Our Own Little Paradise

AWARDED DEUTSCHER JUGENDLITERATURPREIS 2021 (Germany)

Marianne Kaurin has written a multi-layered children’s book with interwoven narrative strands. The child’s play is impressively staged as an autonomous space where the children actively can develop themselves and be strengthened for reality. The characters are convincing and in harmony with each other, and so are the adult characters in their finely balanced representation. Franziska Hüther manages to translate the author’s sensitive language perfectly and to effectively place the ambiguous humor.
From the jury’s statement

Nominated for Premio Strega Ragazze e Ragazzi (Italy)

Nominated for the 2024 Premi Atrapallibres (Catalonia)

Best Middle Grade Books of the Year 2022 (US)
Kirkus Review list

Awarded Book of the Month by Deutsche Akademie Für Kinder- und Jugendliteratur (Germany)

Awarded Leipziger Lesekompass 2021 (Germany)

Awarded the LUCHS of the Month by Radio Bremen and DIE ZEIT (Germany)

On the Best Audio Books of the Year List by the German radio channel h2

A story of friendship, social media-showing off
and the discovery that paradise can be found in
the most unlikely of places

Ina has no plans for the summer holiday. All of a sudden, in front of the entire class she blurts out that she’s going to the Med for several weeks. She doesn’t know why she’s lying, and the lie keeps growing. A big problem is that the new boy in class has moved to Ina’s neighbourhood and he will easily find out that she is not on holiday at all.

Perhaps the best summer holiday is the one you thought would be the worst.

Absorbing relationship drama with a convincing protagonist.
Kirkus Review

Marianne Kaurin has written a multi-layered children’s book with interwoven narrative strands. The child’s play is impressively staged as an autonomous space where the children actively can develop themselves and be strengthened for reality. The characters are convincing and in harmony with each other, and so are the adult characters in their finely balanced representation. Franziska Hüther manages to translate the author’s sensitive language perfectly and to effectively place the ambiguous humor.
From the jury’s statement, Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis 2021

Marianne Kaurin let 11 year old Ina and Vilmer be as childish as they want, when nobody sees them. The creativity blossoms. Their play becomes more beautiful than reality. This is what I like.
NRK

Our Own Little Paradise is a piece of art: The book is a joyful and bright summer story about a heroine who spend most of the time in the shadows. Marianne Kaurin writes about two strong and above all happy children who builds a new and better world in the midst of a rather sad situation. It is a book that you always can recommend, and that suits too well in these covid19 times. Not just because of all the complains about cancelled travels but also the books message about how to create your own summer place anywhere – you only need to use a little imagination.”
From the LUCH’s jury’s statement, the German literary prize by Die Zeit and Radio Bremen

Syden