An exhibition of children’s books “Book Floods” dedicated to Nordic literature was on display at the National Library of Latvia from September until December 2020. The exhibition featured Nordic books in both translated and original languages, including nominees for previous years of the Nordic Literature Prize. The exhibition gave children and adults the opportunity to be together with both favorite and as yet unknown heroes of Nordic literature, and also to participate in various activities. 

The exhibition was arranged as a labyrinth and located on the seventh floor of the National Library next to the Children’s Literature Center. The children arrived and started the inspection by leaving the elevator. And then their first task was to wash their hands, but in the toilet they met the Monster from the book “Monster said No! The book “The Monster Said No!” has been published in Latvian by Dena Dimiņš, and was co – invented by three authors from Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Sweden. The main character is a big, black monster. He was reflected on the mirror and noted the each entrant who washed his hands at the sink.

Then the little visitor was able to build a city and a house in the city, slip through the volcano to get into the Nordic atmosphere. Scandinavian mythology was present in the exhibition, but a wall of the exhibition was especially colorful and rich in images. At the next station, moms and dads was able to read the Nordic books translated in front of them. The snake of Midgard was also there. In the closing part of the exhibition there was an opportunity to write a poem, also to illustrate it or just to draw and throw it in the mailbox and three times a month the prizes was sendt to the indicated addresse. A Viking ship has been set up at the Children’s Literature Center, where you had to take on a more serious task – to write an adventure that you would like to experience.

The exhibition “Book Floods” is intended to promote the authors of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Prize in Children’s Literature and the idea of ​​the exhibition originated in Iceland, its author is the writer and illustrator Kristín Ragna Gunnarsdóttir.

The coontent of the exhibition was made by the Children’s Literature Center. The adaptation of the design of the exhibition was in the hands of Tatjana Raičiņeca, but illustrations was made by Elīna Brasliņa.

The exhibition in Latvia was organized by the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia in co-operation with the National Library of Latvia.
The exhibition was supported by the Nordic Branding program, Nordic House in Iceland, Reykjavik City Council within UNESCO City of Literature.

Later on the exhibition will travel from Riga to Lithuania and Estonia. The Latvian environment will be changed by the accents of our neighboring countries.