Birds of Small Island

Eppu Nuotio: Pirkko Punarinta ja kadonnut polkupyörä and Kauko Kivitasku ja kadonnut onnenkivi Illustrated by Saara Vallineva

Two books about Small Island (Pikkusaari) and their habitats.

First, Pirkko Punarinta is a robin, who looses her bike. She puts up a sign promising the person, who took the bike pancakes. All the islanders show up for the pancakes and Pirkko throws a great party. But no bike. In the end the bike is found.

The second book is about Kauko Kivitasku, a wheater, looses his lucky stone. Kauko tracks back to all the places he visited that morning and luckily the stone is found

The illustrations are photos of miniatures made by Saara Vallineva. The details are remarkable. The books have very little text so they are suitable for kids who just learned to read.  You don't even need to read, the photos have so many details that capture your eyes. You can actually feel you are on the island.

Pirkko posts a notice promising pancakes for the bike

Pirkko's cotage

Kauko offers coffee for Eero Erakkorapu (hermit)

Missing petticoats

Pekka Vuori 1987: Kadonneet alushameet

Flower and Tassel have a Grandmother, who is two meters tall. She has seven petticoats drying in the wind, when a storm takes them away. Flower and Tassel set out for a quest to find them. People who have found them, use them for different purposes: parachute, hut, insect net, sail, parasol and a picnic felt, . The last petticoat cannot be found. But then it is Christmas time and Santa comes using Granny's petty coat as a gift sack.

In my mind very nostalgic book, the pictures are full of color. An I can relate to the tall Grandma, even though I know that to most kids all adults are at least two meters tall if not taller.

The black pettycoat used as a hut.

Yellow as the chantarelles.