Helene Uri

Helene Uri (b. 1964) is an active writer and a critically acclaimed, award-winning, and highly prolific author. She writes for both adults and children and publishes books in a wide range of genres. She also holds a PhD in linguistics and is an adjunct professor (Professor II) at both Kristiania University College and the Norwegian Institute for Children’s Books. In addition, she has an extensive record of scholarly publications, as well as numerous engagements, commissions, and positions of trust.
In 2018, she took over as Aftenposten’s language columnist from Per Egil Hegge, and since 2020 she has co-hosted the podcast Språktalk together with Aftenposten journalist Kristin Storrusten.

Helene Uri made her literary debut in 1995 with the young adult novel Anna på fredag. Since then, books have followed one after another. Several of them have received prestigious awards. In 1998, she was awarded the Norwegian Ministry of Culture’s Prize for Children’s Literature for the nonfiction book Den store faktaboka om språk (Damm/Cappelen Damm), and in 2018 she received the Brage Prize for her nonfiction work Hvem sa hva? (Gyldendal). The following year, she was awarded the Riksmål Society’s Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature for the young adult novel Stillheten etterpå (2019).

Helene Uri has also co-authored books with other writers. She has made a significant contribution as a knowledgeable and engaging communicator of language and linguistic understanding, carefully adapted for different audiences, often with a touch of humor. Her books have been translated into more than twenty languages.