The Hole² [Forthcoming: November]
The Hole² [Forthcoming: November]
Written & illustrated by Øyvind Torseter
Translated from Norwegian by Kari Dickson
Surprising, comic, and thought-provoking, this book, from Norway’s greatest cartoonist, Øyvind Torseter, which has a splendid physical hole punched right through it, tells the story of a mysterious, missing hole and the hilarious search for it!
Set directly after the events of The Hole, in which a hole inexplicably appeared, was sent to a lab for testing, and was then returned to its hapless owner, here the same hole now goes missing, leading its owner on a quest to find it and bring it home. Full of twists and turns, curious characters, and many surprises, this is an urban quest for the ages that evokes laughter, while sparking questions and wonder alike.
In these pages, Norwegian artist and illustrator Øyvind Torseter recontextualizes the titular hole as an array of circular objects, masterfully blurring the line between absence and presence and delivering an entertaining and thought-provoking read from cover to cover.
ISBN: 978-1-59270-508-5 • 234 mm (W) x 276 mm (H) • 80 pages • HC
OUT NOV 17, 2026! Please note that due to shipping costs, all the books included in the same order as The Hole² will ship together in November.
PRAISE FOR THE HOLE (book one)
One of Brain Pickings's 13 Best Children's, Illustrated, and Picture Books of 2013! “The story of a lovable protagonist who wakes up one day and discovers a mysterious hole in his apartment, which moves and seems to have a mind of its own. Befuddled, he looks for its origin―in vain. He packs it in a box and takes it to a lab, but still no explanation.” —Maria Popova, Brain Pickings
“For a humorous demonstration of how a little thing can have big implications, look no further than The Hole, by Norwegian writer and illustrator Oyvind Torseter. This stylish book has a single small hole drilled all the way through its middle, which brings readers in on the joke from the beginning… [A] curiously affecting story.” —Meghan Cox Gurdon, The Wall Street Journal
“I got [The Hole] when my daughter was just two, and we read it then and still read it now. A creature moving into a new apartment discovers a hole which keeps moving, which he can’t manage to understand or get rid of, but which he eventually accommodates as a moon, as a light. I assume every adult knows about these absences with which we have to make a measured peace.” —Rivka Galchen
“Off-the-wall (so to speak) and seriously fun, this story is one to give a child of any age for exploring and pondering.” —Kirkus Reviews
“With its moody line drawings, sly humor, and witty use of the hole in each page (when it’s not a hole, it’s a streetlight, balloon, nostril, etc.), Torseter’s story amuses, provokes, and leaves readers wishing for more.” —Publishers Weekly