One Thousand Times Silence 

By Maria Sann Matilda Gyllenberg

Matilda Gyllenberg’s sequel sensitively explores the impact of mental health struggles on families.
 
School is a building packed with hooligans! But when Nike gets home, it’s completely silent. Mum is in bed crying. Dad, on the other hand, wants Nike to visit him in Denmark and celebrate her birthday there. But Nike feels she can’t just leave Mum on her own.
 
Of all the hooligans at school, Staffan is the worst. He starts in the same class as Nike and her best friend Mia after the summer holidays, because he has to repeat sixth grade. This has been decided by the school's nasty headmistress, who despises Staffan. Soon, Nike and Mia have a mystery to solve that involves not only Staffan and the headmistress, but also a dangerous prisoner who has escaped from the women's prison. 
 
This page-turner explores what it is like for a sixth-grader to have a parent with mental health struggles while navigating other challenges of a teen’s life. It tackles the seriousness of family life with a touch of humour and anarchic power.

Matilda Gyllenberg’s celebrated One Hundred Days at Home and sequel, One Thousand Times Silence, are enlightening and empathetic novels that shed light on a teen’s silent struggles. Gyllenberg skilfully portrays what it really feels like beneath the surface.

Both books are illustrated in black and white by Maria Sann.

Publishing information

About the author

Maria Sann (b. 1982) is an award-winning illustrator based in Helsinki. She has illustrated a handful of children’s books and picture books. Sann creates playful illustrations based on soft forms and strong colour combinations. Her works are featured in the ongoing Kollektivet – Picture Book Illustration from Finland exhibition.

Matilda Gyllenberg (b.1980) is a journalist and author.She has worked as a news anchor, been a presenter and editor for various television programs, and she has also worked as a columnist. Breathless Home (Det lungsjuka huset) is her debut novel. One Hundred Days at Home (Hundra dagar hemma) is her first novel for children, and it was recognized as an outstanding book by the Swedish Literature Society in 2023.