Esko-Pekka Tiitinen
Esko-Pekka Tiitinen (b.1956) is a highly acclaimed Finnish author and artist. Tiitinen’s talents are recognised within several professional fields and literary awards. He has an active career as an author, theatre director, scriptwriter, composer, song writer and playwright. He has to date written over twenty books, several theatre plays, radio plays, opera librettos, tv-scripts and exhibited his artwork both home and abroad. The Drops of Life book is based on a school play, written by Esko-Pekka Tiitinen, which is produced in collaboration with Environment Online, a global virtual school for sustainable development and environmental awareness, in over 150 countries around the World.
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Written by Esko-Pekka Tiitinen | Illustrated by Nikolai Tiitinen
The Jumpers and the Giant
Original title: Jätti ja jänöset | to be Published: 2012 | Publisher: Tammi
Class: Illustrated books | Pages: 32 | Format: 195 x 260 mm | Binding: Hardcover
Colours: Full colour illustrations
A wise and funny story about unwavering goodwill that gives both children and adults food for thought.
The Jumper family is in the middle of harvesting the crops from the field when the earth starts to thunder and the sky grows dark. A giant taller than the tallest trees appears over the hill. The giant thinks he has found a deserted spot, but then realizes he has arrived at Paw Hill, where rabbits have lived for a thousand years.
The Jumpers have never seen such a huge creature, but they gather up their courage and cautiously hop closer. They soon learn that when you come across something new and strange, it pays not to give up right away.
Written by Esko-Pekka Tiitinen | Illustrated by Nikolai Tiitinen
The Drops of Life
Rights sold: English (World), Spanish, Catalan
The story was originally a school play by Esko-Pekka Tiitinen that has been performed already in 70 different countries after its premiere in 2007. The play was created for the ENO Programme that organises a tree planting day on the international day for peace in September. So far the school children have planted four million trees in over 150 countries!
A little dove asks an owl to fly with her to Africa. At the destination they are shocked: sand has taken over the land, and even the dove’s hometree is gone.
A teamwork of animals, people, the sun and the wind is needed before a new tree seed is succesfully planted. A very strong green plant emerges out of the little seed, and when the plant grows into a tree, its seeds will help forests grow all over the world.
Written by Esko-Pekka Tiitinen
The Woolheads
Rights sold: Norwegian
Tim is a fifteen-year-old boy who’s recently moved to a small town in eastern Finland. School isn’t exactly sparking his interest and life in general seems quite confusing. Everything’s unclear, including speaking – due to the local dialect! During a music lesson, the teacher strikes a chord with him; he hands Tim a guitar and the result is a whirlwind: The Woolheads, their band, is born. Tim, Tia, Pike and Tom prepare a performance inspired by a film about Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross. At times, the whole thing seems to be heading for disaster, but in the end, all four teenagers are ready to lay themselves on the line. Woollen socks on their heads, the quartet spawns a trend, behind which lies the desire to see further.
Praises:
“This book about a band, set in a small town, deals with music-making and at the same time with a young man’s creative pain and his experience of tender first love. Added spice is provided by dialect, fresh humour and inventive imagery.” – From the review by the nominating panel of the Finlandia Junior Award
“The book has pace, sparkling wit, and nuanced language. The skilful use of fast-flowing dialect adds to the liveliness of the story.” – Kotimaa
“The Woolheads is both a global and a local book for young adults.” – Karjalainen
“Tiitinen’s text is unashamedly optimistic and idealistic, which is gratifyingly fresh in literature for young adults.” – Savon Sanomat
“The Woolheads reminds us that even in a tough world, we’re still allowed to believe in goodness.” – Demi
“The Woolheads is a smart, well-paced story about young people who experience something significant together and who realize the subtlety of things. The Woolheads tells of principles shared, nights spent awake dreaming, and the desire to see further.” – Avun Maailma (Finnish Red Cross)
“The Woolheads contains familiar ingredients. Fifteen-year-old Tim moves to a strange place, gets a guitar, falls in love with a girl and lands a gig. But Tiitinen grabs our attention by writing in at times utterly exhilarating language. Dialect, rhyme and the directness of youth are all to be heard in the language.” – Helsingin Sanomat
Finlandia Junior Award Winner 2008
Written by Esko-Pekka Tiitinen
Book of Life
The book of Life is a refined, yet intense novel about Marja, a 17-year-old girl, and the summer during which she has to let go her old home and way of life.
I was seventeen then. When I was standing by the field calling, the cows got up and followed me. I was very much aware and proud of my importance. We lived in an eastern village of Matala, where the fells formed big walls around us. I thought those walls were safe and sheltered. There were eighteen chimneys between the fells. I could see everyone’s fields and houses from my window. On frosty nights I looked down the valley and saw all the cottage lights. They went out one after another. I was the last one up. In the village of Matala I tried to come closer to animal instincts and succeeded, too. I felt like my hearing got sensitised to that of a dog’s, eyes to those of an owl’s, and like the earth’s crust my skin felt the changes in weather.Then came the last spring. A strange and ready swish came about, and everything was quickly erased.
“Nobody can live here anymore!” Had Father said. “Let’s send all the cows to the butcher!” Had Mother said.
I would have wanted to be rooted to this land permanently. Others wanted bigger things for me, even if I knew already then that I would’ve been satisfied with just a small heaven.
Written by Esko-Pekka Tiitinen
Picking the Wolf
Picking the Wolf is a book about a young boy, and about the gap between the young and the old growing smaller. The story is told affectionately, but with evocative language, avoiding sentimentality.
Risto is looking for meaning, and feels that one way to do this is to keep school and his parents at arm’s length – maybe even to keep some distance from himself. He would like to dedicate his mind to philosophy. Japan and its culture fascinate Risto, and to make money to travel there Risto gets a job in a retirement home and becomes acquainted with a whole new world. With Vilhu from the retirement home and his girlfriend, Risto draws himself a new moon, one whose rays pierce through many layers of the mind.
After many tragicomic twists, Risto finds himself on a path that presents a new question around every bend. And a choice that must be made today.
Nominated for Kirjapöllö price in 2006
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