April 2015

Sanna Pelliccioni’s Onni series sold in China!

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OnninewsletterApr2015We are thrilled to announce that Chinese rights to author-illustrator Sanna Pelliccioni’s Onni series (Minerva) have been acquired by China Citic Press.

Onni picture books, aimed at kids aged two to six years old, present relatable adventures in the life of a little boy who is growing up with every new experience. A smash success in Finland, the books have also spurred greeting cards and advent calendars.

Praise for the Onni series:

“Onni books are rare in the sense that they can be enjoyed by both grown-ups and children. They also deal with the essential things in a child’s life.”
– Kirjavinkit (“Book Tips”) literature blog, Finland

“A firm favourite among preschool-aged children…Pelliccioni’s round-headed figures, characteristic of her style, are suitably simple. She manages to convey fine nuances in their expressions and body language.”
– Books from Finland literary journal

Sanna Pelliccioni (b. 1976) is an illustrator, graphic designer and author. Originally trained as a biologist, she wrote and illustrated her first book when she became a mother. This book turned into the popular Onni series, of which nine entries have been published to date. Pelliccioni is also the co-owner of Bombotti, a stationary and design firm, and a board member at IBBY Finland (International Board on Books for Young People).

RIGHTS SOLD
Original publisher: FINLAND, Minerva
CHINA, China Citic Press

Reading materials:
Finnish editions
Swedish sample of Book 1
German sample of Books 1-2
Italian sample of Books 1-2

Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com

 

About author


Sanna Pelliccioni

Sanna Pelliccioni is a Finnish illustrator, graphic designer and children’s author living in Helsinki with her Finnish-Italian family. An awarded illustrator, Pelliccioni has been e.g. honoured with being the only Finn named on the IBBY honour list 2022. Pelliccioni utilizes many different techniques in her illustrations, some of her favourites are collage and mixed techniques. She studied Arts and Illustration in Bologna and Macerata, Italy, and Graphic Design at the Pekka Halonen Institute in Finland.

She loves illustrating picture books and poems and making graphic design for book covers and her own books. She also writes for children and young people and concerning the themes of books she’s especially interested in equality, indigenous people, myths and taboos, forest and nature. Pelliccioni is mostly known for her Onni-poika picture book series which started in 2007 and contains 15 books so far.

​Pelliccioni collaborates with authors writing for children and young people and works with many Finnish editors. Some of her books have been translated to Chinese, Korean, Arabic, English and Swedish, Turkish and Estonian.

Read more

Related news

Illustrator Kristiina Louhi wins the Kieku lifetime achievement award!

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LouhinewsletterApr292015Prolific illustrator Kristiina Louhi has won the prestigious Kieku Prize. Given by the Association of Finnish Ilustrators for an outstanding illustration career, the award is worth 5,000 euros. We wish Kristiina our warmest congratulations!

Among Louhi’s works are the popular Tommy series (Tammi), the long-spanning Annie series (Tammi), the Aidan and Sophie series created with author Riitta Jalonen (Tammi) and the Finlandia Junior Prize-winning The Girl and the Jackdaw Tree (Tammi 2004), also a collaboration with Riitta Jalonen.

Louhi’s many other accolades include the 2014 Pro Finlandia Medal, given by the President of Finland to distinguished Finnish artists.

“Illustrator and author Kristiina Louhi’s humane world of images has been an inseparable part of Finnish childhoods for several generations. Her warm and gentle illustrations are incomparable in their poignancy. A child can strongly relate to her drawings, while a grown-up reader can discover different, sometimes heart-rending elements.”
– Kieku Prize jury

RIGHTS SOLD
The Tommy series:
Original publisher: FINLAND, Tammi
CHINA, Anhui Children’s Publishing House
KOREA, Sewon Books
LEBANON, Dar Kreidieh
NETHERLANDS, Mercis Publishing

The Aidan and Sophie series:
Original publisher: FINLAND, Tammi
CHINA, SDX Joint Publishing Company
ESTONIA (Võru), Võru Instituut

The Girl and the Jackdaw Tree:
Original publisher: FINLAND, Tammi
ESTONIA, TEA
FRANCE, Oskar Editions
JAPAN, Nekono-kotoba-sha
LITHUANIA, Nieko Rimto

The Giant Girl and her Tiny Friend:
Original publisher: FINLAND, Tammi
EGYPT, Boustany’s Publishing House
ESTONIA (Võru), Võru Instituut
RUSSIAN, TEXT

