
Photo: Thron Ullberg
Martin Widmark (b. 1961) is an acclaimed Swedish children’s book author known for popular series such as The JerryMaya Detective Agency, Nelly Rapp, Halvdan the Viking, and many more. His books have received countless awards, sold more than 15 million copies, and been translated into 39 languages. Many of the books have been adapted into feature films and TV series, or made into board games, theater, and video games.
Martin is strongly engaged in promoting reading comprehension among children and young people and is considered one of the most prominent writers of children’s fiction today. He has received multiple prestigious awards. In 2014, he was awarded the Swedish Government’s medal Illis quorum for his work to encourage young people’s reading.
Before becoming a full-time author, Martin Widmark worked as a middle school instructor and a Swedish language teacher. In the year 2000, he made his debut with the book To Catch a Tiger (Att fånga en tiger). Since then, he has written over a hundred books for children and young people and is today one of Sweden’s most popular children’s book writers.
Swedish writer Martin Widmark (b. 1961) and illustrator Helena Willis (b. 1964) have together created the bestselling children’s book series The JerryMaya Detective Agency for ages 6-9.
The popular books with the young detectives Jerry and Maya are constantly on the bestseller lists, on the libraries’ most popular lists, and have been awarded the children’s own book award 12 times.
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Martin Widmark and Helena Willis’ The JerryMaya Detective Agency is the undisputable favorite of the past decade, topping the list of the most borrowed books at the Stockholm City libraries. Six out of ten volumes on the list are titles from the immensely popular series.
Did you know that Valleby’s potty priest has an exercise group? It’s true! Jerry and Maya are not the only ones to participate this day, but also a whole bunch of Valleby locals come along. Ivy is sweating and Rune is feeling fine, while Barbro is embarrassed by her overalls. Real grown-ups are supposed to wear suits! But who is lurking in the bushes and stalking the exercise group? And what are those mysterious lightnings and sparks that appear?
In JerryMaya’s Summer Holiday Book:Work Out with the Priest you will find, together with fun tips on activities and crafts, a brand-new case for Jerry and Maya. Learn a delicious recipe from Dino and Sara at the Valleby cafe, play the sweaty workout game, dive into the water, solve the summer crossword puzzle and look for the clothes belonging to the Valleby locals. A book that will last all summer!
The most sold authorships of the month of March in Sweden are Lars Kepler and Martin Widmark. Lars Kepler are the most sold hardcover fiction authors, featuring at No. 1 with The Spider. Meanwhile, Martin Widmark occupies three of the top spots on the children’s books list. First, at No. 1, is The Detective Mystery, followed by The Gold Mystery at No. 2, and The Library Mystery at No. 4.
Simona Ahrnstedt’s An Unthinkable Fate debuts on the official Swedish bestseller list for hardcover fiction this week, coming in at No. 2. Martin Widmark performs a hat trick on the children’s bestseller list, returning to No. 1 with The Detective Mystery as well as placing at No. 3 with The Library Mystery, and No. 4 with The Diamond Mystery.
Lars Kepler stays put at No. 1 on the hardcover fiction list with The Spider, the ninth Joona Linna novel. Martin Widmark similarly continues to occupy the top spots in the children’s fiction category, coming in at No. 1 with The Detective Mystery, No. 2 with The Gold Mystery, and No. 4 with The Music Mystery. Måns Mosesson makes a comeback on the non-fiction list with Tim – The Official Biography of Avicii, which lands the No. 4 spot.
Lars Kepler and Martin Widmark are the most sold authors of the month of February in Sweden. Lars Kepler is No. 1 on the hardcover fiction list with The Spider. Martin Widmark is No. 1 in the children’s category with The Gold Mystery.
Lars Kepler’s The Spider stays put at No. 1 on the official bestseller list for hardcover fiction in Sweden. Martin Widmark also reprises his placements of last week, claiming both the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the children’s fiction list with The Gold Mystery and The Detective Mystery.
Lars Kepler’s The Spider – the most sold novel of 2022 in Sweden – is back at No. 1 on the official bestseller list for hardcover fiction. The ever popular Martin Widmark also comes in first, claiming both the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the children’s fiction list with The Gold Mystery and The Detective Mystery.
Martin Widmark and Emilia Dziubak’s Dreams of Near and Far has been chosen by the United States Board on Books for Young People as one of the Outstanding International Picture Books for 2023.
The USBBY’s Outstanding International Books List is an influential list and has been published annually since 2006 and holds large influence on the American market for children’s books. A committee selects books that represent the best of children’s literature from other countries based on a number of criteria such as uniqueness and artistic and literary merit.
The nominees for this year’s Icelandic Storytel Awards have been announced. The Storytel Awards have been bestowed to highlight the best audio books of the year. The awards are granted within six categories: Suspense, Fiction, Non-fiction, Feelgood, YA, and Children’s books.
Among the nominees for suspense are Johan Theorin’s Weathered Bones and Yrsa Sigurdardottir’s I See You.
We’re Just Trying to Have Fun by Hálldor Armand Asgeirsson is featured within the non-fiction category.
Simona Ahrnstedt’s High Risk is nominated in the feelgood category, whilst Martin Widmark’s The Saffron Mystery is in the running for the children’s books award.
Readers will be able to vote for their favorite works, after which a jury will pick a winner among the three candidates with the most votes in each category.
The winning titles of the 2022’s Adlibris Awards have been announced. Lars Kepler’s The Spider wins ‘Crime Novel of the Year’, Anders Hansen & Mats Wänblad’s The Happiness Cure for Teens wins ‘Young Adult of the Year’ and Martin Widmark takes home ‘Children’s book 6-12 of the Year’ with his The Masquerade Mystery.
Adlibris is the leading book retailer in the Nordics and the Adlibris Award was founded in 2019 to celebrate the site’s greatest titles.
The nominees for this year’s Swedish Storytel Awards have been announced. The Storytel Awards have been bestowed since 2007 in Sweden to highlight the best audio books of the year. The awards are granted within six categories: Suspense, Fiction, Non-fiction, Feelgood, YA, and Children’s books.
Among the nominees for suspense are Lars Kepler’s The Spider, Anders de la Motte’s The Mountain King, Kristina Ohlsson’s Dimmed Lights, Anders de la Motte and Måns Nilsson’s Death Goes Antiquing, and Liza Marklund’s The Mire.
The Details by Ia Genberg is featured within the fiction category.
Meanwhile, Anders Hansen and Mats Wänblad’s The Happiness Cure for Teens and Elaf Ali’s Who Said Anything About Love? feature on the YA list, whilst Martin Widmark’s The Masquerade Mystery and Stories from Valleby: The mysterious letter are in the running for the children’s books award.
Readers will be able to vote for their favorite works until February 5, after which a jury will pick a winner among the three candidates with the most votes in each category.
To cast your vote, click “Read more” below.