A Children’s History of the World

Erna Osland & Victoria Sandøy

What did the world look like through the eyes of a child thousands of years ago?

In this captivating journey through world history, young readers meet children from different times and places: a Stone Age boy learning to hunt with a sharpened spear, a girl gathering grain by the Nile, and a factory child working long, dangerous days during the Industrial Revolution.

Through vivid storytelling and rich historical detail, history comes alive not through kings and battles alone, but through the everyday lives of children who lived at the heart of it all. Their games, work, dreams and struggles reveal a different side of the past — one that shows how children, too, have helped shape the world we live in today.

Acclaimed author Erna Osland has created an ambitious, engaging and deeply human introduction to world history for young readers. Paired with Victoria Sandøy’s warm, colorful illustrations, this book is a treasure trove for curious children and a perfect first step into the wonders of history.

 

Winner of Bragepriset 2025

“Barnas verdshistorie is an important book that gives children access to world history in a way that is pedagogical, poetic and politically conscious. It shows how children have been understood and treated throughout history, and how their position has changed in step with technological and societal developments. It takes children seriously – both as readers and as historical actors.” Bragepriset  jury