Welcome to Barfotaböcker Publishing

”​Rock to the East is a fast-paced fantasy adventure you won’t want to miss!”

CHILDREN’S BOOK CLUB
(BARNEN​S BOKKLUBB)/
ABOUT ROCK TO THE EAST
ENGLISH RELEASE 
SPRING 2026

”​The language is well crafted, at times truly beautiful, and often carries a timeless tone that suits the genre well. Swing to the South and North is an excellent fantasy tale with engaging themes 
Overall rating: 5 ”

BTJ
(SWEDISH LIBARY SERVICES)
ABOUT ROCK TO THE SOUTH AND NORTH 
ENGLISH RELEASE 
SPRING 2027

”​The atmosphere brings to mind the classic Mio, My Son.”

BTJ
(SWEDISH LIBARY SERVICES)
ABOUT ROCK TO THE WEST
ENGLISH RELEASE 
AUTUMN 2026

ROCK TO THE EAST - RELEASE 14 APRIL

The first book in The Compass Series is finally being published in English. On 14 April, the first stand-alone novel in the series, Rock to the East, will be released.

Work is currently underway on the very final details ahead of the launch of Rock to the East. The book was translated some time ago by the experienced translator Neil Betteridge. The book is currently in the final stages of design and typesetting.

The final chapter of the audiobook was recorded last week, narrated by the multi-award-winning voice actor Hannah Melbourn. The cover illustration for the English edition is taking shape day by day, created by the acclaimed illustrator Jonnie Kay Holmberg. 

The book will be available in paperback, e-book, and audiobook formats.

NORDIC FANTASY FOR YOUNG READERS 

Barfotaböcker Publishing is a Swedish independent publisher presenting The Compass Series — a middle grade fantasy series. 

The series combines thrilling adventure with thoughtful themes such as time, climate change, injustice, courage, and responsibility, set in the Nordic countryside of Dalsland.

The Compass Series will reach English-language readers in 2026. The first title, Rock to the East, will be released on 14 April 2026.

The series currently consists of three titles:
Rock to the East — 14 April 2026
Rock to the West — Forthcoming Autumn 2026
Rock to the South and North — Forthcoming 2027

THE ORIGINAL SWEDISH EDITIONS

Rock to the East

Om Gunga mot Öster

Rock to the West

Om Gunga mot Väster

Rock to the South and North

Om Gunga mot Söder och Norr

The Swedish edition is illustrated by Sofia Falkenhem. The forthcoming English edition will be illustrated by Jonnie Kay Holmgren.

ABOUT THE COMPASS SERIES

The Compass Series is a middle grade fantasy series set in a Nordic-inspired landscape, where magical worlds and everyday life are closely connected. The books follow Aina, a cautious but determined girl who is drawn into other worlds through her grandfather’s rocking chair.

Each world represents a force that shapes both the magical realms and our own — such as time, nature and how people treat one another.

Written for readers aged 8–12, the series combines suspenseful adventure with a calm, reflective tone. 

The books are suitable both for independent reading and for read-aloud or family listening. 

Rock to the East (Book 1)
Rock to the West (Book 2 – forthcoming)
Rock to the North and South  (Book 3 - forthcoming)

Om Gunga mot Öster

ROCK TO THE EAST

” Rock to the East is an action-packed adventure you can’t afford to miss!” 
Barnens bokklubb (Children´s book club)

Aina can’t believe her eyes. It’s the middle of the night and there in her grandfather’s rocking chair, swinging back and forth, sits a strange woman, staring at her. Suddenly she stops.“Aina, the one. We need your help.” 

This is the beginning of an adventure that will take Aina to the East, where she and her new friend, Elmi, are destined to stop the Master abusing the Windchimer – the clock that controls time not only in the East but in our world too. 

This particular summer in Dalsland is everything but normal. Dangers appear where least expected, and friends in strange guises. Aina, who’s normally afraid of almost everything, is faced with the toughest trials of her life and the prospect of losing all she holds dear.  

Rock to the East is a high-stakes middle grade fantasy set in the Nordic countryside — and the first book in The Compass Series, where each direction opens the door to a new world, and where the fate of those worlds reaches into our own.

Rock to the East – Swedish edition
AUTHOR: Anna-Klara Mehlich. 
ILLUSTRATOR: Sofia Falkenhem

The English edition is currently taking shape, with cover art by Jonnie Kay Holmgren.