Aapeli and Veteran Reino

Maarit Malmberg 2010: Aapeli ja sotaveteraani Reino
illustrated by Jouni Koponen

Aapeli lives next door to a  retirement home. There lives Reino, who was in the Winter and Continuation war.

Aapli knows Reino and his dog Rauha. Aapeli visits Reino often and Reino tells him about his childhood in Carelia.

He tells Aapeli about the farm and all the animals they had. Aapeli knows that Reino is old and then Reino tells him about the war.


He remembers September 10th 1939, when he had just finished his army duty. Then he received a letter to join the army. The war hadn't started yet, but the recruitment was on already.

Reino explains about mobilization, shows him photos and tellss him about his duties in the war. He served as a medic and tells about the other boys and men, who got hurt. He even carried some of them to safety.

Aapeli asks, if Reino was scared. He says yes. Everyone was scared, those in the front and those back home. Aapeli asks, why he fought. Reino says he wanted to keep his home, which he couldn't keep. But he secured other homes. Aapeli's mother shows a map, where Finland was bigger.  Many people had to move, if they wanted to stay Finnish. Reino tells Aapeli that he was sad and mad, because he couldn't go home. But the most important part was that the war was over.

In Finland we talk about veterans, who fought in the Winter and Continuation War.  There aren't many left and I do not understand why we do not talk about the younger veterans who have served for the UN. I guess it needs more time.  This book is very matter of fact and even though it is about war, I think it is suitable to be read to school children. I know that many men and women who experienced the war did not like to talk about it. My Grandpa didn't.

Allan and Udo

Minna Lindeberg 2012: Allan och Udo
Illustrated by Linda Bondestam

 Allan and Udo have been a couple a long time now. But it is not always easy to be together, when you are totally different from the other.

On Christmas Eve Udo refuses to celebrate . He has had a long carreer in the military and now he is depressed. He is going to sit in the kitchen until Christmas is over. Allan is sad, he knows how hard it is to cheer up someone who is depressed.

Allan lures Udo to dream land In dreamland anything can happen. Old men can fly, cakes do not have bottoms and a mysterious baker is sneaking around and getting Udo to forget Allan.  Udo tries to get away, but cannot. Allan comes to the rescue and  Udo remembers all great memories with Allan.

When they wake up, they go for a walk and see the stars and everything around them is wonderful again.

The book deals with how difficult it sometimes is to play together, how sweet sorrow memories can be and how dreams have a logic of their own. The book tells us how it must feel like to grow old, when all your dreams are behind you. In best cases as memories. It reminds us not to take those who are the dearest for granted.

This book was selected as one of the most beautiful books of 2011 and the most refreshing thing is that the relationship of the two men isn't explained in anyways. I wish that was the case in modern Finland as well, where still being different is not welcomed.