SARA B. ELFGREN

Boundless creativity in all formats

Fiction

ISLAND

YA/Crossover fiction

Grim

In Dreams

Illustrated fiction

VEI, Book 1

VEI, Book 2

YA fiction, together with Mats Strandberg

The Circle

Fire

The Key

CHILDREN’S FICTION

THE CHRISTMAS STAR

The Big Banquet

I’m Not Sick!

Time For Each Other

Let’s Play!

Rights

Rights for fiction
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
Germany
Italy
Sweden
The Netherlands

Rights for Grim
Sweden
USA

Rights for In Dreams
Czech Republic
Germany
Israel
Italy
Norway
Poland
Sweden

Rights for The Big Banquet
Denmark
The Faroe Islands
Italy
North Macedonia
Sweden

Radio rights for The Big Banquet
SR, Swedish Radio
SRF, Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen

Rights for Vei
Brazil
Czech Republic
Denmark
France
Norway
Poland
Sweden
Turkey
USA/UK

Rights for The Engelsfors Trilogy
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Brazil
The Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
The Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Germany
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Japan
Korea
Latvia
Lithuania
Mexico
The Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
Thailand
Turkey
UK
USA

Film rights for The Engelsfors Trilogy
RMV Film

Awards & Nominations

2025 – The Selma Lagerlöf Society Children’s and Youth Prize
2023 – Grim – Winner of the ESFS award for Best Written Work of Fiction at Eurocon 2023
2023 – Grim – Winner of Swedish Audio Award in the Young Adult category
2021 – VEI, Book 2 – Winner of the Urhunden Award
2020 – VEI, Book 1 – Silver medal in the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award
2018 – In Dreams – winner of the Swedish Audio Award in the Young Adult category
2018 – In Dreams – nominated to the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literary Prize
2019 – The White Reindeer Award
2012 – Fire – Book Jury Prize
2012 – Fire – Great Reader’s Prize
2012 – The Circle – Icelandic Book Seller’s Award
2011 – The Circle – Book Blogger’s Literary Prize
2011 – The Circle – Book Jury Prize
2011 – The Circle – Great Reader’s Prize
2011 – The Circle – nominated to the August Award

Sara B. Elfgren is an award-winning author, screenwriter and playwright. She made her debut with the YA novel The Circle (2011), co-written with Mats Strandberg, and which sold to 25 languages and was made into a feature film. Before this, she attained a degree in Film Studies, while working as a screenwriter and script consultant. After having written across many formats and media, in 2024 Sarah published her first novel for adults, the psychological suspense novel Island.

As a child, Sara B. Elfgren dreamt of being a writer, and as a teen she made the decision to commit to the dream. She spent her 20’s attaining a degree in Film Studies, while working as a screenwriter and script consultant.

Sara is interested in many genres, but her primary focus is speculative fiction. She is attracted to ”what if”-scenarios where the laws of nature are thrown out of balance, especially when the supernatural clashes with our everyday lives. She enjoys working in different media, formats and for different audiences. Her unlimited creativity is combined with a strong discipline and the iron will of a long distance runner (though she is more fond of walking).

In 2011, at the age of 30, Sara signed the contract for her debut YA novel, The Circle, which she co-wrote with Mats Strandberg. The Circle, the first in the acclaimed Engelsfors Trilogy, has been translated to 25 languages, made into a feature film and was nominated to the August Award in 2011.

Grim (2021) was Sara’s much anticipated fifth novel for young adult audiences, set in the same universe as In Dreams from 2017. Grim is saturated with gothic atmosphere and suspense, and with as much appeal to older teenagers as well as adults. In Dreams was nominated to the to the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literary Prize 2018 and was a big success among critics and readers alike. It was the number one bestselling YA novel of 2017 in the largest Swedish internet bookshop.

For many years, Sara B. Elfgren and artist Karl Johnsson collaborated on the graphic novel Vei (2017). An epic fantasy story inspired by Norse mythology which gained a following among readers and critics all over the world, and ended up at the top of the bestseller lists for graphic novels. It was published in two parts, and sold to eight markets.

Sara also has received critical praise for her books for children. The Big Banquet (2021) is the result of a collaboration between Elfgren and artist Emil Maxén, and in 2024 she published The Christmas Star together with Johan Egerkrans. She has also has received critical acclaim for her picture books I’m Not Sick! (2019), Let’s Play! (2016) and Time for Each Other (2015), illustrated by artist Maria Fröhlich.

In 2024, Sara debuted as an adult novelist, publishing Island, a standalone psychological suspense thriller set on an alluring island outside Stockholm, where death looms on a stormy summer evening. Sold to eight markets, Island marks the beginning of Sara’s adult authorship where she will continue to write, publishing her second adult suspense novel in 2026.

Sara B. Elfgren’s website
Sara B. Elfgren’s Instagram
World of Engelsfors

Bibliography fiction

2024 – Island (Ö), suspense novel

Bibliography YA/Crossover Fiction

2021 – Grim (Grim), YA/Crossover fiction
2017 – In Dreams (Norra Latin), YA/Crossover fiction

The Engelsfors Trilogy, written together with Mats Strandberg

2013 – The Key (Nyckeln), YA fantasy novel
2013 – Tales From Engelsfors (Berättelser från Engelsfors), Sara B. Elfgren, Mats Strandberg and illustrators Kim W. Andersson, Karl Johnsson, Lina Neidestam, graphic novel
2012 – Fire (Eld), YA fantasy novel
2011 – The Circle (Cirkeln), YA fantasy novel

Bibliography illustrated fiction

2019 – Vei, Book 2 (Vei, bok 2), with artist Karl Johnsson, graphic novel
2017 – Vei, Book 1 (Vei, bok 1), with artist Karl Johnsson, graphic novel

Bibliography children fiction

2025 – The Christmas Star (Julstjärnan), with Johan Egerkrans, children’s book, 6-12
2019 – The Big Banquet (Knäckarbanketten), with Emil Maxén, children’s book, 6-12
2019 – I’m not sick! (Jag är inte sjuk!), with illustrator Maria Fröhlich, picture book
2016 – Let’s Play! (Nu leker vi!), with illustrator Maria Fröhlich, picture book
2015 – Time for Each Other (Just nu har vi varandra), with illustrator Maria Fröhlich, picture book