Time travel of museum mice

Kirsti Manninen 2010: Museohiirten aikamatka
Illustrated by Inge Löök
Swedish translation Thomas Rosenberg


Aino and Väinö are small mice that one spring morning clean the museum chest. They found a paraso that they take outside. They see text that says Porvoo and Loviista. All of a sudden the wind takes the paraso and the mice up in the air.

The parasol takes them to
Sibbesgården
Sipoo school museum
Pornainen parish museum
 Johannes Linnakoski's childhood home
Askola local museum
Pukkila local museum
Prestbacka farm and pharmacy collection
Jokela local museum

Places visited on a map (East Uusimaa)

Strömfors forge museum
Hurtig croft
Kycklings home museum
Porlammi local museum
Loviisa city museum
Pernaja veteran museum
Isnäs steam engine museum
Achipelago museum
Sarvisalo local museum
Postbacken outdoor museum
Porvoo Old Town Hall
J.L. Runeberg home
Walter Runeberg's sculptur collection
Albert Edelfelt studio museum
Marthastuga of Qvis Wilhelms
Krakö boat museum

Hoarse cucoo of  Sibbegården

If you have seen Helsinki, this book gives many tips what else to see. Porvoo is only 45 minutes from Helsinki, the furthest place, Jokela local museum is an hour away. This book focuses on the East Uusimaa museums and I must admit, I have not visited any of them.  I feel bad. There are so many great places to visit.

The book is also very educational languagewise: the texts are both in Finnish and Swedish. So you can read the same text in both languages.

Special dog Affe

Paola and Pirjo Suhonen 2015: Erikoiskoira Affe - Talviseikkailu Lapissa

Paola ja Pirjo Suhonen 2016: Erikoiskoira Affe -kevätretki kaupungilla

Affe is a huge dog with nerves of steel.  He likes Manchego cheese, swimming, being photographed and walks in the rain. He does not like taking baths, dog food, dog pars and scary looking dogs.

Affe's best friends are twins Arttu and Kerttu, who are four years old. Affe is the dog of their aunt, Pirkko.

Winter adventure in Lapland

Winter adventure in Lapland

Affe, Kerttu, Arttu and Pirkko are taking the over night train to Lapland.  It is very exciting to sleep in the train.

In Lapland they are staying in a grey loghome and immediatly they go skiing. All that snow! They ski to a wilderness hut and Aunt Pirkko gets the fire going, even though the wood is wet. 

Affe smells reindeer and chases after them and others get worried. It is getting dark and the others have to leave. Back at the log home, the kids want to stay outdoors to wait for Affe.Then they decide to make an missing dog announcement.  The local reindeer men help to look after them  In the morning Affe is found sleeping under a tree. A vet cheks Affe and he is fine.  Happy end.

Visiting the City in spring time

Kerttu and Arttu visit their Aunt Pirkko and Affe in Helsinki. (The name of the city is not mentioned, but according to the illustrations it is Helsinki. As if there were no other cities in Finland)

Pirkko lives in house that has an thrilling attic and a wodd burning sauna in the basement. Cute detail, Aunt Pirkko drinks something that reminds the kids of octopuss. (I had to really think about this, but luckily the bottle in the picture reads "Lonkero", which means tentacle as well as a brand of long drink in Finland)

Special dog Affe in Kaivopuisto, Helsinki

The next morning they go to the out door flee market, which is open for the first time this spring. Aunt Pirkko buys two bags of vintage dresses, and old faux-fur, two hats and a table cloth.

Then is lunch time. They go to Aunt Pirkko's favourite place (I assume it is Cafe Carusel in Kaivopuisto based of the illustration). On their way they still see ice fishers on the ice.  Affe can't come in adn suddenly a strange woman takes him. Aunt Pirkko rushes out side and catches them. Affe is safe and the police takes the woman away

On their way back to Aunt Pirkko's home they notice that the piles of snow are getting smaller, soon they can take their bikes and tennis shoes out.  As a last note Aunt Pirkko tells the children that the woman, who took  Affe has mental health problems.

Cute books with lots of different patterns. Paola Suhonen is one of the most famous fashion designers in Finland, so the clothing in the illustrations I assume are fashionable (I know nothing about fashion).  I also assume two more books are coming: one for the fall and one for the summer fashion season.

Children's fun birdbook

Reima Flyktman, Jari Mattila, Rauli Ranta 2014: Lasten hauska lintukirja

Great little book about birds in Finland. Small text box tells the peculiarities of the bird.  I like cranes, eagles and others, but ruisrääkkä (corncrake) has the best name. And when you hear it, you know what it is.

Ruisrääkkä - corncrake in Finnish. Try to say it.

Sami the dog chasing the big eater

Tapani Bagge 2008: Sami Hurtta suursyömärin jäljillä
illustrated by Jari Rasi


Sami the dog is a detective, who lost his sock. While trying to find him, he bumps into a big eater, who ate a wall of a gingerbread house. All kinds of strange things have gone missing and Sami has a real riddle in his hands. Luckily he has Jasmine, a small girl to help him out.

Finnish people read a lot of detective stories, especially from other Nordic countries. It is no wonder that the genre can be found in the children's section as well. Naturally the stories are not as grim as those for adults.