Ulf Stark

In 1984 he scored his international breakthrough with the book ‘Dårfinkar och dönickar’, which won the Bonniers Junior Publishers’ Competition.  Stark grew up in a Stockholm suburb.  He was the son of a dentist.  His father had his practice on the ground floor of the house and Stark, his mother and brother lived upstairs. There are numerous autobiographical references such as these in his books, the first person narrator usually having the author’s name.

This is the case in ‘Kan du vissla Johanna’ (Engl: Can You Whistle, Johanna, 1992, filmed in 1994 by Rumle Hammerich), for which Stark and his illustrator Anna Höglund received the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis. Berra is jealous of his best friend Ulf’s grandfather.  The two boys go on a hunt for a suitable grandfather for Berra and find one in a retirement home.  The old man wants to teach Berra how to whistle, but when the boy finally masters the art, his “borrowed” grandpa dies.  At the funeral Berra whistles a farewell salute ‘Can you whistle, Johanna?’.

The author states “I think grief  has to be included so that the joy is clear”. Stark’s books describe childhood fears and hopes and appeal to those who are stronger not to forget their responsibility towards those weaker than themselves.

His latest publication was the story ‘Ensam med min bror’ (2000). Stark is now one of the most widely read authors in Sweden.

© international literature festival berlin

Alle halten mich für einen Jungen
Ueberreuther
Wien, 1986
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Wir Eisbären
Ueberreuther
Wien, 1989
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Als Vaters Waschmaschine streikte
Carlsen
Hamburg, 1990
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Dann nimm doch lieber meinen Bruder
Carlsen
Hamburg, 1994
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Meine Schwester ist ein Engel
Carlsen
Hamburg, 1997
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Das blaue Pferd
Carlsen
Hamburg, 1998
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Kannst du pfeifen, Johanna?
Carlsen
Hamburg, 1998
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Der Klub der einsamen Herzen
Carlsen
Hamburg, 1998
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Als Papa mir das Weltall zeigte
Carlsen
Hamburg, 1999
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Kleiner Teufel Asmodeus
Carlsen
Hamburg, 2000
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Paula und Paula: Zwei sind einer zuviel
Carlsen
Hamburg, 2000
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer

Das Märchen von den wunderbaren Hühnerfederschuhen
Carlsen
Hamburg, 2002
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer
Ill: Anna Höglund

Das goldene Herz
Carlsen
Hamburg, 2004
Übersetzung: Birgitta Kicherer
Ill: Philip Waechter

Übersetzerin: Birgitta Kicherer