May 10-May 31 2019
Germany

Norwegian children's and young adult book weeks in Cologne

Norway is this year’s guest country at the international children’s and young adult book weeks in Cologne, and 11 authors and illustrators from Norway participate in various events.
In addition to the many exciting literary events both for the general public and for school classes, the festival will screen Norwegian films and stage a play by the Bergen-based company Open Windows, based on Gro Dahle and Svein Nyhus’s award-winning picture book Kind (original title: Snill).
There will also be an exhibition of Stian Hole’s illustrations alongside photographs by Ute Behrend and Thekla Ehling.

Read more about the participants here (in German).

See the complete festival programme here (in German).

Upcoming activities

November 5
London, United Kingdom

Norwegian Children's and Young Adult Literature industry event

In collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in London, NORLA is hosting a special industry event highlighting contemporary Norwegian children’s and young adult literature on November 5.
The event will take place at the Norwegian Ambassador’s Residence.

November 12-November 22
Caen, France

Norway is Guest of Honour at Les Boréales

Norway is Guest of Honour at this year’s Les Boréales festival in Normandy, taking place from 12–22 November.
A strong line-up of Norwegian authors will take part in the festival: Ingeborg Arvola, Martin Baldysz, Brit Bildøen, Thomas Enger, Jørn Lier Horst, Oliver Lovrenski, Aslak Nore, Lars Ramslie and Maria Navarro Skaranger.

During the festival, NORLA will also organise a translation seminar for students at the University of Caen on 17 November. The seminar will have a special focus on Brit Bildøen’s Gult farevarsel (Yellow Warning, Vigilance orange). Bildøen and her French translator Marina Heide will take part in the seminar, which is organized in close cooperation with the University.

The Norwegian Embassy in Paris is a partner in Norway’s Guest of Honour programme.

November 13-November 15
Shanghai, China

NORLA at the Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair

NORLA will take part in this year’s China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair with its own stand.
The fair will also feature the illustration exhibition first presented at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in spring 2026, when Norway was Guest of Honour. This brings the initiative showcasing Norwegian children’s and young adult literature and illustration to a new international audience.