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.

Daugther of the Sun - Sámi fairy tales

Elina Helander-Renvall ed. 2012: Auringon tytär Saamelaisia satuja
English translation: Liisa Reinikainen

Five fairy tales in three different languages: Finnish, Sámi and English. The illustrations are made by the art Sudents of University of Lapland.

The stories explain for example how yoik singing was found. How nothing good comes from seeing the Christmas Spirits or Wanderers.

Ville Kanabro: Christmas Wanderers

A beautiful book with, even to me, exotic illustrations.

Nose toward school

Tuula Korolainen, Marjo Nygård 2010: Kuono kohti koulua

The school for small mice opens its doors and the teacher is just as nervous as the students. The beginning is a bit slow, but soon the teacher and the children learn, how to work together.

The book tells about learning and getting along with different personalities, even though some are moles and others are mice. In the end even a magpie wants to come to school, while it seems so much fun.









This week school is starting in Finland and the first graders are eager to be big kids. The difference between the preschoolers and first-graders couldn't be bigger. I get a little crazy every year withe the school supplies: all the lovely pencases and pencils that aren't for sale at any other time of the year.

Good, good night

Karoliina Blackburn 2008: Hyvää, hyvää yötä
Illustrated by Tuomas Mäkelä

Bear Eikka Messevä's best friend Canada goose Siiri is moving south for the winter. Eikka is going to miss her very much, so he tries to glue the leaves back to the branches and hopes that winter won't come. Siiri leaves, Eikka is supposed to start hibernation, but he cannot.

Eikka meets rabbit family and  herd of reindeer, but they just irritate him. Finally gang of Foxes are so energetic and get him to "fall asleep".


Hibernation is talviuni in Finnish, which directly translated is winter sleep. Many Finns have sleeping problems. This book doesn't actually apply to the humans.

This book has classic streotypes of the animals: rabbits have many kids, reindeers are kind of goofy and foxes are quick and sly.