User:Kortdagbyen
In the Johan Adventure Series by Bonnie Solino, Kortdagbyen Island is an imaginary secret island, north of Norway situated between the Norwegian and Barents Seas. Its longitude, latitude, area size, and population are classified by a decree from the Royal House of the Kongeriket Norge (Kingdom of Norway).
It’s an island hidden by an invisible energy based dome, making it impossible to see the island by people outside the dome. Those that get near only see miles of water crowded with large round floating mines and buoys warning of danger. The mines were defused many years ago, but their appearance keeps non-Kortdagbyens at bay. Once a month the dome is disengaged allowing boats with supplies and personnel to come and go for a period of twelve hours.
Kortdagbyen Island maintains a temperature at about 27.5556° Celsius (78°Fahrenheit) because of a series of magma vents surrounding the island. The warm temperature allows unique plants and animals to flourish. There is a large population of pterodactyl, various arctic birds, and butterflies. There is a group of Breen Skapning living in the jungle, along with a few trolls.
Bonnie Solino created an island without towns or cities but areas. Mt. Bla SnØen, the highest mountain, is far east side of the island. Along most of its eastern coast runs a Rain Forest. Its southwestern area is the fertilized Farmland where the fresh foods are raised. The Fishing Village on the southeast and on the opposite side is the northern section, which has beaches for recreation and wharfs for the fishing boats. Connor’s Corner is in the center. In Johan And The Secret Caves, Johan’s mama suggests it is a rustic chic downtown because of the different colored, old worn, wooden buildings lining the main street. A tailor/shoemaker shop is to the left of a row of stores. The shoemaker puts new soles on Grandpapa shoes once a year. That’s also, where Mama has the tailor alter the girls’ special dresses. The tailor and her husband live above their shop.
The tailor is our librarian, too. Shelves full of books line three walls and in the center of the brightly lit room, there are tables, chairs, and a sofa. Some days, Johan and his grandpapa spend hours reading. His mama and grandmama belong to the book club there, where books are discussed and tea is served.
Next door is a place to get hair salon, where the kortdagbyens get haircuts and the latest news. On very special occasions, they get manicures. A small post office is located at the far end of the street. The all the way to the right is a general store. In Johan And The Secret Caves, Mister Bjorn was the shopkeeper, but he went to prison for kidnapping and now in Johan And The Secret Storm, Mrs. Morton runs the store. The store sells everything from groceries, clothing, personal items like toothpaste, candy, bike inner tubes, batteries, ropes, to other necessities. The supplies arrive on the monthly boat. A large community room in the back is used as a meeting hall, a movie theater, or a place for church services.
A solar powered train runs up the hill to the platform at the side of the store. It transports people, supplies, and fresh fish.
Originally, the island was a Viking vacation spot. Several structures were built or used during the Viking Era. Runes (the Viking alphabet) are found in many underground structures. A tunnel running from the Viking Cabin to the home of Johan’s grandparents may have built during that period. Sitting on a steep hill near the wharf is the stave church…a tribute to Viking engineering. In Johan and the Secret Storm, an ancient kjeller is found under the church.
Its capital city is Oslo on the mainland of Norway. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Norway was signed by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly of Eidsvoll on 17th of May, 1814. It established the rights and rules for an independent Norway. In the novels, there was another document signed that day... a secret one. It is called the Hemmelig Bestemmeiser Article #731. The law was set up to protect Kortdagbyen Island. It erased all records of its history-past and present of the island. It delegated the Kings of Norway as the protectors of the island, its people, and its resources. It attributes King Haakon VII for establishing the Komiteen for Beskyttelse av Hemmelig Statlig Ansvar, (the Committee for the Protection of Secret Government Responsibility), in 1918. It is secret committee to protect the island from invaders and administer the functions of Kortdagbyen Island. It remains a select group of Kortdagbyen citizens. It is the second government of Kortdagbyen Island abiding by all rules and laws of the Kingdom of Norway.
Johan And The Secret Caves speaks of the original settlers who were compiled by King Haakon. He chose a team of engineers, physicists, and people with unusual skills, to build the invisible energy based dome called the Simonhatten. Today, their descendants live on the island and enjoy good health with a long life expectancy, well above the universal average. They are highly educated; the number of people who hold doctorates is the highest of any nation including mainland Norway.
The novels strive to maintain a small carbon footprint for island. It is very energy conscious. They are careful to conserve energy and water. Solar and hydroelectric power all the electricity on the island. Other forms of power are from the radiant properties of some of the islands minerals and plants such as the lysende tree, which has leaves that once picked, are used like flashlights to light the way. Their primary mode of transportation is walking or riding bicycles. For longer trips, they use the solar train or an electric powered cart. Their appliances such as washers and dishwashers use steam for cleaning whenever possible.