Linda Bondestam nominated for the 2020 August Prize!

19 Oct 2020

We are so happy to announce that author Linda Bondestam has been nominated for the most prestigious literature prize in Sweden.

The nominees for the 2020 August Prize were revealed tonight and among the nominees was Linda Bondestam for her latest picture book MY LIFE AT THE BOTTOM for best Swedish children’s book of the year. 

Quote from the jury’s motivation:

“My Life at the Bottom offers a humorous and hopeful climate story in autofiction format. The work shows Linda Bondestam’s mastery by the use and enrichment of the picture book’s entire range”.

The August Prize is Sweden’s biggest literature award named after famous Swedish author August Strindberg. The aim of the prize is to reward and highlight the best newly published books in Swedish. The annual prize is awarded in three categories: Best Swedish Fiction Book of the Year, Best Swedish Non-Fiction Book of the Year, and Best Swedish Children’s Book of the Year. All in all, 18 Swedish titles have been nominated. The winners will be announced on 23 November at the August Gala.  

MY LIFE AT THE BOTTOM is a heartwarming and enchanting illustrated story told by the voice of an extremely rare axolotl, a small smiling amphibian. A joyous life beneath the waves gradually becomes lonesome for this little being as temperatures rise. Things take a turn as a giant wave sweeps away everything, including the axolotl. 

 

HBL’s recent review of MY LIFE AT THE BOTTOM praised Linda Bondestam as ”a phenomenal colorist” who is “deservedly one of the most appreciated picture book artists in the Nordic region, with international reach.”

Linda Bondestam was previously nominated for the August Prize in 2016 for her and Ulf Stark’s picture book Animals No-One Has Seen Except Us.