Markus and Diana

Markus Simonsen is afraid of almost everything. But when he writes fan mail to famous people, he becomes somebody else: a blind widow bound to a wheelchair who longs for an autograph of a famous novelist, or a young sportsman whose career was destroyed by doping.

One day Markus writes to the famous actress Diana Mortensen, pretending to be a sensitive millionaire who is able to understand the drawbacks of fame. When she responds, Markus is drawn into a humorous adventure that requires him to invent still more stories. In the end Markus realizes that he wants to experience something more difficult: he wants to be himself.

This is the first book in the series about the unpredictable 13-year-old Markus, which has become a huge success in both Norway and abroad.

"I solemnly and honestly declare that this is one of the most hilarious books I have read for years"
(Dagbladet)

"Quirky and humorous" (Kirkus Reviews)

"Opposites in almost every way, Markus and Sigmund make a hilarious duo. Their conversations, predicaments and dilemmas make for some priceless moments... The author's sense of comedic timing and vibrant depiction of characters prove effective in conveying the lighter side of middle-school angst"
(Publishers Weekly)

"The Norwegian setting lends a mild exoticism to a comic plot that, at its climax, borders on fantasythe widely held fantasy that what the rich and famous most desire is to meet us, the ordinary people. Beneath the slapstick and the wish-fulfillment lies a deftly handled tale of childhood fears and a touching portrait of two relationships, a boy and his sad-sack single dad, and a boy and his kindly, supportive friend. A cover featuring the back view of a topless blonde sunbather gives a misleading impression of this story, which (apart from matter-of-fact references to periods and nipples) is essentially an older, Scandinavian Marvin Redpost" (The Horn Book)

"Translated from the Norwegian and first published in 1997, this novel is one of a series about the intelligent, likeable Markus. There are some clever, laugh-out-loud moments, particularly when the boys commit an etiquette book to memory and begin to practice their new manners publicly. The setting will be refreshing and totally understandable to a young American audience. Recommend it to fans of Sachar, Spinelli, and Gantos's Joey Pigza. Readers can only hope that the rest of the series makes its way across the sea"
(Voice of Youth Advocates (4Q ~ 4P))

Klaus Hagerup: Biography and bibliography

First published: 1994, Aschehoug Children and Young Adults

Rights sold to