Mundi (Randalín és Mundi)

Hungary (Pongrác Kiadó) 2015

 

TV Rights for Randalín og Mundi (four books) sold to Glassriver Production Company.


Contact

Brynhildur Þórarinsdóttir - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Norska Norwegian Swedish Sænska

Brynhildur Þórarinsdóttir (b.1970) is a prolific and multi-award winning author of books for children and teens. She has written both modern stories as well as popular transcriptions of the Icelandic sagas, for which she won the Nordic Children's Book Prize in 2007. She received the Icelandic Children's Literature Prize for the mystery story The Lion's Secret in 2004. Þórarinsdóttir lectures at the Faculty of Education at the University of Akureyri and is the head of the Children's Literature Centre.


Works in translation

  • Njálssaga (The Saga of Njáll) Mál og menning, 2002

Norway (N. W. Damm og Sön, 2005), transl. Jon Sveinbjörn Jónsson; Sweden (Berghs, 2004), transl. John Swedenmark


Contact

Kristín Helga Gunnarsdóttir - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Russian Rússneska

Kristín Helga Gunnarsdóttir has written 25 children's books, all of which have been popular among Icelandic children and have received multiple awards. Kristín Helga is the mother of three daughters, living with her family in a small township of the Reykjavik area. She has a degree in journalism and Spanish language and literature. Fiasol has been adapted to theatre, and will now also become a TV series. Fíasól, a series of six books for children, has been translated into Russian (Gorodets, translated by Boris Zharov)) and rights for a TV series are sold (Ursus Parvis and Juna Film).

 

Further information


Works in translation

  • Fíasól (series) 

Russian (Gorodets) transl. boris Zharov; TV rights (Ursus Parvis and Juna Film).


Contact

 

Sigrún Eldjárn - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Hungarian Swedish Sænska Ungverska

Sigrún Eldjárn has written and illustrated high on fifty children's books. She was the first author to receive the IBBY Iceland Prize Sögusteinn for her literary career in 2007, having received up to that point several awards and recognition for her work, among others the Reykjavik Children's Literature Prize three times and nominations to the H.C. Andersen Award and The Nordic Council Children's Literature Prize. Sigrún Eldjárn received the Cross of the Order of the Falcon for her contribution to culture for children in Iceland.


Works in translation

  • Sigurfljóð í grænum hvelli (Victoria in a Jiffy) 2019

Sweden (pionier press)

 

  • Silfurlykillinn (The Silver Key) 2018

Film rights: Bergmyndir

 

  • Týndu augun (The Lost Eyes) 2003

Hungary (People Team Millenium) transl. Patat Bence


Contact

Gunnar Helgason - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Danish Danska Italian Ítalska Korean Kóreska Macedonian Makedónska

Gunnar Helgason is a popular actor and well known for all kinds of entertaining material for children which has enjoyed great popularity for some years. In the past few years Helgason has published several extremely popular children‘s books, including the five-book series The Great Football Saga and the four-part series about Stella and her family. My Bonkers Mum! won him the Icelandic Literature Prize and the Children's Choice Book Prize has been bestowed upon him six times. In this book, Helgason creates a brand new, exciting literary world in which it is easy to get lost.

 

Further information


Works in translation

  • Bannað að eyðileggja (Do Not Destroy) 2021 

Film Rights Sold

  • Drottningin sem kunni allt nema... (The Queen who Could Do Everything, Except...) 2021

Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin)

  • Pabbi prófessor (Professor Dad) 2016

Italy (Uovonero)

  • Mamma klikk (My Bonkers Mum) 2015

Denmark (Turbine) transl. Nanna Kalkar; Italy (Uovonero); South Korea (WooriSchool); Macedonia (Antolog Books) transl. Natasha Spirova Serafimova; Film rights: Saga Film


Contact

Huginn Þór Grétarsson - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Finnish Finnska Franska French Litháíska Lithuanian Romanian Rúmenska Serbian Serbneska Slovene Slóvenska

Huginn Þór Grétarsson was born in 1978 in the town of Akureyri, North of Iceland. As a young boy, he lived two years in Denmark until returning to Iceland and settling in the capital of Reykjavik. He studied economics at the University of Reykjavik and later worked at financial management at Lund University in Sweden. He published his first book in 2006, a travel journal from his trip to South America. Since then, he has written and translated more than 100 books, mostly for children and teenagers. He has also written a successful series of light-reading books. Every year, they reprint some of his children's books to meet demand, and several of them are published abroad.


