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My Bonkers Mum! (2015)
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My Bonkers Mum! (2015)

Gunnar Helgason
Winner — The Icelandic Literary Prize for Children and Young People's Books 2015
Winner — The Children's Choice Book Prize 2015
Winner — IBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities Selection
Winner — The Icelandic Literary Prize for Children and Young People Books 2015
Winner — The Icelandic Bookseller's Prize for Children's Books
2015
192 pages
Children's Books
9-12 years
Illustrated

Dear reader, Do you think that you have a nutty mother? Wait just a sec until you read about mine! Once upon a time, she was fun and great and cheerful but lately, she’s completely fallen apart. Everyone thinks so! ... But no worries. I have a plan. Plan: Let’s Change Mum! She can’t go nuts. And if you have a nutty mother, you can learn how to fix yours just like me. Just open up the book and see how I’m doing!             Regards,             Stella, age 12 (aaaaaalllllmost 13) The Stella‘s Bonkers Family Series has earned its place among Iceland‘s most popular children’s books. Each of the books has won Iceland’s Children’s Choice Book Award and the first, My Bonkers Mum!, also won the Icelandic Literary Prize for Children and Young People’s Books. The book was adapted into a popular stage play by the Gaflaraleikhus Theater, and the audience there — just like the other Stella fans around Iceland — cheered for more. And now they have yet another story!  

  • IBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities Selection
  • The Icelandic Literary Prize 2015 for Children and Young People Books
  • The Children’s Choice Book Prize 2015
  • Nominated for The West Nordic Council’s Children and Youth Literature Prize 2015
  • The Icelandic Bookseller‘s Prize for Children‘s Books
Theatrical rights sold to: National Theatre of Iceland Film rights sold to: Saga Film  

My Bonkers Mum! (2015)

Reviews

Children‘s book of the year.

Arni Matthiasson, Morgunbladid

It’s important not to say too much: various things in this story are left unsaid, and it is a reading experience beyond price to be allowed to find out bit by bit what the situation is. Gunnar Helgason makes complete use of the book format and continually surprises his readers ... The narrative is playful, unbelievably funny, and so grips the reader that it is difficult to put the book down. The characters are multi-layered, well-drawn, and very likeable, every single one of them. The subject matter and the viewpoint are original, worthwhile, and brilliantly handled. Conclusion: an utterly wonderful story that deals with worthy issues seen from an adolescent viewpoint. It’s hard to put this beautiful, funny book down.

Halla Th. Oskarsdottir, Frettabladid

Simply a fantastic book. It tackles prejudice in an ingenious way, and is at the same time hugely entertaining.

Gudridur Haraldsdottir, Vikan

My Bonkers Mum! is a wonderful children’s book: extremely well written, entertaining, very funny, and charming. I am not someone who laughs out loud when reading; I smile, I laugh to myself, I feel happy, but hardly ever do I laugh out loud. When I read My Bonkers Mum!, however, I laughed so frequently and so loudly that my children tried to grab the book from me. I flat out refused. Gunnar Helgason is able to put himself into a teenager’s shoes, which he does with such sincerity that you cannot help but let yourself be swept along. Writing a funny text that appeals to children as well as adults is an art, and this author certainly pulls it off in this glorious book.

Hildur Yr Isberg, Sirkustjaldid

The style of the story is light and amusing, full of humour and word-play that grabs the attention ... My Bonkers Mum! is well-written, refreshing and invigorating ... [Stella’s] ideas of what it is to be normal are turned upside down, and she and the reader can see how we decide for ourselves what kind of things we let ourselves be restricted by, and how important it is to be a little bit nuts from time to time.

Maria Bjarkadottir, Bokmenntir.is

Awards

Won

  • The Icelandic Literary Prize for Children and Young People's Books 2015
  • The Children's Choice Book Prize 2015
  • IBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities SelectionA curated honor/selection, not a graded competitive placement
  • The Icelandic Literary Prize for Children and Young People Books 2015
  • The Icelandic Bookseller's Prize for Children's BooksResult inferred; list gives no explicit year or win/nomination language

Nominated

  • The West Nordic Council's Children and Youth Literature Prize 2015

Rights Sold

Translation rights sold

CatalanGato Sueco
DenmarkTurbine
Film RightsSaga Film
HungaryFigura
ItalyUovonero
KoreaWoorischool
MacedoniaAntolog
Theatrical rightsNational Theatre of Iceland
World SpanishGato Sueco