Rán* Flygenring is an award-winning author and artist based in Reykjavík, Iceland. She is the writer and illustrator of many books, most of them about the natural forces, culture-nature and environmental issues. Rán also hosts creative workshops and gives talks and lectures, in Iceland and abroad. She is the writer of the free newsletter The Rán Flygenring Show.
*pronounce it like the word brown, but without the -b and with a rolling rrrrrrrr
Scroll to discover books, projects, and more.
BOOKS
Coming soon: Bananasafnið The Banana Museum
A banana bonanza fiction & non-fiction picture book for all ages.
Bananas are the best-selling fruit in the world. We slice them and mash them, blend, grill, bake, and eat them on various occasions. But what does the average person actually know about bananas?
Pálmi knows as much about bananas as most of us— practically nothing. He has just moved into an apartment building where he doesn't know anyone, and he is terribly bored. When his parents give him a toco toucan, Pálmi cheers up. Until the bird escapes into the freezing winter darkness.
In his search for the toucan, Pálmi receives unexpected backup from Fífa, and together they set off on an adventurous rescue expedition that leads them beneath the snow and into a remarkable banana museum. Did you know that a banana is a berry? That there are blue bananas and red ones? That monkeys actually prefer grapes to bananas? But there is something fishy going on in these underworld and soon the story takes a gut-wrenching turn ...
Published by Angústura, in Icelandic, October 2026.
BOOKS
Tjörnin The Pond
A picture book for curious nature-loving children of all ages
★ The Icelandic Literary Prize 2024, in the category of children’s books
★ The Reykjavík Children’s Literary Prize 2024, for illustration
★ The Icelandic Booksellers‘ Prize for Best Children‘s Book of 2024
★ The Icelandic Women’s Literature Prize 2024, in the category of children’s books
★ The Children’s Book of the Year 2024, selected by Morgunbladid Daily
★ The Icelandic Graphic Design Association Gold Award
★ Selected for the BRAW Amazing Bookshelf 2025
★ Nominated for the West Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize 2026
When Fern and Robin stumble upon a peculiar dent in the middle of their garden, everything changes. Weevils and millipedes, a mysterious ghost child, an unpredictable statue of a selkie and unhelpful neighbours are just a few of the wonders that surface as the friends take to their shovels.
The dent turns out to be a pond. The newfound pond brings life and joy, but when chaos shows up, things get heated. As the line between curiosity and control starts to blur, the urge for order and dominance puts their friendship to a test. And their lives …
The Pond is a profound and magical tale of curiosity and courage, of order and disorder, but most of all, about the relationships we have with our own species and all the others we share our environment with.
“The Pond draws forth a lively and diverse nature that hides everywhere and is unpredictable, interacting with the imaginative flights of the children and their creative thinking, which is natural to them … The story reveals interactions between species in the ecosystem where humans are just one species among many.”
Viðar Hreinsson, TMM, Literary Magazine
Available in Icelandic, English, Estonian, German, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Lithuanian, Faroese and soon Malayalam, Macedonian and Czech.
Eldgos Volcano
Weird and wildly entertaining
★ Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize 2023
★Nominated for the Reykjavik Children’s Literature Prize 2022
★Special mention at The BRAW (BolognaRagazzi Awards)
Amazing Bookshelf at the Bologna Book fair 2024
On an impromptu bring-your-kid-to-work day, Kaktus goes on a bus trip with tour guide and mother extraordinaire Brá. Together with a group of eccentric sightseers they venture on a classic day tour of waterfalls, furry horses and postcard perfect landscapes. But their day takes an unexpected twist when Kaktus spots something glowing red hot in the distance…
„At first glance, Volcano may seem like a lively and straightforward story about a mother, her son and oblivious nature, but it goes a lot deeper than that. The story makes one think about prejudice, foolishness, danger and fear, and about the importance of taking responsibility for oneself in encounters with nature. (...) In Volcano, the point of view constantly shifts between the gigantic and the diminutive, which injects excitement and life into this relatively simple story. At the end, the lice have settled in the fox’s fur and started a new life in harmony with their host. This should be interpreted as hope that humanity will finally find a good way to live on earth – a way that’s not reminiscent of an epidemic but in harmony with nature.“
Rationale, Norden.org
Available in Icelandic, English, Estonian and Swedish.
BOOKS
OTHER BOOKS
ABOUT
Meet Rán Flygenring
I live in Reykjavík, Iceland, where I write and draw books about nature, environmental philosophy, and human curiosity. My work ranges from illustrated stories to live performance drawing, lectures, and community art workshops across the Nordic
I also publish a regular newsletter, The Rán Flygenring Show, sharing reflections on art, wilderness, and storytelling. My focus is always on fostering deep empathy for the living earth through whimsical, thoughtful craftsmanship.
FOCUS
Authoring • Illustration • Eco-Philosophy • Live Drawing • Workshops • Public Lectures• Product Design • UI/UX • Packaging Design • Art Direction • Figma • Photoshop
Art Workshops
Creative Writing
Interactive sessions helping participants discover their voice through field drawing, nature observation, and whimsical narrative building.
Lectures
Eco-Philosophy Talks
Keynotes and festival talks on environmental storytelling, Nordic nature ethics, and the power of art in climate dialogue.
Newsletter
Weekly Journal
The Rán Flygenring Show delivers free essays, sketchbook peeks, and philosophical reflections on nature directly to your inbox.
STEP 5
Gather & converse
Hosting workshops, public readings, and lectures to engage audiences in meaningful dialogues about earth and community.
SERVICES
Live-drawing
I live-draw events and conferences for a clear, visual and live result, digital or analogue.
"I took Rán's book VOLCANO to Saudi-Arabia as a gift on a business trip. When they wouldn't let me through the customs with my volcanic ash samples, I explained the situation by pointing to the book. It saved my ass.".
Málfríður's husband. A geo-chemist.
"The newsletter is a joy. It feels like receiving a thoughtful letter from a weird, drunk friend that I thought forgot about me but calls when I least expect it."
A Newsletter Reader
"I wish she could draw better."
Kids
REVIEWS
Testimonies and reviews
20+
Published books
80+
Workshops & lectures
15
Years of craft
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How can I book a workshop?
Send an email with details about your group, location, and preferred dates. I host workshops for schools, libraries, festivals, and institutions.
Where can I buy your books and prints?
My books are available at bookstores across the Nordic region and online. Limited art prints can be ordered directly via email.
What is the newsletter about?
The Rán Flygenring Show is a free newsletter featuring behind-the-scenes sketches, stories about nature, and thoughts on nature and philosophy.