Works in translation

  • Úlfar úrilli, Óðinsauga 2016 

United Arab Emirates (Nour Publishing, Arab/English) Karim Discovers The Library

  • Kanínan sem fékk ALDREI nóg, Óðinsauga 2010

Canada (les malins, 2017) Le lapin trop gourmand; Finland (Buster, 2023) Kani jolle mikään ei RIITTÄNYT, Lithuania (Jūsų Flintas, 2019) Kiškis kuriam niekada nebuvo gana; Romania and Moldova (Prut, 2019) Povestea iepurelui pofticios


  • Fjörugt ímyndunarafl, Óðinsauga 2011

Slovenia (KUD Sodobnost International, 2015) Norčije domišljije

Ný útgáfa, United Arab Emirates  (Nour publishing 2024, arabic/english) Wild Imagination

 

  • Myrkfælna tröllið, Óðinsauga útgáfa, 2012 

Serbia (Pčelica 2015) Strah od Mraka, USA & Canada (Inhabit Media 2024) The Troll who was afraid of the dark

 

  • Fiðrildavængir, Óðinsauga 2013

Serbia (Pčelica,  2015) Krila leptira,

 

  • Herra T og kjúklingurinn hans sem heitir Asni, 2015 Óðinsauga

Finland (Myllylahti Oy, 2016) Herra T ja kana nimeltä Aasi 


  • Herra T og dularfulla eggið, Óðinsauga
Finland (Myllylahti Oy, 2017) Herra T ja mysteerinen muna


  • Teljum kindur, Óðinsauga 

USA, Canada (DCCED, 2023)

  •  Alata á alvöru ísbjörn, Óðinsauga
Grænland ( Iperaq, 2023)


  • Týndi fjársjóður Rómafólksins / Comoara pierduta a romilor, Romania (Deveo media, 2023) 
  • Skrímsli sem bíta, Óðinsauga
Swiss (NuiNui, italian/french)

  • Nammitröllið - brúðubók, Óðinsauga
Swiss (NuiNui, italian/french)


Contact

Ævar Þór Benediktsson - Arabic Arabíska Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Russian Rússneska Serbian Serbneska

Ævar Þór Benediktsson has become popular for his entertaining children's books and programmes, on television and radio. He has won awards for scripts and stage plays as well as a recognition for his work in science and education. His book Your Very Own Fable won the Icelandic Bookseller Prize and the Children's Book Prize as the best children's book of the year. In 2017 he was selected for the Hay Festival's Aarhus 39 List – A Collection of the 39 Best Emerging Writers for Young People from Across Europe.

Further information 


Works in translation

  • Piparkökuhúsið (The Gingerbread House) 2019

Serbia (Propolis) transl. Casper Sare

 

  • Þitt eigið ævintýri (Your Very Own Fairytale) 2017

Russia (Meshcheryakov)

 

  • Þín eigin hrollvekja (Your Very Own Spooky Story) 2016

Russia (Meshcheryakov)

 

  • Risaeðlur í Reykjavík (Attack of the Dinosaurs) 2015

UAE (AlFulk)

 

  • Þín eigin goðsaga (Your Very Own Nordic Mythology) 2015

Russia (Meshcheryakov)

 

  •  Þín eigin þjóðsaga (Your Very Own Fable) 2014

Russia (Meshcheryakov)


Contact 

Aslaug-jonsd-des04-1_net

Áslaug Jónsdóttir - Arabic Arabíska Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Chinese Czech Danish Danska Faroese Finnish Finnska Franska French Færeyska Galician Galisíska Greenlandic Grænlenska Japanese Japanska Kínverska Latvian Lettneska Litháíska Lithuanian Norska Norwegian Russian Rússneska Spanish Spænska Swedish Sænska Tékkneska

Áslaug Jónsdóttir received The Reykjavik Children's Literature Prize for her work as illustrator in 2000, and was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award the same year. Her illustrations have been selected for the IBBY Honor List: Children's Verses with text by Bodvar Gudmundsson in 2004 and The Story of the Blue Planet with text by Andri Snaer Magnason in 2002, for which she received the West-Nordic Children's Book Prize and the UKLA Award 2014 along with the author. She was nominated to the 2015 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for her work.

