Here is Reykjavik! gives readers an overview of the history of Iceland’s capital, from the first settlers to the diverse and bustling city it is today. Text and images tell a story of human development and culture, apartment buildings and barracks, street systems and city lights, skating rinks and sewage networks, sweeping views and outdoor recreation, and everything else you can find the city of Reykjavik.
Margret Tryggvadottir and Linda Olafsdottir received wide acclaim for their previous book Here is Iceland!, which won the Reykjavik Children’s Book Award and the Icelandic Women’s Literature Prize. Here they turn their focus to Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, in a family book that is as informative as it is lovely to look at.
The Icelandic Women’s Literature Prize 2022
Nominated for the Icelandic Literary Prize 2021, for Children and Young People’s Books
The Icelandic Booksellers’ Prize 2021, as the Best Children‘s Book of the Year
The Reykjavik Children’s Literature Prize 2022, for Best Illustrations
“The book traces legendary trails, covering a vast amount of space and a number of years.
The engaging illustrations make the book accessible for readers of all ages, creating an informative and entertaining reference book on Reykjavik.”
The Icelandic Literary Prize, JURY’S COMMENTS
“Here is Reykjavik! gives us the story of the city from its very beginning, how Reykjavik developed from Iceland’s settlement into the city we know today. The book is an illustrated history with each spread representing a distinct chapter discussing a specific aspect of the city’s history. Reykjavik unfolds before the reader’s eyes in large, illustrated spreads as a Viking-age village, farming community, small town, market town and finally the city we know today. The book is written in language appropriate for children with informative and engaging texts. This is the second book that Margret Tryggvadottir (author) and Linda Olafsdottir (illustrator) have combined their talents on, the first being Here is Iceland!, both of which won Linda a prize for her illustrations.
Linda’s illustrations rely on classical styling, walking a fine line between realistic and stylized images and using muted tones to give the overall work a subdued look. It’s clear that a lot of research has gone into the work; to best convey the spirit of each historical period there’s great attention to all details, from architecture to people’s clothing. Linda has taken a professional approach to her craft: glass milk bottles in bag lunches, teachers doling our spoonfuls of lýsi fish oil and the paneling on the classroom walls all capture the spirit of the times, imparting their own remarkable story alongside the stories in the book’s text.
Here is Reykjavik! is an ambitious historical volume with captivating and informative illustrations that will appeal to children of all ages.”
SELECTION COMMITTEE’S COMMENT FROM THE REYKJAVIK CHILDREN’S LITERATURE PRIZE 2022
