Håkon Øverås
Brown

As long as the sun is up, Rune is merely Rune, but come night he transforms himself into Brown – a totally fearless super hero. Armed to the hilt with brushes and brown paint he sneaks out of the house. Rune can hardly be blamed if Brown chooses to paint the big bullies’ bikes brown, can he?

Brown is a book about friendship, courage and retaliation. It is also a book about missing one’s grandfather and just how wrong things can go when your super hero powers run out.

The book has both suspense, good dialogues as well as hints of magic. Rune’s conversations with his dead grandfather are lovely, and all his characters have bucketloads of charm … Bursting with attitude and humour, the pictures are as expressive as they are simple … recommended for anyone.

Dagbladet

In this enourmously charming book we meet three little superheroes, each equipped with a bucket of paint… Øyvind Torseter’s beautiful drawings show us what it’s like to feel small and out of place in a big world. They also evoke the warmth of the friendship between the children… Warmly recommended!

Aftenposten

The jury has rarely agreed so strongly about a decision as this one ... [Øvreås] writes so well for kids that you would think he has never done anything else ... a warm and bittersweet super hero story, which is also an excellent book to read together for kids and adults.

From the jury statement, Trollkrittet Prize

Brown is a warm and powerful story of friendship and courage, full of creativity and everyday magic.

Håkon Øverås

Håkon Øverås
Mona Vetrhus

Håkon Øvreås is born in 1974.

He has previously published three books of poetry. Brown (2013) was his first children’s book and received the Nordic Council Literature Prize for Children and Young Adults 2014, The Dutch Zilveren Griffel (Silver Pen) 2015, The German Luchs des Jahres (Best Children and YA Book) 2016, the Norwegian Ministry of Culture's Literature Prize 2013 (Best Children's and Young Adults Book) and the Trollkrittet Prize 2013 (Norwegian children's/YA book writers' debut prize). He was also nominated for the Brage Prize for Children and Young Adults 2013. The translation rights of Brown is sold to 30 languages.

In 2015 came Black, the sequel to Brown. The last book in the trilogy, Blue, will be published in 2018.

Rights sold to

Azerbaijan, Qanun
Brazil, Nova Alexandria
Bulgaria, Fiut
China, New Buds Publishing
Denmark, Carlsen
Estonia, Varrak
Faroe Islands: Bokadeild
France, Joie de Lire
Germany, Carl Hanser
Greece, Pyramida
Hungary, Scolar
Iceland, Forlagid
Iran, Houpaa
Israel, Tal May Publishers
Italy, Giunti
Japan, Goblin Shobo
Korea, Wisdom House
Latvia, SIA Pētergailis
Lithuania, Tikra Knyga
Macedonia, Gavroche Books
The Netherlands, Querido
Palestina, Tamer Institute for Community Education
Romania, Rao Distributie
Slovakia, Iron Libri
Slovenia, Založba Zala
Spain, Barbara Fiore
Sweden, Raben & Sjögren
Switzerland, Joie de Lire (French)
Turkey, Epsilon
USA, Enchanted Lion Books (World English Rights)

Foreign rights

Please contact:
Gyldendal Agency

[email protected]

Awards

Nordic Council Literature Prize for Children and Young Adults 2014
The Dutch Zilveren Griffel (Silver Pen) 2015
The German Luchs des Jahres (Best Children and YA Book) 2016
The Norwegian Ministry of Culture's Literature Prize 2013 (Best Children's and Young Adults Book)
Trollkrittet Prize 2013 (Norwegian children's/YA book writers' debut prize).
Nominated for the Brage Prize for Children and Young Adults 2013
Nominated for the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis 2017

Edited August 20, 2021 by Gyldendal Agency