Sandman and the midnight sun

Minna Kurttila 2018: Nukkumatti ja yötön yö
illustration: Carolina Morera.


Sandman is very frustrated, the sun is shining the whole night through and people do not sleep. He doesn't have time to put every one to sleep. What to do? Luckily there is an elderly gentleman in Lapland who gives Sandman magical powder (unihiekka in Finnish) to make people sleep. Can you guess who the gentleman could be? Santa.




Sun shining through the night can make people just as nutty as the sun not rising at all in the winter.

The next sunset in Utsjoki (the most northern part of Finland) in in July 28th at 00.50 am and the next sun rise is July 28th at 1.48 am.

Summer at Villikka

Mysi Lahtinen 2010: Villikan kesä
Illustrated by Virpi Penna

Villikka is a part of the city located on an island. Not even a bridge connect it to the city. Back in the day people only lived there during the summer. One family even wanted to take their piano to the island for their vacation. Nowadays there is a bridge, but the wood villas are still surrounded by greenery, big trees and even a forest.

Five friends Riikka, Essi, Tilli, Olli and Aarne are spending the summer in Villikka. Riikka and Essi are sisters, Tilli and Olli are cousins.

Waiting for the miracle of Mid Summer Night

The kids find out about making willow whistles, nettle crêps and growing vegetables. They hear stories about the leprecaun's treasure, celebrate Mid Summer and hearing about the different beliefs.

When it rains, the children spend time at the attic, playing boardgames, making up stories. Then they make fishing rods,build sand castles and eat lots of ice cream.

In November, it is nice to read books about summer. I feel that most people are hibernating in winter so they have energy for the summer to really live and do things.

Summer at Doghill

Mauri Kunnas 2015: Kesä Koiramäessä

The Doghill kids are waiting anxiously for summer. The watch the different signs of it including swallows. This summer they have a visitor from the city to spend the whole summer with them.

This book continues the story of the Doghill farm. The Doghill folk show us, what kind of summer activities people used to have in the 19th century.

I can practically hear the birds,  taste the wild straberrys, smell the flowers and feel the waves in my toes. The hail in book reminded me of the hail storms when I was a child.

Bonfire of Whitsuntide

Why coudn't the school books be as much fun as this book? I bet my boys learned something of the Finnish history and customs easily.  This is also s great book to read in the darkness of November.

Jason

Mickwitz, Camilla:
Jason (1975), Jason's summer (1976),
Jason moves out of the country (1978),
Jason and the angry aunt (1982).

Jason is a small boy, who lives with his mother, Kaarina. His mother works hard in a factory and models nude inorder to make enough money. Kaarina seems to be always in a hurry: in a hurry to go to work and to get home to make dinner. Toghether Jason and his mother watch tv and bake.

Jason and Kaarina in a pension

There are four Jason books, my favourite is Jason's summer. In this book Jason and his mother take a bus to a Pension. The other guests sit and nobody talks to one another. Jason fixes this and soon every one is enjoying themselves.

Jason and Kaarina watch tv.

In the third book, the factory, where Kaarina works is shut down and Kaarina and Jason have to move out of the country for Kaarina to have a job. Jason is a bit confused, since he does not speak the language. He feels like an outsider, he doesn't understand others and they do not understand him. Jason's motto is: "I have two eyes, two ears and one mouth. But with that one mouth I speak languages."

Jason rollerblading

In the fourth book, Jason and Kaarina live in an apartment house. In the same house lives an elderly woman, who is disturbed by all the noises in the house. Every one in the house tiptoes around her. Jason breaks the ice and soon the angry aunt has other friends in the building.

Jason feels left out.

The Jason -stories are about every day life and Jason deals with problems that we all could have. Jason is a happy boy, even if he does not have everything. It is natural that he does not have a father, it is natural that his mother worries about money.








Camilla Mickwitz wrote another book series about a girl named Emilia and a small witch named Mimosa. Camilla Mickwitz made several animations, such as the look out for weak ice film. She also created the theme for the Finnish children's program Pikku Kakkonen.