Elin á Rógvi received the Westnordic Council's Children's and Young People's Literature Award

Yesterday Elin á Rógvi received the Westnordic Council's Children's and Young People's Literature Award for her children’s crime novel Flytifuglar (en: migratory birds) from 2023.

The novel follows 11-year-old Mai who, despite having lived in Vestmanna for several years, feels like an outsider as she is constantly reminded that she is different because she is an immigrant. One day, when a baby boy suddenly disappears from a baby carriage, Mai and her friend Emma set out to find the boy. The days roll on and their search becomes increasingly frustrating. But suddenly Mai finds herself with a baby in her arms and needs to run for her life to save herself and the baby.

With Flytifuglar Elin á Rógvi sheds light on what it feels like to grow up in a community where there is a need to bridge different cultures and languages. Flytifuglar is published by BFL.

The Westnordic Council founded the award for best children’s and young people’s literature in the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland in 1999. The prize is 60.000 DKK. It was first awarded in 2002, and has been awarded 11 times. This is the fifth time a Faroese author has won the award. Dánial Hoydal and Annika Øyrabø won in 2022 with Strikurnar, Bárður Oskarsson won in 2018 and 2006, and Rakel Helmsdal won in 2016.