An infant is left in a shoebox on the doorstep of Buenos Aires’ Magdalene Monastery and is given the name Fabiola by the nuns. Early in life the rebellious Fabiola develops a propensity for finding the perfect pair of shoes for any given individual. Besides becoming the unlikely top seller of Buenos Aires’ most famous and affluent shoe store, she also – to the nuns’ dismay – becomes a teenage mother to the headstrong girl Lita.

Revolutionary times eventually force the mother and daughter-duo to flee Argentina with their sight set on Europe, but circumstances have them instead end up on a tiny, windswept island in North Foundland. Here Fabiola reluctantly takes up work selling unglamorous wellies and clogs in the island’s general store as they move into the sailor’s home of Bethlehem. Bethlehem, the beating heart of the island, houses a bountiful of eccentric and endearing characters; among them the hosts’ deaf daughter Oona McGregor that becomes Lita’s best friend. As Lita tries to navigate her way in the world it becomes the annual visits by Mr Saito’s traveling cinema – bringing moving pictures from around the world to the isolated isle – that will entirely change the trajectory of her destiny.

Mr Saito’s Traveling Cinema is an irresistible odyssey about heart rhythms, fisher boys with amber eyes and finding family in unexpected places. About runaway tango shoes, life’s outtakes and love in all its forms.

Annette Bjergfeldt has been nominated for the Danish 2021 Martha Award for her debut novel When Life Gives You Hippos. The Martha Award is the largest book retailer award in Denmark and has been bestowed annually since 1989 by Bog & Idé. The nominated works are selected by book retailers and readers and the ultimate winner will be announced in October. Previous winners include Jussi Adler-Olsen, J.K. Rowling and Stephen King.

The Danish audio and e-book service Mofibo has announced this year’s nominees in the Mofibo Awards. The awards are split into six categories: Crime & Suspense, Fiction, Romance, Non-fiction, YA, and Children’s books.

Competing for the title of Best Crime & Suspense are: Katrine Engberg with Isola, Lars Kepler with The Mirror Man, Jo Nesbø with The Kingdom, and Stefan Ahnhem with X Ways to Die.

Annette Bjergfeldt’s debut title When Life Gives You Hippos is in the running for Best Fiction, while Simona Ahrnstedt features on the Romance shortlist with her Just a Bit More.

Lastly, the YA and Children’s categories see Lise Villadsen and Don’t Fall, Don’t Drown, Don’t Die and Bobbie Peers and The Explorers’ Club and the Turtle Cannon each grab a spot on the shortlists.

To cast your vote, click “Read more” below.

Annette Bjergfeldt is one of five authors shortlisted for the prestigious Danish Bogforum’s Debut Award 2020 for her epic family saga When Life Gives You Hippos. The coveted award has since 1993 been annually bestowed upon the best debut author in fiction in connection to the largest Danish bookfair, BogForum. This year’s fair is cancelled due to Covid, meaning that the jury-selected winner will instead be announced through Danish Radio 2 on the 8th of November.

Annette Bjergfeldt (b.1961) is a Danish creative virtuoso. Besides writing bestselling fiction, she’s an award-winning and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and recording artist with six albums under her belt, a colorist painter, and a renowned songwriting coach. She often holds songwriting sessions in local prisons and for children with disabilities. Her knack for storytelling was cultivated when she toured the US for four years and entertained the crowds with tales in between songs. Now, her musical flair shines through in her melodious and lyrical prose. Her acclaimed debut When Life Gives You Hippos has taken readers and critics alike by storm. This enchanting family saga with elements of magical realism, set against the backdrop of 20th century Europe’s culture scene, is an impassioned declaration of love to art and music.