The Last Boy Rain by Emma Karinsdotter and Bjarke Stenbæk Kristensen has been selected for The White Ravens 2025 list by the International Youth Library’s children’s literature experts. Each year, the International Youth Library collects around 10 000 books from publishers worldwide, from which about 200 titles are chosen for the list and exhibited at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

The selection highlights books of international interest, recognized for their literary and illustrative quality as well as their themes.

Yussra El Abdouni is a Swedish actor known for her emotionally grounded performances, her versatility, and strong on-screen presence. She is equally at home in drama and comedy, seamlessly shifting between emotionally intense roles and lighter, humorous characters.

El Abdouni is an ambitious and passionate performer with a deep commitment to the craft. From the age of ten, she knew this was the path she wanted to devote her life to. She has a particular love for drama and for raw, emotionally heavy scenes, both portraying them herself and watching others bring them to life.

In 2020 she took on the role of Lisha in the critically acclaimed drama Kalifat. Her portrayal of Lisha, a teenager caught between family, faith, and a tightening web of extremism, was praised for its nuance and authenticity, marking her as one of the breakout talents of the series.

She then landed the main role of Angelina in the comedy slasher series Ingen ängel in 2023, which was nominated for Best Youth Drama at the Kristallen Awards.

Her other works include the popular TV series Flykten till Östermalm (2023-2025), Berts dagbok (2020) and the upcoming Håkan Bråkan 003.

Furthermore, El Abdouni has several years of experience in team gymnastics and has trained in Muay Thai, reflecting both her discipline and inner drive. She is also passionate about music, loves to sing and play the piano.

Lise Villadsen and her YA-novel The Supermassive Black Hole Club has been bestowed with the high-profile Danish School Libraries Author Award of 2025 for ‘Book of the Year’.

The award is one of Denmark’s biggest accolades for children’s- and young adult literature and has been bestowed since 1981 to a writer that through their authorship has made an exceptional literary or non-fictional contribution to the experiences and/or knowledge of children and young adults. The award aims to celebrate the literature that truly makes a difference in schools. The nominated authorships are symbolized by a title released in the preceding year that must be of remarkable quality.

Before handing over the accolade during the award ceremony, the jury highlighted that:

“The Supermassive Black Hole Club is a novel, which largely revolves around identity and sense of community – and concepts such as commitment and sincerity.(…) Lise Villadsen has written a terrific book. (…) With loneliness as a starting point, the novel deals with the simple – but certainly not easy – art of having the courage to be yourself. But also to dare to let others in – and that whilst mistakes and white lies can turn out to open doors to others, the lies can also be a risky, knotty and dangerous path to choose.”

Irene has a burning wish: to become a mother.

She is happily married to the priest Thomas, who already has the young daughter Isabella from a previous marriage, and whilst Irene loves her bonus daughter, she longs to have a child of her own. Having tried in vain for many years to become pregnant, they are now faced with starting fertility treatments.

At the same time a new family moves in next-door to their vicarage and Irene, who already has developed a habit of listening in to her husband’s confidential counseling sessions, begin to keep an eye on the neighbors.

Is everything on the other side of the fence really as perfect as it seems? Ought she tell the couple that the church gravedigger is peeking through their windows at night? And is it only in her imagination, or does Thomas have a bit too much chemistry with the neighbor woman? When Thomas begins to act strange and suddenly wishes to withdraw from their fertility treatment, Irene has to get to the bottom of it.

What is she not seeing? What is it that’s preventing her from becoming a mother?

Let the Little Children Come is Lise Villadsen’s adult thriller debut. It is an intense, psychological thriller about paranoia, couple relationships and violent desires.

Lisa Ridzén’s internationally bestselling debut When the Cranes Fly South is the ‘Monthly Fiction Pick‘ at US retailer Barnes & Nobles this month and has continuously ranked high on their bestseller lists throughout September. It is currently coming in at No.1 on their paperback bestseller list, whilst also featuring at No. 7 on the bestseller list across all formats.

In a stellar recognition of her work, Finnish director and screenwriter Tiina Lymi took home the Best Direction prize at the 2025 Venice TV Awards for her black comedy-drama Queen of Fucking Everything. Lymi’s series was also nominated in the Best Series category.

The Venice TV Award, held annually in Venice, Italy, celebrates excellence in global television and highlights the cultural impact of TV programming across genres and borders.

On September 26, the new horror-drama Färjan (Blood Cruise), adapted from Mats Strandberg’s novel, premiered its first two episodes on SVT Play to strong reviews.

The six-episode series plunges viewers into a terrifying voyage aboard the Baltic ferry Baltic Charisma. Two vampires, mother Edith and her son Walter, board in disguise, and when communication with the outside world is abruptly severed, the ship becomes a floating nightmare. Passengers must face suspicion, violence, and the creeping dread that no one can be trusted.

Thirteen-year-old Kolbjörn Skarsgård makes his debut in a leading role as the vampire Walter. He shares the screen with a strong ensemble cast, including Tuppence Middleton, Björn Bengtsson, Jessica Grabowsky, Marika Lagercrantz, Arvin Kananian, and Johan Ehn.

Färjan is directed by Jonas Alexander Arnby, and the screenplay is written by Strandberg together with Malin Lagerlöf.