Wolf, Edda and the Stolen Relic
Publisher: Bókabeitan
Warring siblings, villains and Norse gods star in this Rick Riordan-esque adventure about a quest to recover a stolen archaeological treasure.
When her father rents out their house in Reykjavík and takes a summer job at a historical site in the Icelandic countryside, 11-year-old Edda is miserable. For one, she can't bring her science experiments, but worse, she has to share a room with her obnoxious stepbrother, Wolf. The only bright spot is that she'll see "the most famous archaeologist in Iceland", her grandmother, Amma Edda. When someone steals a mysterious relic from Amma Edda, Wolf and Edda embark on an adventure into the realm of the ancient Norse gods to retrieve it. While there, they are guests in the hall of Thór, the boorish god of thunder, and pursued by almighty Ódinn's faithful ravens. They travel through bat-filled caves and forests filled with enormous cats. Edda becomes the confidant of Freyja, the goddess of love and death. Wolf befriends Fenrir, the giant wolf who was captured by the treacherous gods. Together, the siblings entrap the cleverest of all tricksters, Loki, and learn to be brave, to never give up, and to love and appreciate one another. A sequel will be published in 2018.
Here's what our judges had to say:
"Distracted parents, a mystery to solve, baddies to chase and an underground passage that leads these resourceful children to the realm of the Norse gods of Asgard – what's not to love in this very enjoyable story? Fun and fast-paced with masses of appeal for younger readers." – Elaine McQuade
"There's everything to relish in this Icelandic treat for younger readers, which is beautifully written as well as exquisitely illustrated by Kristín Ragna Gunnardóttir. The story blends Norse mythology and a Scooby Doo-style adventure with three generations of a less than perfect modern stepfamily who are learning to live and let live. I was genuinely charmed by such immersive storytelling and am impatient for a British publisher to pick this up." – Sarah Ardizzone
