Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelags

Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelags (often shortened to Bókadeildin or BFL) is a Faroese publishing house founded in 1956 and owned by the Faroe Islands Teachers' Association (Føroya Lærarafelag). It is one of the country's principal publishers of children's and young adult books in the Faroese language, and it also operates a book club (Bókaklubbin) that distributes titles directly to families and schools. The publisher's catalogue is organised by reader age — 0–3 years, 3–6 years, 6–9 years and 9–12 years — alongside a section for young readers ('Ung') and the Krabbabøkur series. Its list mixes original Faroese writing with translated international children's classics and popular series. Recent and forthcoming titles highlighted on its website include illustrated editions of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, Julia Donaldson's 'The Gruffalo' titles, Dr. Seuss, and Nordic children's authors such as Hans Jørgen Sandnes and Michelle Tolo, as well as Faroese authors and illustrators. BFL presents itself as a house built on 'good stories since 1956' and marked its 70th anniversary in 2026 with a public celebration organised together with the Teachers' Association. The company publishes under its own imprint, sells through bookshops and its book club, and maintains a bilingual (Faroese/English) website at bfl.fo. Its editorial identity is closely tied to Faroese-language literacy and to supplying reading material for the islands' schools and homes.

Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelags was founded in 1956 as the book division of Føroya Lærarafelag, the Faroe Islands Teachers' Association. Its creation reflected a broader effort in mid-twentieth-century Faroese society to strengthen Faroese-language publishing and to provide schoolchildren with reading material in their own language, at a time when the islands' book market was small and heavily dependent on imported Danish and other Scandinavian titles. From its base in the Faroe Islands, the house concentrated on children's and young adult literature, building a catalogue that combined original Faroese writing with translations of well-known international children's books. Over the decades it became one of the country's established publishers in that segment, and it developed a direct-to-reader channel through its book club, Bókaklubbin, which distributes selected titles to members. By the 2020s BFL's list included age-graded series for readers from 0 to 12 years, a young-reader section, and translated series such as the illustrated Harry Potter editions and picture-book titles by authors including Julia Donaldson and Dr. Seuss. The publisher also promotes Faroese authors and illustrators through its website and news section. In 2026 the publisher marked its 70th anniversary. According to its own news page, Føroya Lærarafelag and Bókadeildin organised a public celebration with lectures to mark the occasion, under the slogan 'good stories since 1956'. The same year it announced the Faroese illustrated edition of the sixth Harry Potter novel, illustrated by Levi Pinfold, continuing its strategy of pairing international bestsellers with Faroese-language editions for young readers.

• 2026

  The publisher celebrates its 70th anniversary with a public event organised with Føroya Lærarafelag.

• 2026

  Faroese illustrated edition of the sixth Harry Potter book, illustrated by Levi Pinfold, is announced.

• 1956

  Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelags is founded as the book division of the Faroe Islands Teachers' Association.

A mission-driven Faroese-language publisher of children's and young adult literature, closely linked to the islands' teachers' association and to reading education.

• Age-graded children's books (0–3, 3–6, 6–9, 9–12 years)

• Ung (young reader) titles

• Krabbabøkur series

• Illustrated Harry Potter editions in Faroese

• Translated picture books (e.g. Julia Donaldson, Dr. Seuss)

• Bókaklubbin book club selections

1. 1Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelags official websitebfl.fo
2. 2Wikidata entry for Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelagswikidata.org
3. 3Bókadeild Føroya Lærarafelags – Swedish Wikipediasv.wikipedia.org