Anders Jacobsson and Sören Olsson
Encyclopedia
Anders Jacobsson and Sören Olsson (born 1964) are two Swedish-born
cousins who are writers of children's literature
and young-adult fiction. They are best known for their books about Sune
and Bert. They have also written the scripts of several television series.
Their inspiration comes from their own youth, and talking to young adults (when visiting schools) and their own imagination. Sören Olsson has illustrated the Sune books and the first Bert book, while the other Bert books, in the old Bert book series, were illustrated by Sonja Härdin. Recordings and radio broadcasts consist of Anders reading Sune, and Sören reading Bert.
The cousins have also created music together, as the act Hemliga byrån. Their most famous song is Hej, hej, hemskt mycket hej, which became a hit song in Sweden reaching Svensktoppen
in 1987.
The Sune and Bert books have been published in the USA, Germany, Russia, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
, Poland
, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Spain.
, Köping
, Lidköping
, Arvika
and Karlskoga. He attended school there. In politics, he called himself a "liberal anarchist".
During the early 1980s, he worked as an assistant teacher at a school in Karlskoga, coming into contact with children's games, activities, emotions and books. Not much had changed since his own first school years. When another assistant teacher said he was to write a children's book, Anders thought he also could, and began writing about seven-year-old Sune. He recorded an episode in his home studio, sending it to local radio programme "Allemansradion" ("Everyman's Radio"), where people could submit their own recordings.
A person working for the radio station liked Sune, and asked Jacobsson if he could create an entire series for the local municipal district radio. Local demand began to increase, and broadcasting of Sune soon began all over local radio. Anders sent the script to Rabén & Sjögren
in Stockholm
, who disliked the idea of turning a radio series into a book. Anders continued writing for local radio, where Sune was popular, before another book publishing company wanted to release the Sune book. The illustrator was Sören Olsson, and Sagan om Sune ("The Tale About Sune") was released in 1984.
in local pop bands and created his own record label at the age of 18. He also began working with theatre, and soon wanted to become an actor. He applied for several schools, and took a preparatory course at Örebro
. At the same time, his cousin Anders moved to Örebro for studying, and soon the writers began working together.
When writing Sune och Svarta Mannen ("Sune and Black Men"), the writers wanted to get Sune "out of the picture", and sent him moving to another town, while working with another character, the diarist Bert, and working on Berts dagbok ("Bert's Diary"). They wanted to continue with Sune though, allowing the Sune series to exist in parallel with the Bert series.
The Bert series is set in the fictional town of Öreskoga
; its name combines the writers' hometowns of Örebro and Karlskoga. The Sune series is also set in a fictional town, named "Glimmerdagg".
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
cousins who are writers of children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
and young-adult fiction. They are best known for their books about Sune
Sune series
The Sune series is a series of childrens/youth books by Swedish writers Anders Jacobsson and Sören Olsson. The books have been published since 1984. The Sune books are set in fictional town of Glimmerdagg in Sverige, which just like Berts hometown Öreskoga is located somehwere between...
and Bert. They have also written the scripts of several television series.
Their inspiration comes from their own youth, and talking to young adults (when visiting schools) and their own imagination. Sören Olsson has illustrated the Sune books and the first Bert book, while the other Bert books, in the old Bert book series, were illustrated by Sonja Härdin. Recordings and radio broadcasts consist of Anders reading Sune, and Sören reading Bert.
The cousins have also created music together, as the act Hemliga byrån. Their most famous song is Hej, hej, hemskt mycket hej, which became a hit song in Sweden reaching Svensktoppen
Svensktoppen
Svensktoppen is a record chart at Sveriges Radio. Until January 2003, the songs had to be in the Swedish language. Svensktoppen has aired since 1962, except for the years 1982-1985. Svensktoppen airs once a week...
in 1987.
The Sune and Bert books have been published in the USA, Germany, Russia, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Spain.
Anders Jacobsson
As a child, Jacobsson lived in KarlskogaKarlskoga
Karlskoga is a locality and the seat of Karlskoga Municipality in Örebro County, Sweden with 27,500 inhabitants in 2005.-Geography:It is located at the northern shore of lake Möckeln, and the small settlement was initially called Möckelns bodar...
, Köping
Köping, Sweden
Köping is a locality and the seat of Köping Municipality in Västmanland County, Sweden. It had 17,358 inhabitants in 2005. It is known for the television series I en annan del av Köping.- History :...
