Baas and moos poems of animals and humans

Mariska 2018: Määt ja muut, runoja eläimistä ja ihmisistä
Illustrated by Reetta Niemensivu and Aapo Ravantti


Wonderful collection of animal (and human) poems. My favourite was of a sad cow that is pining after a bull that had gone with another cow. How very sad! The cuteness comes from the word "muu". Mariska writes: "Sonni löysi viereen jonkun Muun." The bull is now near someone else. (Muu= someone else and the sound a cow makes in Finland)

These poems are insightful: the seagulls at the Helsinki marketplace are just in defiance age. That is why they are trying to eat people's foods! A little girl is on strike and does not want to go to sleep, to day care and so on. Adults have the right to strike so why not kids?

Mariska is previously known as musician. She has written lyrics to many Finnish artist and has recorded songs herself. 

Siiri on strike

The seagull in mischief

Cow mooing over a bull

Rubyheart

Kaarina Helakisa 2009: Rubiinisydän
illustrated by Nina Haiko

The king of the forest gives a ruby heart to one child every year for inventing a way to keep the dragons happy. The dragons feed on the flowers and plants and hold iron eggs that if they were dropped on the forest, would destroy it completely.

This year a litte girl with hay hair wants to have the ruby. The most modest of the flowers, twinflower promises to help. The girl writes letters to the other children in the other forests and they all decide to bury the dragons in their caves with stones and stop feeding them. The king gives the girl the ruby heart, which she then splits and the birds takes the smaller ruby hearts to all the children in the other forests. The dragons won't be eating the flowers anymore.

This book has been translated in English.

Eelis at summer house

Tittamari Marttinen 2006: Eelis mökillä
Illustrated by Anne Peltola

Eelis and his family are packing all kinds of useful stuff to take on their vacation on a summer house. The house smells funny and mice had eaten everything that was left in for the winter.

The vacation starts with cleaning, but luckily Eelis does not have to participate, he can go check his treasures in a secret hiding place. Then his best friend Iiris, arrives with her family. The dad's play darts (the Finnish kind, with only ten circles, most points "10" can be received in the middle).

Then it is time to fo fishing.  Mom is calling everyone to sauna, but the kids ride their bikes to the cafe near by, where they get ice cream.  Back at the summer house Eelis tells Iiris about the outhouse monster, which hides. Suddenly, surprise guests arrive by boat. You never know if they stay for the night or for the week. With sauna the families and friends roast sausages by the fire.

Next day is beautiful and the children spend the day in the lake swimming. Then the weather changes and it starts to rain. The kids play inside.

When you are invited to a summer house, be prepared: it can be a cartboard box with no electricity and an out house or it can be a luxurious log house with a hot tub. Nonetheless all Finns are very proud of their summer houses and are very hospitable. Be also prepared to work in a summer house, there always is something to do, if not chopping wood then taring the roofs.

After Midsummer all Finland closes and most of the Finns can be found in their summer houses.

Welcome to Rauhala

Jenni Kirves 2015: Tervetuloa Rauhalaan
illustrated by Annika Hiltunen

Toivo is a small boy, who's parents have been fighting several days. Toivo feels horrible and hides in the attic.  All of a sudden the stairs start to grow and take Toivo to Rauhala, where the flowers are more colorful and the water sparkles brighter.  Toivo would like to stay, but in the same time he misses his parents. He's only wish is that they would not fight so much.

Rauha also shows what happens after death.

Toivo means Hope and I have been trying to figure out, what it means that it is masculine in the Finnish language and feminine in the English language. We also have a female name Rauha, which means peace and masculine name Usko (Faith).  Maybe it does not mean anything.


This book is very colorful and without any religious pathos, is very reassuring. It also teaches us adults to think about our own actions from the child's point of view.

Some one once said that the parents everyday is the child's childhood. What kind of childhood do want our children to have? It has given me a new perspective on my every day activities.

Siiri

Siiri and horrible ghost -cover

Tiina Nopola
illustrated by Mervi Lindman
Siiri books have been translated to six languages: among others Swedish, German, Danish, Russian and Chinese. Siiri is a energetic girl, who solves problems that the kids nowadays have: making friends, dealing with loneliness and fear. The illustrations are fresh and support the stories well. There are several Siiri books:

Siiri and three Ottos (Siiri ja kolme Ottoa 2002)
Siiri and Onni upstairs (Siiri ja yläkerran Onni 2003)
Siiri and messy Kerttu (Siiri ja sotkuinen Kerttu 2004)
Siiri and terrible Piggy (Siiri ja kamala possu 2005)
Siiri and Kerttu's flee (Siiri ja Kertun kirppu 2006)
Siiri and fierce Hunskeli (Siiri ja hurja Hunskeli 2008)
Siiri's christmas surprise (Siirin jouluyllätys 2009)
Siiri and horrible ghost (Siiri ja kauhea kummitus 2010)
Siiri scores a goal (Siiri tekee maalin 2011)
Siiri and yeti (Siiri ja lumimies 2012)
Siiri and wild toddler (Siiri ja villi taapero 2013)