The Annie series:
Original publisher: FINLAND, Tammi
CHINA, Beijing Double Spiral Culture and Exchange Company

Northern Lights on Snow
Original publisher: FINLAND, Tammi
FRANCE, Oskar Editions
JAPAN, Nekono-kotoba-sha

Puppet Theatre!
Original publisher: FINLAND, The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare
GREECE, S. Patakis S.A
JAPAN, Nekono-kotoba-sha
RUSSIA, Melik-Pashaev

Louhi’s works have also been published in: English (UK), German, Hungarian, Polish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese

For reading materials contact: info@ahlbackagency.com

About author


Kristiina Louhi

Kristiina Louhi is an artist and an awarded graphic designer, illustrator and author. She has illustrated dozens of children’s books over the years including illustrations for the texts by Hannele Huovi, Hannu Mäkelä, Leena Laulajainen, Katri Tapola and Riitta Jalonen.

Kristiina Louhi’s Aino series has been published since 1984 and Tomppa series since 1993. Books illustrated by Kristiina Louhi have been published in over ten languages all around the world.

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Bibliography


2018, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy and Kerttu the Bookworm

Kristiina Louhi


2017, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy and Dr. Ear

Kristiina Louhi


2015, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy and the Baby

Kristiina Louhi


2013, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy's Story Book

Kristiina Louhi


2012, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy's New House

Kristiina Louhi


2010, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy and Apricot's Milk

Kristiina Louhi


2009, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy in Wonderland

Kristiina Louhi


2003, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy and the Cat's Paws

Kristiina Louhi


2002, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy is a Big Boy

Kristiina Louhi


2000, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Where is Tommy?

Kristiina Louhi


1999, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy's Christmas

Kristiina Louhi


1998, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Full Speed Ahead, Tommy

Kristiina Louhi


1997, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy Goes Fishing

Kristiina Louhi


1996, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy's Better Day

Kristiina Louhi


1995, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tommy's Night at Granny's

Kristiina Louhi


1994, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Hello Tommy!

Kristiina Louhi


1994, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

What Tommy Wants

Kristiina Louhi


1993, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Our Tommy

Kristiina Louhi


1984, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Annie

Kristiina Louhi

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More international news for Salla Simukka’s Snow White Trilogy!

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SimukkanewsletterApr282015Author Salla Simukka has kept busy this spring, traveling internationally to meet readers of the Snow White Trilogy, the rights to which have sold in 48 territories. Several international publishers are launching Book III in the trilogy, As Black as Ebony (Tammi 2014), this year.

In late March Simukka visited Poland as the quest of her local publisher Foksal and the Embassy of Finland, and this month she met readers at the Litteralund festival in Lund in addition to traveling to Malmö and Stockholm as the guest of her Swedish publisher Rabén & Sjögren. Other planned travels for 2015 include visits to Vienna, Austria and Riga, Latvia, and appearances at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Gothenburg Book Fair.

As Black as Ebony (Tammi 2014) has already been launched in Poland by Foksal, in Estonia by Pegasus, in the Netherlands by Clavis and in Latvia by Zvaigzne. The World English edition will be published in the U.S by Amazon/Skyscape and in the UK by Hot Key Books in August. Contact the Agency for full English texts of all three books!

The series continues to generate international press. See here for a story on Simukka’s use of music in Book II, As White as Snow (Tammi 2013), in the literature blog of the Young Adult Library Services Association in the U.S, and here for an author spotlight on Simukka on fantasy author LG O’Connor’s blog!

“Lumikki is a strong character who is smart and scrappy, yet has the vulnerabilities of a teenager who is still searching for her identity,” O’Connor wrote in her review of As White as Snow.

New international praise for Book II, As White as Snow:

“[Lumikki] is what makes this series so darn good. I love the fact that she’s very resourceful and genuinely likes her own company and spending time on her own. It’s refreshing to see a character who is more of an introvert and doesn’t crave the company of a crowd of people. There’s something very appealing about her which draws the reader in and makes you want to discover more about her.”
– A Dream of Books literature blog, UK

“Part II in the Snow White Trilogy lived up to its predecessor with a strong protagonist who enters the world of a religious cult while struggling with the discovery of her own roots. A book that one reads in one breath.”
– Buscando un Dandy blog, Spain

The Snow White Trilogy comprises As Red as Blood, As White as Snow and As Black as Ebony. Starring a headstrong, haunted and sharp 17-year-old girl named Lumikki Andersson, the series has received praise from numerous international publications including Financial Times and The Guardian, and starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and Booklist.

