Birds (2022)

Ideal reading for odd ducks and their ducklings!

This is not what you’d call a great field guide for identifying birds. Its illustrations are badly drawn, and its text is full of biases and affectations. You should keep that in mind while reading. But if you’re interested in provocative stories about Icelandic birds’ inclination for endangerment, penchant for pageantry, and addiction to amatory adventures – not to mention all their quirks of character and personal peccadillos – well then: this is the book for you.

Fun-loving Hjörleifur Hjartarson and Rán Flygenring give readers a bird’s–eye view of the most prominent characteristics of every Icelandic bird in word and image, and, thankfully, never take themselves too seriously in the process. The result is a unique, unusual, but nevertheless informative encyclopedia of Icelandic birds.

Nominated for the Icelandic Literature Prize. The Reykjavik Children's Book Prize for best illustration. Chosen the best Children's book of the year by Icelandic booksellers.