Greenlandic book wins Nordic Council literature prize

The Greenlandic book "Pilu," featuring text by Uilu Pedersen and illustrations by Susanne Jensen, has been awarded the 2026 Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize. The announcement was made by the Nordic Council.

The award ceremony is scheduled for August 31 at the Nordic House in Reykjavík, Iceland, coinciding with the 42nd session of the Nordic Council, which runs from September 1-2. This prize is awarded every two years and comes with a cash award of 60,000 Danish kroner, equivalent to over 1.152 million Icelandic kroner.

The jury praised "Pilu" as an adventurous and poetic story about courage, self-confidence, and finding one's own path. They noted that the book empowers children to embark on uncertain journeys, both in nature and internally, demonstrating how fear can be transformed into strength. While deeply rooted in Greenland's nature and culture, the story's themes resonate universally, drawing on Greenlandic myths and narratives where the sea, mountains, and wildlife play key roles.

"Pilu" was nominated alongside the Faroese book "Í morgin fari eg aftur at spæla við babba" by Helena Kannuberg, illustrated by Lena Nicolajsen, and the Icelandic book "Tjörnin" by Rán Flygenring.

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Pilu is an adventurous and poetic story about courage, self-confidence, and finding one's own path. The book empowers children to embark on uncertain journeys, both in nature and internally, demonstrating how fear can be transformed into strength. The story is rooted in Greenland's nature and culture, but its themes are universal. It draws on Greenlandic myths and narratives, where the sea, mountains, and wildlife play key roles, while also speaking to all children who doubt their own abilities.