See the Snow White Trilogy trailer here.

The official Snow White Trilogy page: snowwhitetrilogy.wordpress.com

Follow Salla Simukka on Facebook and Twitter

RIGHTS SOLD IN 48 TERRITORIES: THE SNOW WHITE TRILOGY
Original publisher: FINLAND, Tammi
ALBANIA, Botime B-Books
ARAB WORLD, Arab Scientific
ARGENTINA, Nuevo Extremo
AZERBAIJAN, Qanun
BELGIUM, Clavis
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, BTC Sahinpasic
BRAZIL, Novo Conceito
BULGARIA, Egmont
CATALAN, La Galera
CHINA, Modern Press
CROATIA, Znanje
CZECH, Egmont
DENMARK, Gyldendal
ESTONIA, Pegasus
FAROE ISLANDS, Bókadeildin
FRANCE, Hachette Livre
GEORGIA, Bakur Sulakauri
GERMANY, Arena
GREECE, Metaixmio
HUNGARY, Athenaeum
ICELAND, Forlagid
INDONESIA, Kompas Gramedia/Bhuana Ilmu Populer
ISRAEL, Yedioth
ITALY, Mondadori
JAPAN, Nishimura
KOREA, Gimm Young
LATVIA, Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA, Alma Littera
MACEDONIA, Bata Press
MALAYSIA, Buku Fixi
MONTENEGRO, BTC Sahinpasic
NETHERLANDS, Clavis
NORWAY, Gyldendal
POLAND, Foksal/WAB
PORTUGAL, Presença
ROMANIA, Trei
RUSSIA, Eksmo
SERBIA, Vulkan
SLOVAKIA, Verbarium
SLOVENIA, Mladinska
SPAIN, La Galera
SWEDEN, Rabén & Sjögren
TAIWAN, Emily Publishing
THAILAND, Nanmee Books
TURKEY, Altin Kitaplar
UK, Hot Key Books
U.S, Amazon Publishing/Skyscape
VIETNAM, Alpha Books

Reading materials: The Snow White Trilogy
English edition of books 1-2
Full English text of book 3
French edition of book 1
Finnish editions of books 1-3

Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com

About author


Salla Simukka

Salla Simukka is the author of the international success story The Snow White Trilogy: rights are sold in 52 territories and in Hollywood. She has written several novels for young readers and her accolades include the Topelius Prize 2013 and the Finland Prize 2013. Simukka has been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award  every year 2021–2024. Where It All Begins, published in 2022, is her first novel for adults and in 2024 she started a collaboration with JP Ahonen on a middle grade novel.

Previously Simukka has written book reviews for the newspapers, translated all kinds of texts into Finnish, worked as an editor at a literary magazine and as a screenwriter for a popular TV show for young audiences.  She has also been working on the programme of Turku Book Fair in 2017–2020.

Read more

Bibliography


2024, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

The Secret Staircase

Salla Simukka


2022, Literary Fiction

Where It All Begins

Salla Simukka


2021, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

In the Dark I Can Be Yours

Salla Simukka


2020, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Detained

Salla Simukka


2018, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Turn off the Lights! Turn on the Lights!

Salla Simukka


2016, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Sisterland

Salla Simukka


2014, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Black as Ebony

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As Red as Blood

Salla Simukka


2013, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

As White as Snow

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Elsewhere

Salla Simukka


2012, Young Adult (13 or 14+)

Without a Trace

Salla Simukka

Related news

Johanna Sinisalo selected as guest of honour at Eurocon 2016!

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SinisalonewsletterApr272015We are proud to announce that author Johanna Sinisalo, known as the Master of Finnish Weird, has been selected as a guest of honour for Eurocon 2016, a highly regarded European science fiction convention first organized in 1972. Next year’s Eurocon will take place in Barcelona, Spain from November 4th to 6th.

Sinisalo has been drawing plenty of international acclaim in recent months: recently her novel The Blood of Angels (Teos 2011), published in the U.S and UK by Peter Owen in fall of 2014, was included on Locus magazine’s recommended reading list. The book, depicting a future in which bees begin to disappear, has also received starred reviews from Library Journal and Booklist, as well as praise from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly.

Earlier this year Foksal published The Blood of Angels in Poland. It has been warmly received by local critics and bloggers.

