Reykjavík City Children's Book Awards 2026 presented at Höfði
The 2026 Reykjavík City Children's Book Awards were presented today during a ceremony at Höfði. Reykjavík City Mayor Heiða Björg Hilmisdóttir presented the awards.
The Reykjavík City Children's Book Award has the longest history of such awards in Iceland, with their main aim being to highlight accomplished works in book publishing for young readers and encouraging them to read.
The award is presented to authors, illustrators, and translators of children's books for ambitious writing and translations for children. The Award is thus threefold, that is it is presented for the best original Icelandic children's book, the best translation of a children's book into Icelandic, and the best illustration in an Icelandic children's book.
Fifteen books, five in each category, are nominated for the best original children's and adolescent book, the best translation of a foreign children's and adolescent book, and for the best illustration. Organizers received 77 submissions for this year's awards.
The selection committee consisted of chair Sigrún Margrét Guðmundsdóttir, appointed by Reykjavík UNESCO City of Literature; Salka Guðmundsdóttir, appointed by the Writers' Union of Iceland; and Halldór Baldursson, appointed by the Association of Icelandic Illustrators.
Ævar Þór Benediktsson won the 2026 Reykjavík City Children's Book Award in the original works category for his book "Skólastjórinn" (The Principal). Elína Elísabet Einarsdóttir illustrated the book, which Forlagið / Mál og menning published.
The selection committee's statement reads:
A cornerstone of Icelandic children's literature, Ævar Þór has published numerous books in recent years that young readers have enthusiastically embraced. He has earned multiple honors for his work, was named one of Europe's 39 best children's authors under 40 by Aarhus39, and received a nomination for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award as a special reading promoter. In "Skólastjórinn," Ævar Þór tells the story of 12-year-old troublemaker Salvar, who jokes about becoming principal—only to unexpectedly land the job and face a barrage of delightful chaos.
Birna Daníelsdóttir won the 2026 Reykjavík City Children's Book Award in the illustration category for her book "Ég bý í risalandi" (I Live in Giant Land). Forlagið / Vaka-Helgafell published the title.
The selection committee's statement reads:
Birna's illustrations in "Ég bý í risalandi" roam freely with expressive energy, using bold composition and unexpected perspectives to shape the book's atmosphere and storytelling. Within this striking visual world, a charming protagonist draws readers into a realm where the big becomes small and the small becomes big. This cohesive work seamlessly blends aesthetics and narrative craft at the highest level.
Jón St. Kristjánsson won the 2026 Reykjavík City Children's Book Award in the translation category for the book "Undrarútan" (The Wonder Wheel). Forlagið published the book, which was authored by Jakob Martin Strid.
The selection committee's statement reads:
"Undrarútan" is a major work by Danish author Jakob Martin Strid, winner of the 2024 Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize—ambitious in scope, sweeping in story, and masterfully drawn and written. Jón St. Kristjánsson delivers a fluid, playful translation that skillfully captures the original's vibrant world. He pays careful attention to the interplay between images and text, allowing Icelandic readers to fully experience the wonderful story of Takú and the enormous wonder wheel.
Congratulations to all the Reykjavík City Children's Book Awards winners!