Guðrún Helgadóttir

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Guðrún Helgadóttir is a prominent writer of children's literature in Iceland. She was born in Hafnarfjörður on September 7, 1935. Her first book, "Jón Oddur og Jón Bjarni", appeared in 1974 when she worked at the National Health and Insurance Office. It concerned scheming twins and several more books in this series came out. In 1981 they became the basis for a film. By the late 1980s she won several awards and in 1988 she was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. She has written a small amount of drama for adults, but most of her work is for children 7-13.

She is also a politician. She became the first woman to be Speaker of the Althing in 1988. She held that position until 1991. Before that she had served in the legislative assembly and held a position on the Reykjavík City Council representing the People's Alliance.