Books from Finland - A literary journal of writing from and about Finland.

Elli ja tuttisuu
[Elli and the dummy]
Kuvitus [Ill. by]: Karoliina Pertamo
Helsinki: Otava, 2012. 31 pp.
ISBN 978-951-1-26045-5
€16.90, hardback

The new Elli series of picture books continues the tradition in Finnish children’s literature of giving an idyllic portrayal of the natural world: even a small child and her parents have time to marvel at nature together. In reality, more and more children are becoming estranged from their natural surroundings. Elli is an energetic little two-year-old whose mother encourages her to give away her beloved dummy (pacifier) to a young squirrel in the garden. This book tells a typical story about everyday life that will reinforce children’s self-esteem and sense of identity, but fortunately Elli is also allowed to be a little girl who needs looking after by her parents. Our performance-obsessed society expects nearly superhuman effort and skills even from children, so it is important that kids are allowed to be kids – in children’s literature, at least. Karoliina Pertamo’s illustrations glow with warm, invigorating colours. Pertamo (b. 1971) has quickly established a highly individual illustration style for herself.
Translated by Ruth Urbom

Jätti ja jänöset
[The giant and the bunnies]
Kuvitus [Ill. by]:  Nikolai Tiitinen.
Helsinki: Tammi, 2012. 25 pp., ill.
ISBN 978-951-31-6573-4
€19.90,  hardback

This powerful allegory set in the animal kingdom is a tale of global inequality – with a lovely, take-it-easy, imaginative approach that emphasises tolerance and respect for nature. The rabbit community is shaken up when an arrogant giant barges into their territory. At first, the rabbits try to take an understanding view of the interloper, but he ends up in grave danger as a result of his own actions. Only the actions of the kind-hearted rabbits can save him. The calm tone and engaging pace of Esko-Pekka Tiitinen’s story make it ideal for reading out loud. It has the timeless enchantment of traditional animal fairy tales. The mixed-media illustrations by Esko-Pekka Tiitinen’s son Nikolai radiate warmth and a sense of togetherness, but also power, hatred and estrangement where necessary. The seamlessly integrated text and illustrations create an enjoyable reading and visual experience for children and adults in much the same vein as Herra Kuningas (‘Mister King’, Otava, 1986) by Raija Siekkinen and Hannu Taina, which has already joined the ranks of classic Finnish children’s titles.’
Translated by Ruth Urbom 

Det vidunderliga ägget
[A most extraordinary egg]
Kuvitus [Ill. by]: Christel Rönns
Helsingfors: Söderströms / Stockholm: Bonnier Carlsen Bokförlag, 2012. 32 p., ill.
ISBN 978-91-638-6857-3
€16.90, hardback

Finnish edition:
Perin erikoinen muna
Suom. [Translated by] Mirjam Ilvas
Helsinki: Tammi, 2012. 30 p., ill.
ISBN 978-951-523-183-3
€15.90, hardback

This is the third work that the graphic designer and illustrator Christel Rönns (born 1960) has written in her own right. With her relaxed and humorous illustration style, Rönns has provided the visual component of some 60 children’s books. This story portrays a family – parents, two little girls and a dog (the author has dedicated her book to the memory of her hovawart dog Freja who died at 14). One summer’s day they find a large egg on the beach and bring it home. But the egg, dropped by accident, reveals a little four-legged creature: named Koi-Koi, it turns out to be delightfully friendly and playful. Nobody actually knows what it is – not even a professor of zoology – but it eats and grows to an enormous size, so the house becomes very cramped (and Koi-Koi’s massive farts send the family running…). But then Koi-Koi begins to disappear at night, and one day he doesn’t come back. Missing a lost pet is a new feeling for the girls (their parents must be secretly relieved, as must the dog!). The story is both funny and gently melancholy, the illustrations detailed and humorous. The book was awarded the Finlandia Junior Prize in 2012.

Gattonautti ja muita arkisatuja
[The cattonaut and other everyday tales]
Kuvitus [Ill. by]: Liisa Kallio
Helsinki: Tammi, 2012. 67 pp.
ISBN 978-951-31-6576-5
€19.90, hardback

There has been a desperate shortage of short stories and fairy tales for a long time. Now Sari Peltoniemi has bravely risen to this challenge. In her previous young adult novels, she cultivated the ‘new weird’ genre, in which strange and fantastical elements encroach on everyday life. This collection can be categorised as the first Finnish children’s book that makes use of that fantasy subgenre. Peltoniemi’s ten stories also pay homage to traditional Finnish folk tales: a deceased grandfather makes a reappearance to his grandson at midnight; a little sister imagines her teenage sister changing from a fairy into a troll, as in folk tales about changelings. Everyday life is wrenched into strange or absurd situations without warning. Peltoniemi’s portrayals of children display real psychological understanding and insight. The age range for this book, for reading aloud as well as independent reading, extends from preschool to older school-aged children, as the age of the main characters is not emphasised. Liisa Kallio’s child-like, rounded illustration style does indicate, however, that the intended target group is children under 10.
Translated by Ruth Urbom

Onni-poika saa uuden ystävän
[Onni makes a new friend]
Kuvitus [Ill. by]: Sanna Pelliccioni
Helsinki: Minerva, 2012. 32 pp.
ISBN 978-952-492-674-4
€15.90, hardback

The series about a boy named Onni has become a firm favourite among preschool-aged children. Even small children’s picture books are alert to real-life changes in society; in this book – the seventh in the series – Onni gets a new neighbour: a little boy named Aram and Onni quickly become firm friends, even though they do not speak the same language at first. Their friendship across cultural barriers is explained in a straightforward manner that children can grasp. It says something about the introversion of Finnish society and about cultural differences that the friendship is initiated by Aram, who brings some rice pudding made by his mother as a treat for his new neighbours. Pelliccioni’s round-headed figures, characteristic of her style, are suitably simple. She manages to convey fine nuances in their expressions and body language.
Translated by Ruth Urbom

Maukka, Väykkä ja Karhu Murhinen
[Meowser, Barker and Killington Bear]
Kuvitus [Ill. by]: Virpi Talvitie
Helsinki: Tammi, 2012. 127 pp.
ISBN 978-951-31-6167-5
€20.90, hardback

This novel in the Maukka ja Väykkä series tells about friendship among a cat, a dog and a shrew. There is a need for more children’s books for the whole family that can be read aloud. The award-winning duo behind this title have created a book with brief chapters and an engaging setting. Maukka is an attention-seeking cat with a quick temper, while Väykkä is a laid-back, worldly-wise dog. Their life together seems to be a constant squabble over which one of them is right. The latest arrival in the animal community is a little shrew, who has a heart of pure gold despite his fearsome name. He manages to teach the cat-and-dog duo a few things about life. The shrew’s life span is much shorter than that of the cat and dog; Murhinen himself has a sanguine attitude to the matter and teaches Maukka, Väykkä and the reader a number of important things about life and death.
Translated by Ruth Urbom