I, Sweetie and Forest

Lena Frölander-Ulf 2016: Minä, Muru ja Metsä

Mom loves the cottage and the forest, but for a small child it is a scary place. It is so dark and you are supposed to go to the forest to pee. Mom says take a flash light.

The dark forest is full of scary noises and suddely the battery of the flashlight dies. The child, which can be a boy or a girl, meets strange creatures and finally pees under the stars.

At the end s/he finds a way back to the cabin and s/he is not so afraid any more.







The August nights are getting darker, but I assume that this book happens in September or October. The illustrations remind me of  the illustrations of Hans Arnold, but with a modern twist.  Again here is a reminder of the value of the summer houses or cottages to Finnish people, the simple life is precious - at least some for some parts of the year.

Duskweaver

Mila Teräs 2015: Hämärinkäinen
illustrated by  Karoliina Pertamo

Duskweaver is a small creature weaving dusk. Its job is important, because at dusk all night creatures start moving at dusk.

A florist Keikander does not want it to be dark, because his flower makers do not have enough time to make buds.  The florist decides to break the loom and he captures the Duskweaver. It is not good and the flowermakers get exhausted. Florist Keikand realizes his mistake and hurries to rescue Duskweaver.




People need dark for resting and slowing down. I believe also that if it wasn't for the dark winter, we would not appreciate the light summer nights.  Very poetic book.

Book of dark

Hannele Mikaela Taivassalo 2009: Mörkboken
illustrated by Lena Frölander-Ulf

At thunderstorms strange noises make you imagine things. Princess Small the thunder does not bother, she wraps her hair into small knots, carefully picks her nose and buries herself in her book. The walls are thick and the gate is locked. An owl hoots worries. Marshall of the court worries and wonders who is hooting. Is a wizard, who is after the castle’s treasures? Or is it thieves and trash? The Marshall hurries to Princess Small, she must be worried. But she isn’t. The Marshall tells her about all the scary things and frightens himself. Princess Small is not scared, there is nothing out there. The Marshall jumps when the owl hoots again. Doesn’t Princess hear it? Princess Small hears and feels smaller.

The Marshall's stories haunt Princess Small.

Night after night Princess Small remembers the Marshall’s stories and worries find her. Maybe the wizard is plotting with the thief in the darkness of the forest. Maybe a werewolf whispers to the dear with the flaming antlers and all of them gesture toward the castle. Princess Small cannot sleep and tries not to think about anything. She is not happy anymore. Then she gets tired of worrying and opens all locks, doors and windows. The Marshall tries to stop her.

Were wolf and the deer with the flaming antlers plot.

Princess Small runs into the forest and doesn’t see the thieves, who rejoice of the open doors. Princess Small runs lightly: she has nothing to carry. She does not now about the feasting in the castle.

After a while Princess Small finds a small cave and since there is no one to tell her, what to be afraid, she goes in. There lies pale and small Poorthing, who has boils. Princess Small starts to take care of him. She brings him water and tends for him. She gets the boils as well. Meanwhile at the castle people are fighting, it is Poorthing’s turn to take care of Princess Small. She gets well and is very happy and does not miss the castle at all.

The book is totally black and white, which suits well, since the topic is darkeness. I read somewhere that people have been afraid of the dark as long as there has been people. The lesson to be learned from this black and white book is not to worry. And “we have nothing to fear but fear itself.” I also like that the princess chose the cave over the castle. How many would really do that?

My own small little

Ulf Stark & Linda Bondestam 2014: Min egen lilla liten


In a dark and gray cave lives a Creature. Its eyes and skin can’t stand light. Every time it goes outside in the daytime, it feels a little sick, and then real sick, then it dies. Creature is gray like the mountain where its cave is. And it is all alone. Little Spark, who came from the Sun breaks into the Creature’s darkness and shows it colors and light. But Spark lives only one day, then it has to return and leave its friend, Creature.

The tone of the story is shining with melancholy, wistful and poetic.
The story reminds me of Pessi and Illusia as well as the children’s song Menninkäinen and Päivänsäde (Ray of light and the forest troll)

I do not understand why my boys want to read this book over and over again. To me, its just too sad to be a good fairy tale. It reminds me too much of real life: you have a quick view of something that you cannot have and then it is taken away from you. I had to write about this book, because it so well describes the Finnish mentality: we are gray creatures and when someone flashy and bright comes we are amazed. And in the end, we are content to live in our little gray caves, because we have to, otherwise we die. Or so we think, the Creature has no choice.