Siiri and the three Ottos
Siiri wants a friend, she wonders if mom has a baby in her belly. When there is no baby, Siiri wants a dog. Siiri’s parents aren’t too thrilled and forget all about it. Siiri decides to get a dog on her own. On her way to pick up a dog, Siiri meets three Ottos: Little Otto, Middle Otto and Big Otto. Are they solution to Siiri’s problem?

Siiri and horrible ghost: adventure is over

Siiri and Onni upstairs
Mr Cloud’s dog Onni comes to Siiri for day care. Siiri takes Onni to an outing and Onni disappears. Siiri’s friends the Ottos are nearby and help Siiri to find Onni. That is not an easy task. After his adventure Onni does not want to be a pocket dog anymore.

Siiri and messy Kerttu
Little Otto is visited by his cousin Kerttu. Siiri has never seen such a messy child. Kerttu jumps in the puddles, rolls in the sand box and smudges Little Otto’s house with cake batter. Kerttu gets all Ottos to play with her. Siiri is all alone, because she thinks making a mess is childish. Finally Siiri plays the messy games. That is the only way to keep Ottos as friends. When Siiri is real messy, she meets the Ottos and a clean girl in the park. It is Kerttu and she is going home.

Siiri and terrible Piggy
Siiri’s dearest soft toy, Bunny, has a hole. It needs to be mended. Siiri and all Ottos take Bunny to the soft toy hospital. Siiri can not live without Bunny and the hospital sends her a Piggy. Siiri does not like Piggy.Siiri thinks Piggy looks mean. When Bunny is released from the hospital, the hospital says Siiri can keep Piggy. Siiri decides to toss the Piggy in the corner. Suddenly Piggy seems sad and lonely. Siiri invites all Ottos to celebrate Bunnys return and Piggy sits next to Bunny.

Siiri and Kerttu's flee
The messiest girl in the neighborhood Kerttu says she has a flee. Siiri, Little Otto, Middle Otto and Big Otto want to see it. Kerttu accepts, if she can play Big Otto’s French horn. But the flee has flown from Kerttu’s box. Kerru cries, since the flee was her only friend.

Siiri and wild toddler -cover

Siiri and fierce Hunskeli
It is Siiri’s birthday and she gets a puppy as a gift. The dog’s name is Hunskeli and it is awfully energetic. Hunskeli goes to a dog daycare, but does it calm down there?

Siiri's christmas surprise
Mr Cloud’s dog Onni comes to Siiri for day care. Siiri takes Onni to an outing and Onni disappears. Siiri’s friends the Ottos are nearby and help Siiri to find Onni. That is not an easy task. After his adventure Onni does not want to be a pocket dog anymore.

Siiri and horrible ghost
Little Otto says he has seen a ghost at the attic. Siiri wants to see it and it turns out to be curtains. Little Otto still thinks there is a real ghost. Siiri, Big Otto and Middle Otto have a sleepover with Little Otto is afraid that Siiri will tell the other boys that Litlle Otto was afraid of a ghost. Little Otto shows the others how brave he actually is.

Siiri scores a goal
Little Otto, Middle Otto and Big Otto play soccer too, and they think Siiri is a lousy player. Siiri toughens up and decides to show Ottos. In the team, Siiri is the smallest and she is run over. Karoliina, the best player in the team, thinks that Siiri is a set back to the team. Siiri wants to show her.

Siiri and yeti
Siiri gets skies as Christmas present. She practices hard and then asks the three Ottos to a skitrip. Ottos would rather play hockey. Siiri is upset, because she want’s to show her skills to the boys. Finally Siiri comes up a story that she has seen yeti’s foot prints near the ski trail and she gets the Ottos to ski with her. Siiri skis a head and makes the foot prints. Suddenly Siiri can’t find back to the trail and gets lost.

Siiri and wild toddler: boys follow toddler.

Siiri and wild toddler
Siiri wants to play mother and Little Otto is her baby. Siiri pushes Little Otto around town and he starts to enjoy the attention. Big Otto and Middle Otto do not recognize Little Otto as a baby. Siiri asks them to baby sit,while she goes to the store. When Big Otto and Middle Otto are not lookin, Little Otto jumps out of the baby buggy and runs into the amusement park. Big Otto, Middle Otto and Siiri follow.