News from Rabén & Sjögren Agency

Gunilla Bergström has passed away. She was the author and illustrator of the many books about a little ordinary boy called Alfons Åberg (Alfie Atkins in English). Her books has had an enormous significance for generations of readers but also for other authors and illustrators, as she paved the way for many of them. The books about Alfons Åberg are as relevant today as when they were written; the first book was published in 1972. “Gunilla always thought outside the box, turned and twisted every word and was creative to the last. A genius has passed away, and it feels very empty”, says Sofia Hahr, Gunilla’s editor at Rabén & Sjögren. Gunilla herself said she wanted to tell true stories about real people. “I think I have made brave subject choices; from the art of tying bows to the question of how the soul is shaped”, she said.
Alfons Åberg is a classic for millions of children in many countries. Bergström’s 26 Alfons books have been translated into over 35 languages ​​and every year around one million Alfons books are still lent out at the Swedish Library.

Photograph: Lisa Thanner