Praise in Poland for The Blood of Angels:

“Sinisalo has constructed an ingenious whole. Details [about the main character] are revealed gradually through details that create a wonderful, but also a terribly sad, mosaic…the book also provides one of the most compelling and moving depictions of mourning that can be found in popular literature.”
– Gildia online publication, Poland

“The book’s different dimensions complement and interact with one another wonderfully… the prose is perfect, really at a high level…reading this is an extraordinary pleasure.”
– Czworgiem oczu blog, Poland

“Reading The Blood of Angels was an extraordinary experience…its elements of poetry and mythology are captivating.”
– Mercy in Your Eyes culture blog, Poland

Sinisalo’s latest novel, The Core of the Sun (Teos 2013), published in Germany by Clett-Kotta in 2014, will launch in the World English market in 2016 by Grove Atlantic.

RIGHTS SOLD: THE BLOOD OF ANGELS
Original publisher: FINLAND, Teos
WORLD ENGLISH, Peter Owen
FRANCE, Actes Sud
POLAND, Foksal

RIGHTS SOLD: THE CORE OF THE SUN
Original publisher: FINLAND, Teos
CZECH REPUBLIC, Euromedia
FRANCE, Actes Sud
GERMANY, Klett-Cotta
WORLD ENGLISH, Grove Atlantic

Reading material:
The Blood of Angels
English edition
French edition
Finnish edition
The Core of the Sun
German edition
English sample
Finnish edition

Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com

About author


Johanna Sinisalo

Johanna Sinisalo (b. 1958) is a Finlandia Prize-winning superstar of Finnish speculative fiction. In addition to her nine novels, she has also written short fiction and film and television screenplays. Her works have been translated into twenty languages.

Sinisalo has won several literary prizes also abroad, such as the 2004 James Tiptree, Jr. Award and the 2017 Prometheus Award, and was nominated for the Nebula Award in 2008, the Prix Escapades in 2012, and the Grand Prix de L’Imaginaire in 2017. In 2022, Johanna Sinisalo was awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal for services to Finnish literature.

Read more

Bibliography


2021, Fantasy & Science Fiction

The Storm Flute

Johanna Sinisalo


2020, Fantasy & Science Fiction

Strangers Inside

Johanna Sinisalo


2018, Fantasy & Science Fiction

IRON SKY: RENATE'S STORY

Johanna Sinisalo


2013, Fantasy & Science Fiction

The Core of The Sun

Johanna Sinisalo


2011, Fantasy & Science Fiction

Blood of Angels

Johanna Sinisalo


2010, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

The Möbius Twist

Johanna Sinisalo


2008, Fantasy & Science Fiction

Birdbrain

Johanna Sinisalo


2000, Fantasy & Science Fiction

Troll

Johanna Sinisalo

Related news

Swedish rights to This One Summer sold to Placebo Press!

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This One Summer_coverWe are thrilled to announce that Placebo Press, publisher of high-quality graphic novels and comics, has acquired Swedish rights to Mariko and Jillian Tamaki’s celebrated graphic novel This One Summer (First Second/Macmillan 2014). Among other authors and artists published by Placebo are Alison Bechdel and Guy Delisle.

This One Summer, a sharp and touching coming-of-age story appealing to readers of all ages and genres, is the first graphic novel to be named a Caldecott Honor Book and Michael L. Printz Honor Book in the U.S. It has received starred reviews from School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews and BCCB.

Rights have been sold in Chinese (simplified), Danish, French, German, Italian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil) and Spanish.

Contact the Elina Ahlback Literary Agency for rights in Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Faroese!

Praise for This One Summer:

“This book is poignant and melancholy, and it will be swiftly recognizable to those who only recently hovered at the cusp of adolescence.”
– BCCB, starred review

“This captivating graphic novel presents a fully realized picture of a particular time in a young girl’s life, an in-between summer filled with yearning and a sense of ephemerality.”
– School Library Journal, starred review

“A summer of family drama, secrets and change in a small beach town . . . Keenly observed and gorgeously illustrated – a triumph.”
– Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“With a light touch, the Tamakis capture the struggle of growing up in a patchwork of summer moments . . . Wistful, touching, and perfectly bittersweet.”
– Booklist, starred review

About This One Summer:

Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It’s their getaway, their refuge. Rosie’s friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose’s mom and dad won’t stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. One of the local teens – just a couple of years older than Rose and Windy – is caught up in something bad… Something life threatening. It’s a summer of secrets, and sorrow, and growing up, and it’s a good thing Rose and Windy have each other.

RIGHTS SOLD
The Nordic countries:
DENMARK, Høst & Søn/Rosinante
SWEDEN, Placebo Press

For Nordic rights contact: info@ahlbackagency.com