Writing for Children and Young Adults: A Nordic Perspective

On 23rd February the Department of Scandinavian Studies at UCL is hosting a panel discussion on Nordic children's and young adult's literature. What does writing for a young audience entail? Is writing for children any different from writing for adults? Do children's classics age? How does modern technology affect the writing and reading processes? What is the relationship between entertainment and education? These are only some of the questions that the panelists will address from their perspectives.

The panel will consist of prominent authors and scholars:

• Norwegian author Maria Parr, author of Vaffelhjarte, recently translated into English by Dr Guy Puzey (Waffle Hearts, published by Walker Books in 2014), and Tonje Glimmerdal (2009).
• Norwegian author and script writer Harald Rosenløw Eeg. His works include the novels Glasskår (1995, Shards of Glass), Yatzy (2004, made into a film in 2009) and Den hvite døden (2013, The White Death) and the film script for Tusen ganger god natt (2013, A Thousand Times Good Night), directed by Erik Poppe.
• Danish author Merete Pryds Helle, author of a number of novels and short stories for adult and young audiences. She has recently completed her first interactive children’s story for iPads, Wuwu & Co.
• Prof Helena Forsås-Scott, editor of the Norvik Press "Selma Lagerlöf in English" series, which provides English-language readers with high-quality new translations of a selection of the Nobel Laureate's most important texts. Prof Forsås-Scott will focus particularly on Nils Holgersson’s Wonderful Journey through Sweden (translated by Peter Graves and published by Norvik Press in 2013, reissued in hardback in 2014).
• Dr Erin Goeres, Lecturer in Old Norse Language and Literature, co-editor of the book Viking Age Dublin: Walking Tour and Activity Book (published by Centre for the Study of the Viking Age, University of Nottingham, 2014), presenting Viking heritage to children.

The event will be followed by a reception in the Garden Room, Wilkins Building, UCL, and included in the entrance fee are a free drink and snacks.

For a map of UCL and directions to the Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre:

http://crf.casa.ucl.ac.uk/screenRoute.aspx?s=386&d=186&w=False

For more information about the panelists and their publications see the following links:

• About Maria Parr's Waffle Hearts: http://www.walker.co.uk/Waffle-Hearts-9781406341362.aspx
• About Harald Rosenløw Eeg: http://aschehougagency.no/Authors/Aschehoug/Aschehoug-Children-Young-Adults/Eeg-Harald-Rosenloew
• About Merete Pryds Helle: http://nordicwomensliterature.net/writer/helle-merete-pryds
• About Nils Holgersson’s Wonderful Journey through Sweden: http://www.norvikpress.com/book-detail.php?i=111
• For the full text of Viking Age Dublin: Walking Tour and Activity Book: http://languagesmythsfinds.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/lmf5.pdf

For enquires about this event, please contact Dr Elettra Carbone, elettra.carbone@ucl.ac.uk or Jesper Hansen, j.hansen@ucl.ac.uk

The organisers would like to thank the Anglo-Swedish Literary Foundation, the Danish Arts Foundation, NORLA (Norwegian Literature Abroad), and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in London for their generous support.