Congratulation to Marjun and Rakel

We are happy to announce that the authors Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs and Rakel Helmsdal have been awarded the M.A. Jacobsen's Award for literature at a ceremony today.

Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs is awarded the prize for the novel "Sum rótskot" which was published in August this year. The novel is written for young adults and is about four teenage friends who want to give people a wake-up-call so that they will take the environmental crisis seriously. But when they take the matter into their own hands it has unforeseen consequences. "Sum rótskot" is a contemporary story with settings, plots and topics that are relevant for young people today. Young readers claim that the novel is a page turner and that it deals with relevant and serious issues which need to be addressed. The novel is published by BFL. This is Marjun's second M.A. Jacobsen Award.

Rakel Helmsdal is awarded the prize for the novel "Loftar tú mær?" which was published in September 2019. The novel is a picture book for children and is a heart-warming tale of grief and loss. The story is about three siblings who, each in their own way, experience and process the grief of losing their great-grandmother. We first meet the little brother who is fully occupied with showing how big he is by climbing a tree. Then we meet his sister who, in order to distract herself from her thoughts, flies kites. Finally we meet the big brother who is nominally in charge of the other two, but who just sits by the old well and gives free rein to his grief. "Loftar tú mær?" has been nominated for the Nordic Council Children & Young People Literature Prize and for the West Nordic Children's Literature Prize. "Loftar tú mær" is published by BFL. This is Rakel's third M.A. Jacobsen Award.