Bio
Þórarinn Leifsson was born in Reykjavík on July 29th, 1966. He studied at the Icelandic Academy of the Arts from 1984-89, and at the same time became a street painter on the European mainland. Following his graduation he worked in webdesign and illustration, and has illustrated books, book covers and magazine articles. Among his works are illustrations for a series of fairy tales by H.C. Andersen, published in many Nordic countries. He has also written a few easy-to-read books for the National Centre for Educational Materials, and other cultural institutions.
Þórarinn’s first published work as a writer came in 2001, a children’s book called Algjört frelsi (Total Freedom), which he wrote with his wife, Auður Jónsdóttir. His first children’s novel, Leyndarmálið hans pabba (Father´s Big Secret), was published in 2007 and has now been translated and published in Denmark, Germany and Finland. Bókasafn ömmu Huldar (Granny Huld’s Library), published in 2009, earned Þórarinn the Reykjavík Children’s Literature Prize that year. The book was published in Danish translation in 2010.
Þórarinn Leifsson lives in Reykjavík. He is married with two children.
Publisher: Mál og menning.
Articles
Interviews
Tine Maria Winther: “Islænding portrætterer dansk kannibal” Politiken, December 12th, 2009.
Read the interview on Politiken’s website.
On individual works
Father´s Big Secret (Leyndarmálið hans pabba)
Irmtraut Gutschke: “Eine schreckliche Familie: Thorarinn Leifsson enthüllt »Papas Geheimnis«”
Sozialistische Tageszeitung, October 14th, 2008.
Steffen Larsen: “Islandsk kannibalhistorie er en syret knaldperle” (critique)
Politiken, June 11th, 2009. Read the critique on Politiken’s website.
Awards
2010 - The Reykjavík Scholastic Prize: Bókasafn ömmu huldar (Granny Huld’s Library)
Nominations
2014 - The Icelandic Literature Prize, for children’s and young adult books: Maðurinn sem hataði börn (The Man Who Hated Children)
2011 - The DV Cultural Prize for literature: Götumálarinn (The Street Artist)
Kaldakol (The Evacuation of Iceland)
Read moreDóri litli verður útlenskur (Dóri Becomes a Foreigner)
Read moreBestemor Hulds bibliotek
Read moreGötumálarinn (The Sidewalk Artist)
Read moreLoyndarmálið hjá pápa
Read moreIskän salaisuus
Read moreBedstemor Huldas bibliotek
Read moreAfmælisveislan (The Birthday Party)
Read moreLeikurinn (The Game)
Read more