, Lidköping
Lidköping
Lidköping is a locality and the seat of Lidköping Municipality in Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 27,941 inhabitants in 2005.It is neatly situated on the southern shore of Lake Vänern and sometimes refers to itself as "Lidköping by Vänern", possibly to distinguish itself from Linköping near...
, Arvika
Arvika
Arvika is a locality and the seat of Arvika Municipality, Värmland County, Sweden with 14,184 inhabitants in 2005.-Geography:The town of Arvika is situated at Kyrkviken, a bay of Glafsfjorden, Sweden's only inland fjord, a remnant of the time following the last ice age .The area is hilly with the...
and Karlskoga. He attended school there. In politics, he called himself a "liberal anarchist".
During the early 1980s, he worked as an assistant teacher at a school in Karlskoga, coming into contact with children's games, activities, emotions and books. Not much had changed since his own first school years. When another assistant teacher said he was to write a children's book, Anders thought he also could, and began writing about seven-year-old Sune. He recorded an episode in his home studio, sending it to local radio programme "Allemansradion" ("Everyman's Radio"), where people could submit their own recordings.
A person working for the radio station liked Sune, and asked Jacobsson if he could create an entire series for the local municipal district radio. Local demand began to increase, and broadcasting of Sune soon began all over local radio. Anders sent the script to Rabén & Sjögren
Rabén & Sjögren
Rabén & Sjögren is a book publishing company in Sweden. It was established in 1942 by Hans Rabén and Carl-Olof Sjögren. Since 1998 it is part of the P.A. Norstedt och Söner publishing group, a division of Kooperativa Förbundet....
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, who disliked the idea of turning a radio series into a book. Anders continued writing for local radio, where Sune was popular, before another book publishing company wanted to release the Sune book. The illustrator was Sören Olsson, and Sagan om Sune ("The Tale About Sune") was released in 1984.
Sören Olsson
As a child, Sören Olsson liked drawing people and houses, and imagining adventures. He often questioned school's role in society, and wanted to become a pop music star. He starting by playing the electric bassElectric Bass
Electric bass can mean:*Electric upright bass, the electric version of a double bass*Electric bass guitar*Bass synthesizer*Big Mouth Billy Bass, a battery-powered singing fish...
in local pop bands and created his own record label at the age of 18. He also began working with theatre, and soon wanted to become an actor. He applied for several schools, and took a preparatory course at Örebro
Örebro
-Sites of interest:Örebro's old town Wadköping is located on the banks of Svartån . It contains many 18th and 19th century wooden houses, along with museums and exhibitions....
. At the same time, his cousin Anders moved to Örebro for studying, and soon the writers began working together.
Working together
In 1985, Anders applied to go to an academy without knowing Sören had applied for a school in the same town. When Anders continued writing Sune, Sören also begun working on the books. From the Självklart, Sune they were working together.When writing Sune och Svarta Mannen ("Sune and Black Men"), the writers wanted to get Sune "out of the picture", and sent him moving to another town, while working with another character, the diarist Bert, and working on Berts dagbok ("Bert's Diary"). They wanted to continue with Sune though, allowing the Sune series to exist in parallel with the Bert series.
The Bert series is set in the fictional town of Öreskoga
Öreskoga
Öreskoga is a fictional town in Sweden, where most of the Bert-diaries take place. Bert Ljung lives in Öreskoga, at Klosterstigen 18. In the books, he lives in a three floors high house with six flats, while he in the TV series live in a high-rise apartment building, similar to those in Hagalund...
; its name combines the writers' hometowns of Örebro and Karlskoga. The Sune series is also set in a fictional town, named "Glimmerdagg".
Prizes and awards
- 1993-1994: Rosa propellern, prize awarded for Sunes sommar ("Sune's Summer").
- 1994: The Golden Chest award given to the Bert television series for the "best manuscript". Sold to Germany, the Netherlands and Finland.
- 1995-1996: Film festival in Bulgaria, award to the Bert film for "best manuscript".
- 1999: Bokjuryn, category 14–19 years.
External links
- Sören & Anders website
- Sören Olsson blog
- Sören Olssons website
- Sören Olsson in LIBRISLIBRISLIBRIS is a Swedish national union catalogue maintained by the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm. It is possible to freely search about 6.5 million titles nationwide.-External links:* English version of the site...
- Anders Jacobsson in LIBRIS