“Fifty-five Meters Below the Surface is a linguistically clever, humoristically sensitive, and thought provoking book for middle graders. /…/ There are serious themes and heavy emotions, but at the same time an extraordinary warmth and love, depicted in a first-person narrative. Palmkvist once again shows that he fully trusts children’s capability to independently read, interpret, feel, and think. 5 out of 5”
Fifty-five Meters Below the Surface
BONNIER CARLSEN, JANUARI 2O24
The house across the yard is about to be demolished, but something is not right. Inside, a curtain suddenly flutters, one Bengt Gustav has never seen before.
He enters the house even though he isn’t supposed to, and on the second floor he finds a door marked “1984.” It becomes the first in a series of time-travels, where Bengt Gustav is given the opportunity to fix everything that has gone wrong for his father through the years, all the things his father blames his alcoholism on. Only, things never get any better.
The only calm place left to Bengt Gustav is the water. Lowering himself into the bathtub, he thinks about Guillaume Néry, who for a long time held the world record in freediving.
In the water, Bengt Gustav sees his lifeboat from below, the one he is in all by himself. The lifeboat that will save him when his father derails.
Bengt Gustav finally realizes that he has to let more people onto his lifeboat, right now. That will be the only way he and his father can find a way forward..
Readers & press
“A serious and beautiful story about difficult things, alcohol, loneliness, vulnerability. And hope and friendship and love. So very poetic and nicely told! Bengt Gustav dives into the bathtub and the sea and life, he thinks, feels and sees. And no matter how bad your father is, he is still a father, the only man you have, the best in the world, the one who, when the going gets tough, chooses to be the father. I really liked this beautiful book ❤️.”
/ bokskapet, Instagram, Sweden
“Fifty-five Meters Below the Surface is a linguistically clever, humoristically sensitive, and thought provoking book for middle graders. /…/ There are serious themes and heavy emotions, but at the same time an extraordinary warmth and love, depicted in a first-person narrative. Palmkvist once again shows that he fully trusts children’s capability to independently read, interpret, feel, and think.” ★★★★★
/ BTJ, Sweden
“Important about addiction from the child's perspective - but with a funny twist. The touching final scene offers a perfect mix of cozy and fun, with a wacky twist.”
/ Blekinge Läns Tidning, Sweden
CONNY PALMKVIST
Conny Palmkvist (b. 1973) is a writer, editor and literary critic. Having made a name for himself writing historical fiction for adult readers, Palmkvist was in 2020 awarded for his children’s book debut in a manuscript contest hosted by one of Sweden’s largest children’s book publishers.
The jury praised his unique tone and dark sense of humor. His signature is, and will always be, his close perspective, as well as the poetic undercurrents of his texts.
The breathtaking time travel adventure Four Minutes Past Midnight is his second published children’s book.
Palmkvist lives with his family in Helsingborg in southern Sweden.
“Important about addiction from the child’s perspective - but with a funny twist.”
OTHER PARTS IN THE SERIE ARE SOLD TO
Japan, Sayzansha
Holland, Kluitman
UK, Hachette Children's Group
Norway, Det Norske Samlaget
South Korea, Lime
Albania, Ombra GVG
Denmark, Carlsen
Sweden, Bonnier Carlsen