Satu and Pyrre of the peartree

Anna Gullichsen 2008: Satu ja päärynäpuun Pyrre
illustrated by Cara-Maria Knuutinen

Satu’s is spending her summer with her Grandmother. Grandma Simone is from France and raises plants in pots that grow in her native region: rosemary, lavender, agave, olive trees and many other. Satu’s grandfather was a gardener and he set up a garden that has rare perennials. In the garden plot Satu and Grandma Simone have sown spinach, beans, carrots and chili peppers.

One day Satu climbs into a high oak and hears humming. It is not a bird, a cricket or a kitten. The hummer is a small man who resembles a tree branch. His name is Pyrus Communis, pear tree in Latin. His nick name is Pyrre and he helps Satu take care of the garden, weeding and composting.

Wonderful flowers that bloom in Grandma Simone's garden.

 The book is full of plants in the garden, recipes for Provençal opinion pie and pear marmalade. In June bloom different flowers than in July or August. There is even a small Finnish-French dictionary at the end of the book, since Grandma Simone uses them when she speaks to Satu.

 I realise that my green thumb is making itself known. The book is wonderfully colored and all the flowers look tempting. I cannot wait to get my hands on the dirt. Usually I am too early in the nurseries and I cannot find all the plants that I would like to have in my garden.

Hidden Valley

Cover of Hidden Valley book

Pamela Mandart 2007: Piilolaakso
Pamela Mandart 2008: Piilolaakson talvi
Illustrated by Cara-Maria Knuutinen

Hidden Valley

Emma and Eino are siblings and they have recently moved to a new home. Luckily they have each other. One day they are playing with a ball and the ball vanishes inside a tree. The children see a bottomless pit in the tree and they fall in.

Emma and the animals look for Eino.

They find themselves in a strange forest with odd plants. Then they see a creature that looks like a hippo. Other strange animals appear and Emma asks them, who they are. All of their last name is Moeritherium, firstnames are Moorit, Meerit and Beerit . Emma realizes that they are prehistorical animals.

The animals get excited about the ball and soon they are playing together. Again the ball is nowhere to be found and they start looking for it. Eino gets lost and Emma is worried. Moorit suggest that they ask the trees. The trees help them find Eino and the ball.

The animals through a party to Emma and Eino, but soon they have to get back home. Emma’s and Eino’s parents do not believe them, but the children decide that when they grow up, they will become scientists and prove that Hidden Valley exists.

The winter of Hidden Valley book cover

Winter of Hidden Valley

It’s almost Christmas and Emma and Eino decides to take some Christmas spirit to the Hidden Valley. they pack elf caps, scarfs and decorations. The slippery tree is almost impossible to climb into.

Dad Dino sees the caps in the children’s heads and wonders, if they have grown tails in their heads. Emma explains the caps and gives everyone a cap. The children ask the animals to come and see the snow.

Animals from Hidden Valley enjoy winter -for a while.

Animals of Hidden Valley

The animals have never seen snow and are amazed. Eino gives them scarfs and soon they are playing in the snow: tobogganing, building snowmen. Then the cold gets to the animals and they return to the Hidden Valley. Emma shows them the decorations and they decorate a Wollemi pine. The children return home and still the parents do not believe them.






In Finland the grown ups are dull, too. They do not belive all what their children say, but that doesn't stop the children from imagining things.

I guess the second book tries to prove that snow can be fun, if you are dressed properly. There is no such thing as bad weather, just wrong attire.