You just don’t sell sisters
Hanne Kvist has written a gripping children’s book set in the realm where fairy tale and magic encounter realism.
By : Lone Ravn
Last year,
three Scandinavian publishing houses jointly sponsored a competition for an
exciting and compelling book for children aged between 9 and 11 years. The need
for books to fire the imagination of Just this age group is increasing, and so
the initiative was also supported by the Nordic Cultural Fund. The Danish
publishing house Forum was therefore proud to be able to announce the Danish
winning entry Drengen med sølvhjelmen (The
Boy with the Silver Helmet) written by 37‑year‑old Hanne Kvist, a
book measuring up precisely up to the intention of the competition.
The Boy
with the Silver Helmet is an incredibly gripping story. Jon is a quite
ordinary big boy: mainly interested in computer games and model aeroplanes, but
one day he becomes big brother to a little girl. Until now
he has not given much thought to the question of being an elder brother, but
the very first time he sees and holds his new little sister in the hospital,
his feelings and his urge to defend her are awakened. The little
girl, whom Jon decides is to be called Liv, is not exactly ordinary: she is
born with a pair of tiny bony wings, and her parents feel that she is both ugly
and difficult ‑and so it quickly falls to Jon to look after her. The
cradle is moved into his room and at night time Liv sleeps soundly in Jon's
room with her hand in his. Some time passes in this way. Jon loves to look
after his little sister, and has never before experienced, such great
admiration; every time he pulls a funny face, Liv laughs, and a great sense of
closeness and affection arises between the two children.
One day Jon
comes home from school to find that Liv has gone. Their parents have sold her
to the Children's Service, and Jon is deeply unhappy. But then, off he goes ‑
off to find and liberate his beloved little sister. He packs a few provisions
and a little money and takes his magic silver helmet that will protect him from
all evil. It is an eventful journey, during which Jon encounters both friends
and enemies. At last he finds Liv, imprisoned by the evil Count together with a
host of other children who are different. It leads to a dramatic battle between
Jon and the Count, but luckily, like all good fairy tales this one also has a
happy ending: Thanks to his cunning and ingenuity, Jon frees all the children
and goes off together with Liv to find a new home.
Hanne Kvist
has told an unbelievably beautiful and gripping story set in the realm where
fairy tale and magic encounter sharp realism. She is able to raise the story
up, to lift it out of time and space and thereby make it particularly relevant
to the present day as well as being a powerful and fascinating reading
experience. Hanne Kvist
is a trained illustrator and has previously produced picture books. She belongs
to the new generation of children's authors and illustrators who are striking a
clear and visible attitude to producing books for children.
This
article was first published in Danish Children’s Literature no 15
Translated by W. Glyn Jones
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