The stories That Won the Summer – Three Received Recognition

Summer reading is life’s adventure!

Ísabella Magna from Engidalsskóli, Marta Ísabel from Áslandsskóli, and Þorbjörg Hekla from Víðistaðaskóli recently received awards for remarkable works in the Hafnarfjörður Library and school libraries’ summer reading treasure hunt.

Ísabella wrote the story Bölvaði Pizzastaðurinn, Marta Ísabel wrote Vorið, and Þorbjörg Hekla wrote Brjálaðir tómatar. These works, along with sixteen other outstanding entries, are available for anyone to view on the library’s first floor.

Valdimar Víðisson, mayor, congratulated the winners in person and gave a short speech. “The summer reading program had a new format this year. It was very interesting and fun to see how many children participated and put in effort,” he said.

“Reading is extremely important, and it is crucial that children read over the summer so they don’t lose the skills they have gained at school. The library’s summer reading program is an important part of encouraging children to read. I sincerely thank the staff for organizing this and congratulate everyone who took part.”

Warm celebration

The ceremony at the library was very warm and low-key. Families of the winners, as well as library staff, came together to celebrate the achievements.

Summer Reading 2025 encouraged students to submit poems and short stories. A total of 109 valid entries were received from 107 participants within the deadline. The entries were printed and displayed throughout the town. Many likely noticed the brightly posted sheets around town during the summer, which sparked fun exploratory journeys across the community.

Hugrún Margrét, head of the children and youth department at Hafnarfjörður Library, said it was time to change the summer reading format. This year the library worked with school libraries and placed submission boxes there. School librarians encouraged both teachers and students to participate.

Children got to create

“They spend the entire school year writing down what they read. I wanted to make it more interactive and hear their voices. It was also a perfect opportunity to spread children’s culture around our town,” Hugrún Margrét said about the new format.

“We can see in the stories that the kids notice what is happening around them. It is so fun to see. You can read a story where Elon Musk appears, recycling, cave dwellers, or the mayor. It was really enjoyable to get this kind of insight,” she said. Poems were also part of the competition this year.

“One touching poem is very memorable. It dealt with loss and gives a deep insight into a child’s thoughts and emotions.”

Yes, this is a true harvest. Congratulations to all. Be sure to visit our library and enjoy the results of the summer.

Gunnar Týr, Ísabella’s brother who was unable to attend, Marta Ísabel from Áslandsskóli, and Þorbjörg Hekla from Víðistaðaskóli, together with the mayor.