Further information


 

Works in translation

  • Skrímslaleikur (Monster Act) 2021

Sweden (Argasso), The Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin)

  • Skrímsli í vanda (Monsters in Trouble) 2017  

Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin); Sweden (Opal); Norway (Skald)

  • Ég vil fisk (I Want Fish) 2015 

Denmark (Milik); Sweden (Kabusa); Faroe Islands (BFL); Greenland (Milik); AbuDhabi (AlFulk); Galician (Editora Alvarellos)

 

  • Skrímslakisi (Monster Kitty) 2014 

Sweden (Kabusa); Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin); China (Maitian Culture); United Arab Emirates (Hudhud)

 

  • Skrímslaerjur (Monster Squabbles) 2012  

 

Sweden (Kabusa); Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin); China (Maitian Culture); Norway (Skald)

 

  • Skrímsli á toppnum (Monster at the Top) 2010  

Sweden (Kabusa); Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin); China (Maitian Culture)

 

  • Skrímsli í heimsókn (Monster Visit) 2009  

Sweden (Kabusa); Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin); Denmark (Torgard); China (Maitian Culture); United Arab Emirates (Hudhud); Norway (Skald)

 

  • Skrímslapest (Monster Flu) 2008 

Sweden (Kabusa); Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin); Denmark (Torgard); France (Circonf lexe/Millepages); Norway (Skald); Spain/Galicia (Sushi Books); Japan (Yugi)

 

  • Skrímsli í myrkrinu (Monster in the Dark) 2007

Sweden (Bonnier Carlsen); Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin); Denmark (Torgard); France (Circonf lexe/Millepages); China (Maitian Culture); Norway (Skald); United Arab Emirates (Hudhud); Spain/ Galicia (Sushi Books); Russia (Mescheryakov)

 

  • Stór skrímsli gráta ekki (Big Monsters Don't Cry) 2006

Sweden (Bonnier Carlsen); Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin); Denmark (Torgard); Spain/Catalonia/Galicia/Basque Country (Sushi Books); France (Circonf lexe/Millepages); Norway (Skald); China (Maitian Culture); Lithuania (Burokelis); United Arab Emirates (Hudhud); Czech Republic (Argo); Russia (Mescheryakov); Japan (Yugi)

 

  • Nei! Sagði litla skrímslið (No! Said the Little Monster) 2004  

Sweden (Bonnier Carlsen); Faroe Islands (Bókadeildin); Denmark (Carlsen); Finland (Pieni Karhu); Spain/Catalonia/Galicia/Basque Country (Sushi Books); France (Circonf lexe/Millepages); Finland (Pieni Karhu); Norway (Skald); China (Maitian Culture); Lithuania (Burokelis); United Arab Emirates (Hudhud); Czech Republic (Argo); Latvia (Liels un Mazs); Russia (Mescheryakov)


Contact

Aðalsteinn Ásberg - Arabic Arabíska Barna– og ungmennabækur Belarusian Children – YA Danish Danska Eistneska English Enska Estonian Fiction Finnish Finnska Hvítrússneska Ljóð Poetry Skáldverk Swedish Sænska

Aðalsteinn Ásberg Sigurðsson was born in Húsavík, Iceland, in 1955. After attending the Commercial College of Iceland in Reykjavík, he studied Icelandic language, music and acting. In 1977 he made his literary debut with a book of poetry, Ósánar lendur (Virgin Soil). Since then he has published over 20 books of poetry and translated poetry, one novel and 15 children´s books. He has won several Icelandic literary prizes for his works. His poems are translated to a dozen of languages and he has been participating in many literature festivals. He is also a leading translator into Icelandic of poetry and lyrics for music.

Apart from the literary scene Sigurðsson is also a prolific songwriter and has been working with various artists for a long time. From 1998-2006 he was the president of the Writer´s Union of Iceland. His prestigious independent publishing house DIMMA is well known for both original editions and important editions of world literature, poetry and music. 


