We are more than thrilled to announce two more nominations: The wonderful picture books ME, DAD AND THE SEA by Lena Frölander-Ulf and THE EGG by Sanna Sofia Vuori & Linda Bondestam have been nominated for Runeberg Junior Prize.
ME, DAD AND THE SEA by Lena Frölander-Ulf is a magical picture book about shyness, being oneself and the power of imagination. With stunning underwater scenes and mysterious sea-creatures, the story reads like a dark but reassuring Nordic midsummer dream. This is a stand-alone sequel in a poetic picture book series where parents’ choices are seen through the eyes of a child.
Runeberg Junior Jury:
ME, DAD AND THE SEA is a really beautiful picture book, where the color scale in black, brown and blue green feels restful and original. The dark colors are also suitable for illustrating the thematics of the book: a child’s fear of strangers, the ocean and what is in it, the father’s summer paradise in its details. Lena Frölander-Ulf excels at her sparse text and her clever illustrations made in scratch technique. She creates an exciting story where fantasy triumphs in a magical world under the sea surface, and where, comfortingly enough, everything ends well and the child’s longing for more time with the father is fulfilled.
The stunning illustrations of ME, DAD AND THE SEA were acquired by Gothenburg Art Museum earlier this year.
Age: 4+
Extent: 40 pages
Size: 210 x 297mm portrait
Publisher: Förlaget M, Finland
Language: Swedish
THE EGG by Sanna Sofia Vuori and Linda Bondestam is a charming picture book about three friends trying to track the origins of the mysterious egg and facing the questions: What is a family? Where do we come from?
The story peppered with dry humour by Sanna Sofia Vuori is a refreshing take on the popular urban stories of diversity and people living in flats without really knowing their neighbours. Linda Bondestam’s illustrations depict unexpected animals in her recognisable detailed style.
Runeberg Junior Jury:
The Egg is a colorful and deliciously illustrated picture book. Everyday realism in an apartment building is mixed with fictional characters of all kinds and a foundling egg, central to the story. The egg will soon hatch, but lacks an owner and the question is: whose is it, or who needs an egg? The clever illustrations complement the text in an important way in this warm-hearted book showing that families are different and that there are different ways of having children and becoming a parent.
The Egg is also nominated for this year’s Finlandia Junior Prize.
Age: 4+
Extent: 40 pages
Size: 210 x 297mm portrait
Publisher: Förlaget M, Finland
Language: Swedish