” Conny Palmkvist is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Swedish children’s and young adult literature, and this book for middle-grade readers is clear proof of that.”
Fifty-five Meters Below the Surface
BONNIER CARLSEN, JANUARI 2O24
Few can write with the same blend of humor, empathy, and depth as Conny Palmkvist. His literary worlds are defined by a fascinating combination of realism and a magical shimmer. His critically acclaimed and award-winning books for young readers have been translated into several languages, including Japanese, Dutch, and Korean.
One day, they are making snow angels in the yard. The next, Alma leaves, and time itself comes to a standstill. All the days that follow are defined by that moment with the snow angel.
Jack and Alma know everything about each other—they are true soulmates. But one winter day, the unthinkable happens: Alma dies in a plane crash. Grief takes a firm hold on Jack—after all, they were supposed to be friends forever. Then, things begin to shift; he discovers clues that lead him to realize that he and Alma may not have been just friends in this lifetime… There was something Alma said that winter evening in the yard—do you remember? But what is it that Jack needs to recall, and could it help him bring Alma back?
In My Past Lives, I Have Missed You Forever explores themes of friendship, grief, and the magic of past lives.
Conny Palmkvist is also the author of the award-winning My Five Rules for Life, Four Minutes Past Twelve, Fifty-Five Meters Below the Surface, and It’s an Eternity to the Stars—the latter of which was nominated for the 2025 Children’s Radio Book Prize.
He lives in Helsingborg.
Readers & press
“Conny Palmkvist writes with such warmth and clarity that the story never becomes overwhelming. The supernatural elements and different timelines create suspense as well as a carefully considered distance to Jack’s sorrow. The precision of the prose gives the first person narrative room for both complexity and afterthought. /…/ [Conny Palmkvist] is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Swedish children’s and young adult literature, and this book for middle-grade readers is clear proof of that.”
// BTJ, Sweden
“The supernatural casts a magical shimmer over the narrative, yet its true weight lies in the deeply grounded: the shock, the sense of loss, and the arduous attempt to find a way back to life. It is the portrayal of grief that gives the story its most compelling pull. Palmkvist writes with great sensitivity about how a close relationship can shape a person—and about the void left when that person is suddenly torn away. Jack’s mother is depicted with particular grace; she remains present without ever trying to dictate her son’s path through his grief. The supernatural element—the concept of past lives—could easily have felt heavy-handed, but instead, it lends the story both suspense and comfort. The love between Jack and Alma is portrayed tenderly, free from sentimentality, and beneath the darkness lies a glimmer of hope: perhaps the most significant bonds are stronger than life itself.
In My Past Lives, I Have Missed You Forever is a warm and moving story about friendship, love, and grief—written with profound faith in young readers’ capacity to confront life’s most difficult challenges.”
// Skånska Dagbladet (big newspaper)
CONNY PALMKVIST
Conny Palmkvist (b. 1973) is a writer, editor and literary critic. Having made a name for himself writing historical fiction for adult readers, Palmkvist was in 2020 awarded for his children’s book debut in a manuscript contest hosted by one of Sweden’s largest children’s book publishers.
The jury praised his unique tone and dark sense of humor. His signature is, and will always be, his close perspective, as well as the poetic undercurrents of his texts.
The breathtaking time travel adventure Four Minutes Past Midnight is his second published children’s book.
Palmkvist lives with his family in Helsingborg in southern Sweden.
”Important about addiction from the child’s perspective - but with a funny twist.”
OTHER PARTS IN THE SERIE ARE SOLD TO
Taiwan, Taiwan, Delight Culture
Japan, Sayzansha
Holland, Kluitman
UK, Hachette Children's Group
USA, Hachette Children's Group
Norway, Det Norske Samlaget
South Korea, Lime
Albania, Ombra GVG
Denmark, Carlsen
Sweden, Bonnier Carlsen
More to come.