Works in translation

 

  • Dvergasteinn, Almenna bókafélagið, 1991

Denmark (CDR forlag, 2000) Dværgstenen, transl. Mette Fanø; Finland (Bokförlaget Idun, 2010) Haltia joka kadotti hohtokivensä, transl. Päivi Kumpulainen; Estonia (Nynorden, 2010) Kääbusekivi, transl. Toomas Lapp; Swedish (Bokförlaget Idun, Finland, 2011) Dvärgstenen, transl. Inge Knutsson; Lebanon (Khayyatsaghir, 2015) The Dwarf Stone, transl. Mazen Maarouf


  • Brúin yfir Dimmu, Mál og menning, 2000

Finland (Bokförlaget Idun, 2006) Silta Tumman yli, transl. Marjakaisa Matthíasson

  • Ljósin í Dimmuborg, Mál og menning, 2002

Finland (Bokförlaget Idun, 2008) Tummalinnan valot, transl. Marjakaisa Matthíasson


  • Hús eru aldrei ein (Black Sky), Uppheimar, 2011

Bilingual edition, transl. Aðalsteinn Ásberg Sigurðsson/Bernard Scudder

  • Selection of poems 1985-2015

Ukraine (Krok Publishing, 2015) Aposhni koler leta (The Last Colour of Summer), transl. Maria Pushkina


Contact

Þórarinn Eldjárn - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Danish Danska English Enska Fiction Finnish Finnska Franska French German Ljóð Poetry Skáldverk Þýska

Þórarinn Eldjárn (b.1949) is one of Iceland's most admired authors and the recipient of many awards. A superb poet, he has tackled almost every genre since his debut in 1974. He has published numerous collections of poetry and children's verse, short-story collections and novels as well as translating fiction for adults and children from English and the Scandinavian languages. Among them are works by Strindberg, Ibsen, HC Andersen and Göran Tunström; Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland as well as Shakespeare's King Lear, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet for the National Theatre.

Þórarinn's novel Brotahofud (The Blue Tower) was shortlisted for the Aristeion 1998 – the European literature and translation prize, nominated to the Nordic Council Literature Prize in 1999 and to the IMPAC Dublin award in 2001. Brotahofud has been published in English, Finnish, French, Danish and German translations.

 

For further information


Works in translation

NOVELS

  • Brotahöfuð (The Blue Tower), historical novel, Vaka-Helgafell, 1996

Denmark (Poul Kristensens Forlag, 2008), transl. Björn Sigurbjörnsson; Finland (Like, 1999), transl. Tapio Koivukari; France (Le Cavalier Bleu, 2003,) transl. Régis Boyer; Germany/Austria/Switzerland (Conte Verlag, 2011) transl. Coletta Bürling; UK (Mare's Nest, 1999), transl. Bernard Scudder

 

SHORT STORIES

  • Die glücklichste Nation unter der Sonne. Geschichten von Island, short story collection, 13 stories: Der Klang der Wörter, Die Zauberformel, Die Taschenkrise, Der Besitzer, Eine kleine Flötenschule, Lachen erwünscht, Die Geisterstadt, Lulli und das Leitknäuel, Eines jeden Traum, Höhenflug, Urinium, Die Saga von den Siedlern in der Knüppelbucht, Die Hohnstange.Transl. Coletta Bürling

Germany/Austria/Switzerland (Conte Verlag, 2011)

 

  • Des perles et du pain, short story collection, 10 stories: Le bruissement de l'aigle, Les perles de chez Hermann Kjögx sont les meilleures, Deux petites femmes de l'Est, T'es sûr que ça y est?, Tilbury, J'ai vécu, Simples malentendus, Le communiant qui n'en avait pas rien à faire, Quand les rêves se réalisent, Le bonhomme de pain, transl. Séverine Daucourt-Fridriksson
France (Presses Universitaires de Caen d'Etudes Nordiques, 2001)

  • Aðsókn (Incursion), from the short story collection Ó fyrir framan (1992)

UK (Comma Press) anthology, 2021, transl. Phil Roughton

 

  • Níðstöng (Scorn Pole), transl. Lytton Smith. In the book Out of the Blue: New Short Fiction from Iceland.

