Scandinavian Detective Novel for Children and Juveniles in the Polish Media Space

Abstract

The worldwide trend for the Scandinavian criminal novels lasting for many years until today has marked itself even more visibly in the first decade of the 21st century, among others after the success of the “Millenium” by Stieg Larsson. An interesting phenomenon in the modern Polish publishing market can be seen in the growing popularity of the detective novels for children and youth arriving from that cultural area. It is worth noticing that this type of literature has a grounded tradition - the classics of the genre include e.g. the novel by Astrid Lindgren about Bill Bergson or Åke Holmberg’s saga about detective Sventon. It is often the case that authors of crime fiction writing for an adult recipient devote a part of their output to young readers. A characteristic symptom of interest in this type of literature in our country can be found in the growing presence of various mentions about it in Polish media space. The considered novels are usually based on a simple puzzle plot, captivating the audience with their humour and a graceful connection of educational values, psychological observations and sensation. Children crime fiction are right now considered most often as popular page-turners, which can turn out to be helpful in raising and solidifying the interest in individual reading, although their cultural potential seems to be much bigger.