A round-up of Scandi kid-lit books for teens and middle grades

By Ruth Donnelly

Nordic Noir is all the rage for grown-ups, but why shouldn’t kids have a share in the fun? With murder mysteries and super sleuth stories all the rage among younger readers, I decided to see what Scandinavian authors have to offer on the kid lit front. And I wasn’t disappointed!

The Whisper of the Ravens Trilogy

This YA novel series is fast paced and full of twists and turns, following the story of lonely teen Anna, whose life so far has been spent being pushed from pillar to post in the Danish care system. We meet Anna when she’s just about to start high school (we’re informed that in Denmark this happens at age 16 or 17), which she’s not looking forward to, having never been exactly popular among her peers, and having a discomfiting ability to read other peoples’ pasts, whether she wants to or not. However, on entering her classroom for the first time she meets Mathias and Luna, two luminous strangers who seem determined to make Anna their friend. Soon, Anna’s life begins to change, and she realises that neither she nor her new friends are exactly what they seem. With murder, romance and a hefty dose of Norse mythology thrown in, this saga will have teens gripped from page one. Deftly translated by Adrienne Alair, Anna’s voice hits exactly the right note of disaffected teen – I may be showing my age here, but I was reminded of 90s cartoon character Daria – and writer Malene Sølvsten has used real verses from the ancient Norse Poetic Edda to weave her tale, creating a strangely believable story for one so filled with magic and demi-gods. Parents should be aware that there are some references to sex and drugs, plus a fair amount of violence, but nothing is overly explicit, and it’s certainly not gratuitous.

The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor, A Christmas Mystery

A spooky-yet-heartwarming festive treat for middle-grade readers, this is the second offering in English from Swedish author Eva Frantz. My 11-year-old daughter read and loved the first one, The Mystery of Raspberry Hill, so I was excited to get the chance to read this. The story begins on 1^st December 1975, less than a year after the death of Flora’s father. Grieving and unable to face Christmas in their city apartment, Flora and her mother are off to the sleepy seaside town of Helmersbruk for a month, where they are staying in a cottage in the grounds of the derelict manor house. No sooner have they arrived than Flora starts to notice strange happenings, and while her mother is distracted writing her book, Flora determines to solve the mystery of Helmersbruk Manor. As she pieces together the clues, the countdown to Christmas is picking up pace, and we are willing Flora to crack the puzzle before it’s too late. Suitable for ages 9+, this is a lovely story with just the right level of suspense but nothing truly scary. There is some mention of bereavement, but this is sensitively handled. Translator A.A. Prime has done a superb job of capturing the tone in English.

Nordlys: Book One

This graphic novel is marketed as YA but could easily be read by ages 9+, although there is some mild peril. Its heroine is Sonja, a young Norwegian girl who, after being given a pin by her beloved uncle who found it on his mysterious travels, journeys through a portal to a magical land, full of trolls, vikings and talking animals. All is not as idyllic as it first seems, however, and Sonja finds herself embroiled in a war between the vikings and the trolls. Will her uncle be able to find her in time to save her? With beautiful, brightly coloured pictures evocative of Nordic nature at its finest – replete with mountains, fir trees, and even the Northern lights – kids will love the adventure and magic of the story, but be warned: it ends on a cliffhanger! My one complaint is that translator Olivia Lasky’s name is hidden away on the copyright page, when she’s done a skilful job. Name the translator, Penguin Random House!

About Ruth Donnelly

Ruth is a translator and mum of three from Birmingham, UK, where she shares her home with her husband, the aforementioned children, two cats and a tortoise. When she’s not translating, she loves to read books from around the world, for both adults and kids, and is currently studying for a PhD in translating YA literature from Chile.

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