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PERSONAL, CAPTIVATING PICTURES
Gunilla Bergström was born in 1942 in
Gothenburg, Sweden, where she studied at the Institute
of Journalism and later worked as a journalist on several
of the main Swedish newspapers until 1975, when she
became a full-time author. Her first children's book,
published in 1971, has been followed by about 30 others,
which she has also illustrated.
Gunilla Bergström's books are idiosyncratic and
supremely personal, above all because of their illustrations.
She grew up in an artist's home and is a self-taught
draughtsman.
These are clear, distinct pictures, directly captivating
through their simplicity and through the psychological
tension which she deftly creates with a few, aptly chosen
details.
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The technique is ink and
collage with a glorious mixture of fabric, paper, yarns
and cuttings. Another unmistakable characteristic is
the facial expressions of the figures, which she has
become something of a master in developing and varying
ad infinitum. She is not averse to a touch of fantasy
and comic exaggeration, and she makes very deliberate
use of colors to complete every story and convey the
mood of it.
Gunilla Bergström has taken part in a number of
joint exhibitions in Sweden.
In 1987-88 she took part in the exhibition which toured
Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina under the auspices of
the Swedish Institute and BUR (the Swedish Council for
Children and Young Persons). In 1989 she was represented
in "Authors who Paint" at one of the Stockholm
galleries. Gunilla Bergström has also had a couple
of separate exhibitions in Sweden.
REALITY IS FAIRYTALE ENOUGH!
"No princesses, adventures and spacemen!
No fancy pictures and, above all, no pretty fibs! I
want to tell true stories about real people, just the
way we behave in everyday life.
Mini-dramas on the psychological level. Mischief, missing
a friend, being frightened of ghosts, getting into fights,
Christmas being over ... The sort of thing that any
child can recognize.
But, preferably, there should also be something unreal,
unexpected!
For in the midst of everyday life we also have: astonishment,
terror, a sudden paroxysm of laughter and Eternal Questions.
We adults have mostly forgotten that kind of thing,
pre-occupied as we are with paying rent, bringing home
food and doing our duty: forgotten that life is an incomparable
enigma! Full of possibilities. The things we get into!
Things we never thought we were capable of! And while
wars are fought, computers are invented and people have
babies ... the seasons of the year are performing their
perpetual cycle, over and over again as they have been
doing for thousands of years past ...
It's incomprehensible!
Reality is fairytale enough. Each day is new. Children
understand this best. It's we adults who have forgotten.
I want to tell stories so that children and adults will
be reminded and can laugh and be amazed together.
Children who are charged with reality and with the magic
of reality are more amply equipped.
Other decisions can be made, stronger contenders conted
and more affectionate spirit can be created - when youngsters
one day become the people in power. Or "simply"
parents ... "
Gunilla Bergström
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AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS
- 1973 Working fellowship, the Swedish Authors'
Fund
- 1973 Arts award, Municipality of Järfälla
- 1975 Arts award, Stockholm County Council
- 1976 Five-year working fellowship, the Swedish
Authors' Fund
- 1977 Arts award, Municipality of Danderyd
- 1978 Children's and Juvenile Literature Fellowship
of the Foundation for the Promotion of Literature
- 1979 The Elsa Beskow plaque
- 1980 Arts and Popular Education Fellowship of
the Adult Schools' Educational Association
- 1980 "Örni" award of the Children's
Cinema/Contrast for the best short film of the year
(Alfie)
- 1981 Arts Prize of the Swedish Authors' fund
- 1981 The Astrid Lindgren Prize
- 1987 Arts award, Municipality of Danderyd
- 1988 Grammy for the Children's Record of the Year
(Alfie)
- 1989 Children's Book Acorn
- 1993 City of Stockholm Prize of Honour
- 1998 "Flyg, sa Alfons Åberg" was
choosen as the best Childrens book (0-6 yrs) by
Bokjuryn in Sweden
- 2006 Svenska Akademiens Schullströmska award
for childrens- and youth litterature
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ALFIE ATKINS
Alfie is an ordinary little chap living with his good-natured,
scatty father in a modern suburb which could be anywhere
in the world. He is not very big and not very strong.
And he prefers not fighting. He is cheerful and full
of mischief, but he also has his moments of being angry,
jealous, frightened of ghosts... The books take in most
things - from everyday troubles to life's big questions.
Any child can identify with Alfie, which perhaps explains
why he is loved all over the world!
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THE ALFIE-BOOKS
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- 1973 Very tricky, Alfie Atkins
- 1972 Good Night, Alfie Atkins
- 1975 Hurry Up, Alfie Atkins!
- 1976 Alfie Atkins and his Secret Friend
- 1976 Who'll Save Alfie Atkins?
- 1977 You're a Sly One, Alfie Atkins!
- 1978 Alfie and the Monster (GB)
- 1978 Is that a Monster, Alfie Atkins? (US)
- 1981 Are you a Coward, Alfie Atkins?
- 1982 What's Alfie up to now?
- 1983 Who's Scaring Alfie Atkins?
- 1984 Happy Alfie Atkins
- 1985 You have a Girlfriend, Alfie Atkins?
- 1986 A Party, Alfie Atkins!
- 1987 Hocus-Pocus, Alfie Atkins!
- 1988 Just Tie It, Alfie Atkins!
- 1989 What did Mr Atkins Say?
- 1991 There goes Alfie the Thief!
- 1992 More Monsters, Alfie!
- 1993 Three Cheers for Alfie's Daddy!
- 1994 "Not Likely!" said Alfie Atkins
- 1997 Fly with me said Alfie Atkins
- 1998 Invisible with Alfie
- 2002 How far does Alfie reach?
- 2002 Alfie’s ABC
- 2006 Alfie and the soldier daddy
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ALFIE WORLDWIDE
Alfie Atkins is a household classic for a few million
pre-school children all over the world. He is now into
his second generation of readers. The first book having
appeared way back in 1972.
There are more than 20 books about him, in about 25
languages - books which keep going through new editions.
The Swedish print run in 2003 totaled 3.8 million copies.
The first edition of a new Alfie title in Sweden has
a print of at least 50,000.
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ALFIE's NAME IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES AND LANGUAGES
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Alfons Åberg
Denmark - Alfons Åberg
Finland - Mikko Mallikas
Iceland - Einar Áskell
Latvia - Alfons Obergu
Norway - Albert Åberg
Germany - Willi Wiberg
Africaan - Dawie
Arabic - Burhan
Brazil - Ahlo Åberg
England/USA - Alfie Atkins
France - Alphonse
Faroe Islands - Álvur Ákason
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Israel - Alfons
Japan - Alfons
Kurdish - Alfons Oberg
Romani - Ardom
Nordsamiska - Alfons Åberg
Lulesamiska - Ábmut
Sydsamiska - Aalfone
Spain - Alfonso
Turkey - Alfons Åberg
Wales - Ifan Bifan
Holland - Alfons Alfrink
Frisiska - Ate Attema
Serbocroatic - Alfons Åberg
Farsi - Alfons Åberg
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MARKETING ALFIE IN SWEDEN
For general enquires or more information
about
the Author or the books please contact:
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Bok-Makaren
AB
Observatoriegatan 10
113 29 Stockholm, Sweden |
Tel. +46-(0)8-151220
Fax. +46-(0)8-6121264
Mail. Bok-Makaren |
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