Between Tradition and Experiment: Contemporary Norwegian Children's Literature Event Conversation

Welcome to an evening dedicated to contemporary Norwegian children’s literature at the Nordische Botschaften / Felleshus at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Berlin!
23. January. 2019 — 19:00.

The event on Facebook.

Participants
Sverre Henmo
Kristin Ørjasæter
Gry Morsund
Stian Hole
Ines Galling
Ute Wegmann

Organisers
Royal Norwegian Embassy in Berlin
Foundation International Youth Library (Stiftung Internationale Jugendbibliothek)
Norwegian Institute for Children’s Books (Norsk barnebokinstitutt)
NORLA

This first preliminary event for Norway Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2019 will focus on children’s literature, through two conversations about storytelling in illustrated children’s books and perspectives on children’s books and markets in Norway and Germany.

The program for the evening is:

19.00: Welcome by NORLA

19.05: Storytelling through images

Participants:

Stian Hole, author and illustrator, Oslo – known for titles like Garmann’s Summer and Morkel’s Alphabet. Hole is also nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2019.

Gry Moursund, author and illustrator, Oslo – known for illustrating the picture books about the three Billy Goats, written by Bjørn F. Rørvik. She is nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2019.

19.50: Intermission

20.10: Perspectives: Books, Children, Markets – Norway and Germany

Participants:

Ines Galling is in charge of German and Scandinavian literature for children and young adults at the International Youth Library Foundation in Munich.

Sverre Henmo is head of publishing for children’s literature at the Aschehoug Publishing House in Oslo.

Kristin Ørjasæter is director and researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Children’s Books.

Moderated by Ute Wegmann, journalist, author and program host at German radio station Deutschlandfunk in Cologne.

The event will be held in German and Norwegian.

Free entrance at: Nordische Botschaften /Felleshus
Rauchstraße 1 , 10787 Berlin (see map).

Upcoming activities

November 14-November 16

Shanghai, China

Norwegian Participation at the Shanghai Children’s Book Fair

NORLA is taking part in the Shanghai Children’s Book Fair with a stand designed for meetings and professional networking. The two illustrators/authors Øyvind Torseter and Marianne Gretteberg Engedal (Skinkeape) will participate in the fair’s professional program and panel discussions. Both also serve on the jury for the Norwegian illustration exhibition at Bologna 2026. In addition, several Norwegian publishers/agents will take part.

The initiative is carried out in collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Consulate in Shanghai.

Please have a closer look at presentations in Chinese of NORLA’s Selected Titles this autumn kinesiske presentasjoner av høstens fokustitler her

December 3-December 5

Rome, Italy

Networking Event and Launch of the Guest of Honour Program during the Rome Book Fair Più libri più liberi

The book fair Più libri più liberii is dedicated to small and medium-sized publishers, and NORLA is looking forward to participating for the second time – focusing on Norway’s Guest of Honour initiative at Bologna 2026 and on Norwegian children’s literature in general. And just like last year, we are hosting a networking event and gearing up for Bologna 2026 by launching the Guest of Honour concept and program. Also, Norwegian agents will take part in the fair’s fellowship and/or be present in the rights centre. The program is organized in collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Rome.

In the lead-up to the book fair, we are organizing a full-day seminar for Italian translators and Norwegian language students from universities in Italy. The seminar will take place at Casa delle Traduzioni, and participants will have the opportunity to meet author and illustrator Malin Falch. The sessions will be led by established Italian translators of Norwegian literature.