Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir

Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir (born 1 May 1953, in Reykjavik) is an Icelandic author, noted for her children's books.

She graduated as a teacher from the Kennaraskóli Íslands in 1973, and took a degree in art history at Aarhus University in 1979. She also studied literature at the University of Iceland.[1]

Ragnheiður worked as a teacher in Reykjavík for several years, and was editor of Iceland's National Centre for Educational Materials 1990–96. She has both illustrated and written books for children and teens.[1]

Her first book, Ljósin lifna, was published in 1985. Ragnheiður has retold and illustrated various Icelandic folktales, pre-eminently in her book Sagan af Hlina konungssyni. Amongst other prizes, Ragnheiður won the Icelandic Children's Book Prize for her 2000 book Leikur á borði; and the Nordic Children's Book Prize in 2005 for her novel Sverðberinn.[1] Her most recent novels include the 2009 Hjartsláttur and the 2012 Myndin í speglinum.

Ragnheiður lives in Hafnarfjörður. She is married and has four children.[1]