Arne Svingen

Svingen’s novels for children and teenagers are characterised by a combination of humour and seriousness. The author had his international breakthrough with The Ballad of a Broken Nose. In addition to critically acclaimed novels, Svingen is the creator of several popular series, including the horror-themed Svingen’s Dark World, the humorous Svingen’s Mad World, and his books about Hubert. His first stories about the young secret agent Elvin Griff arrived in 2019.

Svingen has spent several years working to boost reading among children and young people, with a special focus on boys’ reading. He has done extensive tours of schools and libraries. Today he is the third most borrowed Norwegian author in libraries nationwide. Svingen is also behind the podcast ‘Svingen’s World of Children’s Books’ in which he interviews other authors and illustrators of books for children and teenagers from Norway.

‘Through his extensive output, Arne Svingen has proved that he can get boys to read and that he has an ability to write with so much energy that he can attract people who don’t necessarily consider themselves bookworms. His language is fertile and intense, often bursting with energy like a fizzing bottle of champagne.’

– Vårt Land on All I Owe You is a Beating

‘Svingen has taken home top prizes in his native Norway, and he makes his English-language debut with a novel that addresses difficult subjects with a gentle hand and understated humor … With deftness and subtlety, Svingen shows a boy hanging onto optimism in the face of adversity and asserting his identity when he’s long relied on melting into the background.’– on