Children's Books by Jon Fosse

Jon Fosse’s most recent children’s book is a fairytale about a clairvoyant fiddler girl. She sees that her father has been stranded on an island, and embarks on a journey with her fiddle to find and comfort him. She encounters many challenges along the way – where her trusty fiddle becomes an invaluable companion.

A magical children’s book for young and old with stunning illustrations by Øyvind Torseter.

A four-year-old boy lives with his mother, father, and a sister one year his junior. They live in a rural area close to the sea. The boy explores the world around him – both on his own and with his sister – but they are constantly being brought home by their mother, who has a somewhat unclear relationship with her role as a caregiver. At first glance, the story is a simple one, but it also raises existential questions about existence.

With vivid and poignant detail, Fosse captures the thoughts and reflections of the young boy, whose sensory impressions carry the narrative. His observations, longing, loneliness, and the profoundly inexplicable are conveyed with linguistic precision.

This is a beautiful little book that appeals to children and adults alike.

Illustrated by Vá Leong.

Awarded the Deutsche Jugendbuch Preis 2007

The Dog Manuscripts is a collection of three short stories written by Fosse in the late 90s. The texts read beautifully with the quirky, light, and humorous flow quintessential to Fosse’s style of writing.

The three titles are
No oh no (1995)
My oh my (1996)
Dear oh dear (1997)

Lene has been down in the basement many times before, but someone’s always gone with her. One day, she borrows her brother’s cherished flashlight to go downstairs alone – but then something happens…

Dark and Wet is a dreamlike meditation on fear, bravery, and sibling relationships. Using his characteristic rhythm and repetition, this book will speak to children and adults alike.

Illustrated by Akin Düzakin.

Kristoffer is an eight year old boy who is fascinated by outer space. He wonders if there is an edge to it, if it ends somewhere, and if it does – what lies beyond? Kristoffer is trying to read Donald Duck in bed at night, but he is much more concerned with the fundamental questions about space and world. In the room adjacent to Kristoffer, with the door slightly open, his father is reading Kant. The father has to check in on his boy again and again to tend to his curious mind, full of questions. The conversation between father and son is open and respectful, and Kristoffer finds out that no one knows the answers to all his questions; not Kristoffer, not his father, and not even Kant will know. Kristoffer deduces that it is as likely that the universe ends, as it is likely it is endless. If this is true, he wonders, does it not open a whole new world of possibilities?

Illustrated by Akin Düzakin.

In Jon Fosse’s first children’s book, a young boy grapples with the guilt of having stolen a banana from an old woman.

The book explores themes of guilt, honesty, and the complexity of parent-child relationships. Using his characteristic rhythm and repetition, this book will speak to children and adults alike.

Illustrated by Alf-Kåre Berg.