Sari Peltoniemi
Sari Peltoniemi (born 1963) has published many books for children and young readers. Her science fiction and fantasy short stories have also been published in several magazines. Sari’s novels have twice been shortlisted for the Finlandia Junior Prize (the annual prize for the best Finnish novel for children and young readers). She has also won the Kuvastaja-prize for best Finnish fantasy novel in 2002. In addition to this Sari has written the lyrics to numerous rock songs. Sari Peltoniemi’s texts often deal with the weakest, most vulnerable members of society, people upon whose lives myth and fantasy begin to encroach. Finnish mythology is especially close to her writing.
Links:
Awards:
Topelius Prize Nomination for I Hear the Forest Calling 2012
Topelius Prize Nomination for The Servant of Dusk 2010
Anni Polva Award for Play For Me, Callie Flower! 2009
Topelius Prize Nomination for Suomu 2008
Kuvastaja Fantasy Prize Nomination for Suomu 2008
Lydecken Prize Nomination for Dog and Her Girl 2008
Finlandia Junior Prize Nomination for Callie Flower Goes to Schoolä 2002
Kuvastaja Fantasy Prize for the best Finnish fantasy title for Hirvi 2002
Finlandia Junior Nomination for Hirvi 2001
Vaasa County Art Award for her work in Noitalinna huraa! band
Written by Sari Peltoniemi | Illustrated by Liisa Kallio
When I Was a Stone and Other Everyday Tales
Everyday life is full of magic. All you have to do to see it is look closely enough.
Heather is caring for a grave, the final resting place for little Anna from long ago. Heather ponders what Anna’s life was like. Meanwhile, Raoul and Rod are trying to figure out where they can get the money they need for this one really important thing. Thom comes across a strange bottlecollector. And Jack meets a mysterious water-cat, who talks big about building a spaceboat. Who on earth danced on the kitchen table last night with muddy shoes? And what does it feel like to be a stone?
Sari Peltoniemi’s everyday tales are composed of the joys and sorrows of the young, their finest moments and their gray days, too. They are about you, me, and Tuva from next door. Liisa Kallio’s sensitive illustrations are a fine complement to the tales’ wonderful ambiance.
Written by Sari Peltoniemi
I Hear the Forest Calling
A gripping tale that sweeps the reader along.
After a trip to Lapland, Jouni is confused to start with. Why does a skinny, tree-hugging woman appear in front of him both on the fells of Lapland and in the outskirts of his home town? Is he imagining it all – why does no one else see the woman? But when Jouni is on his way to a music shop with his best mate Mikko to buy a guitar, something happens to give him a profound scare.
‘I reckon what’s happened is that you’re being pursued by a spirit,’ says Romppainen when Jouni confides in his former teacher. ‘What I cannot tell you is why it’s happened and what it wants from you.’ Romppainen takes a thick volume called Mythical Tales down from the shelf.
‘This is not a tale,’ Jouni blurts out. This is real.’
‘Calm down. Sometimes fact and fiction are not as far apart as is generally thought.’
Jouni’s mother, a Koltta Sami, vanished when Jouni was little. Ever since, he has lived with his father and his sister Saara. Are the mysterious events somehow connected with his mother, is she under the spell of the forest magic or what has happened to her? The eagle owl, which has settled down in Jouni’s garden, could probably answer if you could understand it.
Jouni begins to get to the bottom of the mystery with his friend Mikko. He is helped by the membership register of a Lapp community and Romppainen, the charismatic teacher who taught Jouni throughout his time at the primary school.
In addition to supernatural events, Jouni gets into a spin because of natural events. Romppainen’s daughter Matleena is at the same school and first love hits him like a sledgehammer. Fear and love, secrets and reality transform his life.
Written by Sari Peltoniemi
The Servant of Dusk
Rights sold: Danish
Kaarina didn’t hesitate when Valeri asked her: – Will you come with me? I’m going to leave everything behind and start a new life.
The Servant of Dusk takes place in a world familiar from Sari Peltoniemi’s earlier fantasy novel, The Scale. Kaarina’s and Valeri’s ballad-like love story is intertwined with a fascinating alternative history and the timeless charm of fantasy – and with Jesse, whose game has turned into reality.
Written by Sari Peltoniemi | Illustrated by Liisa Kallio
Dog and Her Girl
Rights sold: Japanese, German, Polish
Sari Peltoniemi mixes fairytale and reality creating a hilarious story where the usual situations are turned upside-down and inside-out.
Kerppu is a small black dog. She has lovely parents and a nice home but she is not exactly happy. She wants her own pet! All her friends have pets so why should she be any different. Kerppu whinges for so long that her parents give in: they give Kerppu a girl as a pet. Whopee! But now Kerppu needs to learn how to look after it…
Sometimes the combined living arrangements in the households with dogs and humans can be complicated. This goes for Kerppu, too: she gets into a lot of trouble and even in danger with her girl. But even then it is absolutely clear that they belong together. And in the end it doesn’t even matter who owns who.
Written by Sari Peltoniemi
The Scale
to be completed soon
Callie Flower books
Written by Sari Peltoniemi | Illustrated by Katja Tukiainen
Play for Me, Callie Flower!
Anni Polva Prize 2009
to be completed soon
Written by Sari Peltoniemi | Illustrated by Katja Tukiainen
Callie Flower in a Sled
Written by Sari Peltoniemi | Illustrated by Katja Tukiainen
Callie Flower goes to School
Nominated for Finlandia Junior Prize 2002
to be completed soon
Written by Sari Peltoniemi | Illustrated by Katja Tukiainen
Callie Flower the Explorer
Callie Flower is an independent and smart little schoolgirl, who lives without her explorer parents from time to time. Luckily their house is full of friendly lodgers, such as Constable Cobbler and Mr. Shamovic, a former conman.
The unconventional life of Callie Flower’s family is exciting and even boisterous at times, but security can still be found in the community Callie lives in, as people gather around the dinner table each night to put things in order. Katja Tukiainen’s joyful and humorous illustrations fit these books to a T.
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