How to create games

Elina Lappalainen 2017: Nyt pelittää! Miten pelejä tehdään
illustrated by Jussi Kaakinen

Sofia and Oliver go to work with Sofia's programmer mother to see how games are made.  The meet a game designer, programmer, music composer and graphic designer and learn step by step how games are made.

The book has great illustrations about how different sound effects are made, what kind of storyboards are needed and much more. At least my boys were facinated about this book and all its details. And it also showed that you do not need to be a programmer in order to work in the gaming industry.

The book also has tasks: help the frog to get all the bugs.
At the bottom: basics of programming, true or false and loop.

A, said Agricola

Tytti Issakainen, Katja Häkkinen & Maisa Tonteri 2017: A, sanoi Agricola
illustrations Pekka Rahkonen

Mikael Agricola was the first to write down Finnish language. This book is about him telling his son, what it was like to learn to read, when there were no books written in Finnish.

This book is about Mikael Agricola's life, studies and work.  He was truly a  remarkable person. He made religion more reachable for the ordinary Finns, who from then on could follow church events easier.

This book was written with humor and in a style that is easy for the kids to understand and relate.

The royal Swedes  wanted the talented boys to study in Sweden.
Agricola wanted them to stay in Finland.

Agricola studied in Wittemberg under
Martin Luther.

Maltti & Valtti in Trafic

Jerry Mikkelinen & Jussi Ollila 2017: Maltti & Valtti liikenteessä
Illustrations by Teemu Åke

My favourite traffic park police officers are back! This time they fumble in traffic. Their old pal Riku Rikesakko ( Rikesakko = traffic fee) is riding his bike on the sidewalk. That is not allowed and the traffic park policeofficers are on his case. Can Maltti and Valtti teach him the traffic rules in time, before any accidents happen.

This book has small tasks, problems for the reader to solve: how many traffic signs can you recognise, how to sit in a car. And my favourite: the dangers of using a phone in the traffic. Even all the adults do not know these. You can try yourself  by enlarging the image below.

Find out all the possible accidents about to happen,
because of the use of mobile phones.

 In my mind the Finnish police has a good reputation, people trust the police and rely on them.

The other Maltti & Valtti books published so far are:

Maltti & Valtti misson at Grandma's
Maltti  & Valtti on an almost deserted island

The saunaflamingo

Lauri Hirvonen 2016: Inka ja saunaflamingo

Inka is a small girl and now she is vacationing at the summer house. Grandma and Grandpa come also to the summer house and together with Grandma Inka explores the nature and hears stories about Grandma's parents and childhood. Inka questions some information she hears: for example that the waterstriders can  run on water, because of the hair in their feet. Inka has seen the hair in her father's legs and he has to swim like the rest of us.

The title was intriguing: I could not imagine, what a saunaflamingo is (for information that is also the same in Finnish).  Spoiler, stop reading if you do not want to know what it is.  Inka and Grandma are in sauna and are planning what to play next day. Grandma is looking kind of pink and she decides to be a saunaflamingo.

I like the illustrations of this book. Well I guess you knew that because I only choose books, which illustrations are pleasing.  But also the text was smart and kind. Cutest was refering dad's leg hairs to those of waterstriders'. And again the book emphasized the importance of Grandmothers.