Hrafnaspark facts for kids

Hrafnaspark is a short novel from Iceland written for young adults by Eysteinn Björnsson. The book's title is a clever play on words. Hrafnaspark means 'scrawl' (like messy handwriting), but it also literally means 'ravens' kick'. This is special because the main character's name is Hrafn, which means 'raven' in Icelandic! In 2011, Hrafnaspark was chosen as one of the most popular children's books at the Árborg library.

Story of Hrafnaspark

The story begins with Hrafn, a student, having a big disagreement with his history teacher at school. They argue about how powerful countries have acted in the past, especially concerning events like the Vietnam War and the Iraq War. Hrafn feels very strongly that his teacher's ideas are unfair and that the teacher treats him badly.

Because he is upset, Hrafn and a friend decide to sneak into the school at night. They write on the walls of the history classroom, which is why the book is called Hrafnaspark ('scrawl'). They get caught, and Hrafn is suspended from school, meaning he cannot attend classes for a while.

Hrafn finds it hard to talk to his parents about what happened. So, his grandfather, who has different ideas about the world, invites Hrafn to stay at his quiet cottage in the countryside. Hrafn agrees and goes to stay with him.

While at the cottage, Hrafn goes for a walk alone. He gets hurt and needs his grandfather to rescue him. Both of them almost get into serious trouble because of the cold weather. Luckily, they make it back home safely and recover.

After their adventure, Hrafn's grandfather shares stories about his own youthful mistakes. He helps Hrafn think about his strong feelings and how to stand up for what he believes in. Hrafn then decides to go back to school. The novel ends with Hrafn and his grandfather watching the beautiful Northern Lights together.