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.