Printed book, e-book or audiobook – who will you invite in this Booktober?

The printed book wants you on the sofa. The e-book slips into your bag without you even noticing. The audiobook has already volunteered to do the washing-up. But which one tells the best story?

There is something about October.

The leaves set the ground ablaze, evening arrives a little earlier, and the moon and stars claim more and more of the sky. Indoors, the windows reflect candlelight as we build little nests of blankets, cushions and teacups balanced rather precariously on armrests. A lantern lights the way to the reading chair, where a book is waiting for you. It has set aside all its time for you.

This is the season for a good book.

Perhaps for an audiobook, too? 🎧

Meet our three bookish guests.

If book formats were people, who would you invite in on a dark autumn evening?

The printed book might be the mysterious professor.

You will find him deep in the library of one of the world's most venerable universities, surrounded by dusty shelves and treasures yet to be discovered. His clothes are a little too roomy, his glasses round, and his pockets full of secrets. He would like both your hands and a comfortable chair. In return, he lets you turn back a page and linger over a curious turn of phrase. He is rarely in a hurry, and rather suspects you ought not to be, either.

The e-book is surely the magical globetrotter.

She travels light, but her unassuming little bag holds an entire library. She is always there, whether the train is delayed, the holiday has begun, or you suddenly find five minutes to yourself. And when tired eyes begin to protest, she makes the letters bigger without any fuss. She knows that some treasures are worth unpacking, even when you are on the move.

The audiobook is the bubbly songstress.

She loves company, has stories to tell, and believes every chore deserves a little entertainment. Were you planning to do the washing-up alone? Think again. Before you know it, she is in the back seat on a road trip, or joining you for a walk through the autumn leaves. She is happy to entertain the whole family while you build, draw, do puzzles and tidy up. But even this chatty lady can pause for breath, and will gladly repeat a sentence if you ask nicely.

And children do not really have to choose. Listening while following the words with a finger in a printed book or e-book can be a lovely way to support reading practice. Eyes, hands and ears get to work together on the story. Even the professor and the songstress agree on that.

But who gets your invitation?

The professor would like a little time to consider his answer. The globetrotter has already tucked the trophy into her handy little bag. Meanwhile, the songstress is out inviting the whole neighbourhood to the victory party.

And they are all right. Some days, we let the songstress carry us along. On others, we settle down with the professor and stay a little longer than we meant to. Luckily, the globetrotter has room for both in her bag.

That is how I hope you will meet Erian in his timeless world, too. A child might follow him through the adventure, eager to find out what happens next, while an adult pauses at a sentence and senses something waiting between the lines. Or perhaps it is the other way round.

That is one of the things I love about books. How they can be one story at one point in our lives, and something else later. How children and adults need not read in the same way to read together. How a sentence we return to can suddenly reveal more rooms than we first noticed.

The professor would probably nod, as though the two of you had just shared a secret.

Erian – en Tidløs Verden can be read as an adventure full of friendship and philosophical wonder. As a story about children, nature and technology in 2045. Perhaps also as a little hint that we help shape the future ourselves, through the choices we make. Starting today...

The professor and the globetrotter are already waiting, in Norwegian, as a printed book and an e-book.

And now the songstress has been joined by Johannes. Without singing a single note, he has given Erian's world a voice of its own. The Norwegian audiobook arrives on 27 November, but you can already lend it an ear for a little preview.

Listen to a sample of Erian's world in Norwegian, and ask to be notified when the audiobook is available.

And whether a voice carries you along, you turn the pages in your cosy corner, or you read on the move:

May you find just the right guest to keep you company through the autumn nights.

Happy Booktober! 🍂