Zilveren Griffel for Jenny Jägerfeld!
We are proud to announce that Jenny Jägerfeld has been awarded the Zilveren Griffels 2026 in the Netherlands! She won for her book that Mijn broer is een baas (Top Bro!/Brorsan är kung), translated by Mijke Hadewey van Leersum and published by Ploegsma. A big congratulations!
This prize has been awarded since 1971 and is handed out every year since and Jenny Jägerfeld was one of this year’s 12 prize-winners for the most well-known literary prize in the Netherlands. Mijn broer is een baas was the only translated book winning a Zilveren Griffel, all other titles were domestic titles.
From the jury motivation:
“With striking confidence, this honest and accessible story about identity and friendship explores a timely and sensitive subject. Top Bro! avoids dramatic emotional outbursts and lengthy explanations. Instead, its power lies in its simplicity and directness. It is an important book for an age group in which stories about this subject are still all too rare.
Through a clear, relatable protagonist, Swedish author Jenny Jägerfeld portrays a situation that may be unfamiliar to some readers but is made immediately understandable and easy to empathize with. The story is not primarily about identity as a problem; rather, it focuses on how the people around Måns, including his parents, respond.
This creates a grounded, authentic tone in which acceptance, friendship, and loyalty take centre stage. Skillfully translated, the novel impresses with its fluent language and accessibility. The prose is direct and engaging without becoming overly sentimental, making the story both easy to read and deeply memorable.
Top Bro! opens up new perspectives, invites meaningful conversations, and demonstrates how literature can naturally foster understanding and recognition. It is an important book with considerable social relevance.”