US (University of Minnesota Press, 2017) Editor: Helen Mitsios

 

  • Í svip (Anblick) and Flökkusaga (Eine Wandergeschichte), transl. Anna Papke. In the book Gaben des Himmels, Neue Erzählungen zeitgenössischer isländischer Autoren. Editors: Hubert Seelow and Kolbrún Haraldsdóttir

Germany (Steidl, 2011)

 

  • Ókvæða við (Rester interdit), from the short story collection Margsaga, 1985, transl. Régis Boyer

France (Les Belles Lettres, 2009), in the collection Trésor de la nouvelle de la littérature scandinave

 

  • Arnsúgur (A Rush of Wings), transl. Martin Regal

US (McSweeney's. 15, editor: Dave Eggers, 2004)

 

  • Í draumi sérhvers manns (Eines jeden Traum) and Die Taschenkrise, short stories, transl. Coletta Bürling

Germany, edition die horen (anthology: Wortlaut Island, 2000)

 

POEMS

  • 7 poems: (Angelica Versallica, Excelsior, Great Beginning, Nails, Fairy Tale, Imagine, Sneaky), transl. Sola Bjarnadottir O'Connell, Anthology: Beneath the Ice: An Anthology of Contemporary Icelandic Poetry, editor: Helen Mitsios

US (Talismann House) 2014

 

  • Góður gestur á Bakka (Guter Gast auf Bakki), Jakkaföt frá Gefjun (Jedermanns Anzug), from Ydd (1984), transl. Richard Kölbl, anthology: Isländische Lyrik

Germany (Insel Verlag) 2011

 

  • Grannmeti og átvextir, a poem for children from Grannmeti og átvextir (Froots and Vegedibles) (2001): transl. Olga Holownia

UK (Walker) 2011, anthology (Pumpkin Grumpkin – Nonsense Poems From Around the World)  


Contact

 

Bergrún Íris Sævarsdóttir - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Chinese Faroese Færeyska Kínverska

Bergrún Íris Sævarsdóttir (b. 1984) is a writer and illustrator, specialising in children's books. She graduated from the University of Iceland in 2009 and the Reykjavík School of Visual Arts in 2012. Bergrún Íris also studied children's books illustration at the Cambridge School of Arts in the summer of 2012. Bergrún Íris has illustrated over 50 children's books and written ten books of her own. Her books have been extremely well received, both among critics and young readers.


Works in translation

  • Vinur minn vindurinn
  • Sjáðu mig sumar! 
  • Viltu vera vinur minn

China (Himmer-Winco)

 

  • Langelstur í bekknum
  • Langelstur í leynifélaginu
  • Langelstur að eilífu 

 

Faroe Iceland (Bókadeild Føroya lærarafelags)


Contact

Kristín Ragna Gunnarsdóttir - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Czech Tékkneska

Kristín Ragna Gunnarsdóttir (b. 1968) is an Icelandic author, illustrator and curator. She has a master’s degree in creative writing, has written 10 children’s books, created children’s exhibitions and illustrated innumerable books. Kristín has received the Icelandic illustrator’s award twice and been nominated for many literary prizes. Her illustrations secured her a place on the IBBY honorary list in 2014 and IBBY in Iceland gave her an award for her work in the field of children’s culture. She is currently working on a play for the National Theatre from one of her books.


Works in translation

  • Úlfur og Edda: Dýrgripurinn, 2016

Czech Republic (Barrister & Principal), Translator: Martina Kasparová


Contact

Kristín Steinsdóttir - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Danish Danska Eistneska Estonian Faroese Fiction Finnish Finnska Færeyska German Greenlandic Grænlenska Hungarian Litháíska Lithuanian Skáldverk Slovene Slóvenska Swedish Sænska Ungverska Þýska

Kristín Steinsdóttir is the highly acclaimed and award-winning author of 40 books for both adults and children. Her novels have earned great praise both in Iceland and abroad, including The Icelandic Women's Literature Prize for high quality innovative works by women, which she received for the novel By Herself. The book was also nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize. Her first book, published in 1987, received the Icelandic Children’s Literature Prize that year. Her book, An Angel in the Neighbourhood, won the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize in 2003. Steinsdóttir has received the highest order of the Republic of Iceland, the Order of the Falcon, for her contribution to Icelandic literature.


