This thesis aims to explore how 21^st-century children’s and young adult literature published in Sweden represents and frames digital technology, as well as how this literature relates to contemporary digital discourse. Theoretically, the thesis brings together ideas and concepts from various fields of study, such as media discourse analysis, intermedial studies, the teaching of literature and research in children’s and young adult literature. Literature for these age groups is understood as being shaped by and actively shaping the technological situation and discourse of its time, as well as expressing adult ideas about what young people want and should read about digital technology.

Combining quantitative methods with literary analysis, a primary material of 249 books featuring digital technology from the period 2000–2019 has been gathered and analysed. The results are presented in four main chapters. In the first chapter, the primary material is inventoried using bibliographic records to discern general tendencies. These tendencies are explored further in the following chapters by focusing on three prominent figures in the books that highlight central aspects of what it is to be a young digital citizen in the 21^st century: the digitally competent child, the gaming child, and the child using social media.

The ways in which digital technology is represented and framed throughout the period reflect the ever-changing technology landscape and the tensions within digital discourse. Both in the material as a whole and in individual texts, digital technology is associated with both possibilities and problems. Digital technology can have a positive impact on young people and their relationships to technology, other people, society, and the world – but can also cause many forms of conflict.

Under 2000-talet har digitala teknologier tagit en alltmer självklar plats inte bara i den mänskliga-teknologiska tillvaron, utan även i barn- och ungdomslitteraturens gestaltningar av den. I sin avhandling belyser Jakob Olsson hur digital teknik såväl representeras som didaktiseras i samtida litteratur för unga läsare, samt hur dessa böcker kopplar upp sig mot en vidare, digital diskurs där ungas relation till tekniken ofta står i centrum. I särskilt fokus står samtidens mediestrider och vuxenvärldens många och delvis motstridiga budskap, där unga människor samtidigt ska omfamna tekniken och hålla den på armlängds avstånd.

I avhandlingen kombineras kvantitativa metoder med läsningar för att inventera och analysera de tekniska och teknikanvändande gestalterna i böcker utgivna under perioden 2000–2019. Där framträder en komplex och spänningsfylld bild av det som vuxenvärlden tror att unga vill och behöver läsa om den digitala tekniken.