The Wound
Published on 7. October 2025
Book
Hardback
32 pages
978-1-64690-048-0 (ISBN)
Description
From the "Mo Willems of Sweden," award-winning author/illustrator Emma Adbage captures a funny and true-to-life story about a little boy who hurts himself at school and is suddenly thrust into the spotlight
Awarded Best Swedish Picture Book of 2022
For readers of The Day You Begin and A Letter to Amy, The Wound similarly captures the humor and emotional growth that comes during common childhood experiences and their impact on a boy's sense of identity, belonging, and self-acceptance.
Feel the rush of the game as you dash around the ping-pong table, laughter and shouts filling the air. Your heart races. Then, a sudden stumble sends you tumbling down, and the world pauses—a sharp pain, a bloody knee. For a moment, for a week, you're the center of attention. You bask in a warm glow of sympathy and curiosity from your peers. But as days pass and the wound heals, the whispers fade and the crowd shrinks.
But what happens when life returns to normal? The fleeting spotlight, once thrilling, leaves you wondering about who you'll be once the bandage comes off ...
International picture book star Emma AdBåge is a master at capturing life on a schoolyard: the games, friends, and group dynamics. The Wound, honored as the Best Swedish Picture Book of 2022, is now available in English for the first time.
Awarded Best Swedish Picture Book of 2022
For readers of The Day You Begin and A Letter to Amy, The Wound similarly captures the humor and emotional growth that comes during common childhood experiences and their impact on a boy's sense of identity, belonging, and self-acceptance.
Feel the rush of the game as you dash around the ping-pong table, laughter and shouts filling the air. Your heart races. Then, a sudden stumble sends you tumbling down, and the world pauses—a sharp pain, a bloody knee. For a moment, for a week, you're the center of attention. You bask in a warm glow of sympathy and curiosity from your peers. But as days pass and the wound heals, the whispers fade and the crowd shrinks.
But what happens when life returns to normal? The fleeting spotlight, once thrilling, leaves you wondering about who you'll be once the bandage comes off ...
International picture book star Emma AdBåge is a master at capturing life on a schoolyard: the games, friends, and group dynamics. The Wound, honored as the Best Swedish Picture Book of 2022, is now available in English for the first time.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Target group
Children/juvenile
Reading Age: From 4 to 8 years
Illustrations
32 Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 283 mm
Width: 218 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
384 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-64690-048-0 (9781646900480)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Emma AdBåge is a Swedish illustrator and author who debuted in 2001 and has since illustrated several titles, both her own and others. She has won several awards, including the Elsa Beskow Plaque and the Lennart Hellsing Prize. In 2018 she won the August Prize for THE HOLE BEHIND THE GYM, and was also awarded the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis in 2022 for the same title. Her works have been translated into over 20 languages.