The Brothers Lionheart

A tale about the battle between good and evil, the inner struggle about being a coward or courageous, about a fight for freedom – and about death.

the brothers lionheart is a tale of love strong enough to conquer death – not just once, but twice. After brothers Jonathan and Crusty pass away they meet again in Nangijala, the land of eternal spring. Casting a long shadow over their world is the evil tyrant Tengil, ruler of the country Karmanjaka, where he’s building his new fortress up in the The Ancient Mountains.

When the book was originally published it created quite a stir, with people asking whether it was really suitable to write about death for children. However, Astrid Lindgren received an enormous amount of letters from young people who felt comforted by the story.

• First published in 1973

• Over 8 Million books sold worldwide

• Translated into 50 languages

• Product licensing program available

• Filmed in 1977

Ilon Wikland

ilon wikland is an Estonian-born Swedish artist and illustrator. In 1944 she escaped the Soviet occupation of Estonia and arrived in Sweden as a 14-year-old refugee. In 1953 Ilon Wikland applied for a job as an illustrator at publisher Rabén & Sjögren, which is when she started working with Astrid. She came to illustrate Mio, My Son, The Brothers Lionheart, Seacrow Island, Children on Troublemaker street, Mardie, Karlsson on the roof, Ronja the Robber’s daughter and many more.

“When I read Astrid’s text, I always see the images and characters before me. They are already alive.”

Ilon Wikland about their collaboration, which was filled with mutual respect and admiration.