Works in translation

 

  • Vonarlandið (Land of Hope) 2014  

Germany/Austria/Switzerland (Verlag C.H. Beck) transl. Anika Wolff

 

  • Ljósa (Brightness) 2010

Germany/Austria/Switzerland (Verlag C.H. Beck/pocket dtv) transl. Anika Lüders; Lithuania (Alma Littera) transl. Jurate Akuceviciute

 

  • Á eigin vegum (By Herself) 2006

Germany/Austria/Switzerland (Verlag C.H Beck) transl. Tina Flecken; Sweden (Kabusa) transl. John Swedenmark; Finland (Lurra) transl. Marjakaisa Matthíasson

 

  • Hver étur ísbirni? (Who Eats Polar Bears?) 2006 

Denmark/Greenland (Milik)

 

  • Engill í vesturbænum (An Angel in the Neighbourhood) 2001 

Sweden (Kabusa) transl. John Swedenmark; Finland (Idun) transl. Päivi Kumpulaine; Faroe Islands (Bokadeildin) transl. Þóra Þóroddsdóttir; Greenland (Milik); Denmark (Milik) transl. Susanne Torpe; Lithuania (Zara); Estonia (Nynorden); Slovenia (Malinc) transl. Tadeja Habicht; Hungary (Pongrác Kiadó) transl. Bence Patat


Contact

Margrét Tryggvadóttir - Barna– og ungmennabækur Children – YA Hungarian Italian Ítalska Ungverska

Margrét Tryggvadóttir (b.1972) is a literary scholar with a master's degree in cultural management and a former member of parliament, but her true passion is writing for young people. She has published a variety of books, most recently Strong, which was awarded The Gudrun Helgadottir Children and Young People‘s Literary Prize 2021. Her book Kjarval — The Painter Who Followed His Own Path was awarded the Reykjavik Children's Literature Prize, her books Here is Iceland! and Let's Look at Art were awarded the The Icelandic Women‘s Literature Prize, while The Story of the Pretty Princess and Her Brave Prince received the Icelandic Children's Literature Prize.


Works in translation

  • Sterk (Strong) 2021

Hungary (Metropolis Media Group) 

  • Íslandsbók barnanna (Here is Iceland!) 2017 (With Linda Ólafsdóttir illustrator) 
Italy (Il gioco di leggere Edizioni)

 

 

Arndís Þórarinsdóttir - Barna– og ungmennabækur Catalonian Children – YA Czech Danish Danska Dutch Eistneska Estonian Finnish Finnska German Hollenska Hungarian Katalónska Ljóð Poetry Russian Rússneska Tékkneska Ungverska Þýska

Arndís Þórarinsdóttir (b. 1982) is an award-winning Icelandic writer and translator. Before becoming a full-time writer, Arndís worked as a journalist and critic and was the head of department at the library in Kópavogur. She writes for children of all ages, but the most recent works are for middle grade and young adult readers. Whether her stories deal with emotional development and complexities of growing up or pacy adventures, they are always written with warmth and humour.
Her novel Somersault has won Icelandic Women's Literature Prize,
Icelandic Literature Prize in Children's category and The Reykjavík
Children's Book Award, and it was nominated for the Nordic Council Prize in 2022.


Works in translation

  • Blokkin á heimsenda (written with Hulda Sigrún Bjarnadóttir), 2020

Denmark (Carlsen,  transl. Nanna Kalkar), Netherland (Volt,  transl. Willemien Werkman), Russia (Mann, Ivanov & Ferber,  transl. Ennia Emelianova), Germany (Arena, transl. Gisa Marehn),  Finland (WSOY,  transl. Marjakaisa Matthíasson)

 

  • Bál tímans: Örlagasaga Möðruvallabókar í sjö hundruð ár, 2021

Spain (Pagès Editors)

 

  • Kollhnís (Summersault), 2022

Netherland (Volt - transl. Willemien Werkman), Estonia (Hea Lugu, transl.  Maarja Siiner), Italia (Iperborea - transl.  Silvia Cosimini), Hungary (Cerkabella ), and Czech Republic (Portál)


Contact