The Gudrun Helgadottir Children and Young People‘s Literary Prize 2025

Morgunbladid YA Book of the Year 2025 Finalist

Famine grips Iceland in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption. Solla has just turned twelve when her mother tells her that, in order to survive, they must leave their little cottage. Solla cannot imagine where they could possibly go. They have no one but each other. Who will her mother turn to for help? And what secret is she keeping from Solla?

Winter has only just begun when they set off northward. Ahead of them lies a long and perilous journey, and at their destination, new challenges and unexpected events await.

The jury believes that Escape to the North will appeal to children aged ten and up, offering them both reading enjoyment and insight into life in this country in earlier times. There is no more powerful way to step into someone else’s shoes than by immersing oneself in a good story, and there have been relatively few historical novels written for children and young people—stories that bring the past to life.”
THE JURY OF THE GUDRUN HELGADOTTIR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE‘S LITERARY PRIZE

“This is an exciting book. The first part is very suspenseful, and the second part is more psychological. There is an incredibly beautiful tone to this book … I think it’s a book for young people, and that they will read it for pleasure … very well done.”
KILJAN, NATIONAL TV