Jóhannes Kristjánsson

“One of the most engaging experiences is being told a story, rather than simply having it read aloud.

It invites questions, and the active participation makes the energy and chemistry between storyteller and audience feel more present and alive.”

Jóhannes worked as a schoolteacher for several years, and practiced “The Living Word” by telling improvised stories to children during lunchtime. These turned into long-running story arcs—because the children just couldn’t get enough.

So, when you read Jóhannes’ books, don’t be afraid to improvise and make up parts of the story yourself—as long as you’re having fun.

In addition to his own vivid imagination and deep understanding of children, Jóhannes’ story world has drawn inspiration from several sources. If some of the characters seem a bit over-the-top, there’s a reason for that—many of them come straight from his own children’s imagination:

“When my eldest started talking about ‘The Ground Grappler’, I had no choice but to draw one. That’s how it all began. Or when my middle child began drawing these funny little creatures he called ‘Myllings’—well, of course they had to be in the book too.”