Agnes-Margrethe Bjorvand
Lisa Aisato

Astrid Lindgren

Astrid Lindgren

This book about Astrid Lindgren is an inspired illustrated biography that provides children with knowledge about the person, author, editor and dedicated contributor to the community that was Astrid Lindgren. Through stories, quotes, facts and magical illustrations, we become familiar with Astrid Lindgren – one of the world’s greatest children’s authors.
The book follows a classic chronological development from Astrid’s happy childhood in Vimmerby to her old age in Stockholm. Within each of these epochs, the book explores important, exciting and humorous episodes in Astrid’s life and work. We hear about her love of nature, her lifelong joy of playing and climbing trees, reading and writing, and fighting for children’s and animal rights. But we also hear about her life’s many dark moments – her life as a young and impoverished single mother, her longing for love, and – as she so often expressed it – the experience of “how difficult it can be to be human”.

This biography is a unique starting point for inspiring new generations to read Astrid Lindgren’s books.

Illustrated by Lisa Aisato.

Winner of the award Sørlandets litteraturpris 2016 (non-fiction).

’… a rock-solid and beautifully illustrated biography for children. (…) The tightly written and inspired text and the fine art illustrations together capture the tone of Lindgren’s life and universe and make the biography of the year a pure joy.’

Dagbladet

’… a precious pearl which should be appreciated far beyond the bounds of Norway.’

Fædrelandsvennen

Agnes-Margrethe Bjorvand (b. 1969) is a lecturer at the University of Agder, where she teaches literature and the dissemination of literature as part of preschool teacher training as well as in further education courses for teachers and school librarians. She has written many articles about children’s and young adult literature, focusing in particular on picture books and the authorship of Astrid Lindgren, and has worked as co-editor for many books.

Lisa Aisato (b. 1981) is an author and artist, but also one of Norway’s foremost illustrators. She has illustrated and written several books for children.