Estonian rights to the playful bedtime storybook STELLA sold! Now conquering the world!

Posted on 30.03.202310.05.2023

We are thrilled to announce that the Estonian rights for STELLA (Snälla Stella, sluta skälla!) written by Ted Forsström and illustrated by Åsa Lucander have been acquired by Tammerraamat! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

STELLA is a charming bedtime storybook – the key to a successful, quiet night!
With the Danish rights sold to Gads Forlag last week, STELLA is gearing up to conquer the world!

Tammerraamat, founded in 2005, publishes titles on a wide range of subjects, including history, social and political issues, biographies, gift books, health, humour and children’s literature. Their children’s authors include Beatrix Potter, Julian Clary, Klaus Hagerup, Katherine Rundell, Corrinne Averiss, Chris Riddell, etc.

They praised the title for being a relatable and enjoyable read:
“Every dog owner knows how annoying a barking dog can be. Why does the dog bark for no reason whatsoever? This book proves conclusively that no dog barks for nothing, there is always is a reason for it. Whether it is a snap, a crackle or a pop, a good friend is always alert and ready to make their existence known. In addition to its witty plot, the book also features delightful illustrations.”
– Tiina Tammer, director, Tammerraamat, Estonia

Download the full English PDF of STELLA here!

Stella

Ted Forsström, illustrated by Åsa Lucander

An interactive and playful bedtime story for toddlers featuring a very loud dog with a big imagination!

“OFF! VOFF! GRR-VOFF!”

A father tries to put his child to bed, but keeps getting interrupted by Stella the dog, who starts barking hysterically. Something unexpected always happens, and the reader is treated to Stella’s lively imaginations: it may be a door opening or a car driving by, but Stella is strongly convinced it’s Grandma coming to give her food, or that squirrels have built a nest in the toaster.

Anyone who has ever tried to bring a child to bed knows how cozy yet fragile the situation is. It requires the right amount of patience and determination. The right bedtime story can be the key to a successful, quiet night.

There is a warm feeling, playful rhymes and an unusual mix of familiar ordinariness and fantastic antics. Clear recognition for anyone trying to combine cozy moments with a pet!

Stella is a book you can read again and again, night after night.

STELLA
SNÄLLA STELLA, SLUTA SKÄLLA!
Förlaget, 2023, 44 pp.

READING MATERIALS
English PDF
Finland-Swedish PDF

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Förlaget (orig. Finland-Swedish)
FINLAND: Etana Editions (Finnish)
DENMARK: Gads Forlag
ESTONIA: Tammerraamat
SWEDEN: Förlaget

About author

Åsa Lucander

Åsa Lucander is a director and designer, working in illustration and animation both in the UK as well as Scandinavia.

Originally from Finland, she moved to London in 2001 where she was introduced to animation while studying illustration. After graduating she joined the animation studio 12foot6 where she stayed until 2014.

In 2015 she joined Aardman Animations in Bristol, where she is now based.

With multi-faceted strengths in storytelling, design and animation she loves exploring various creative styles, be it in 2d, stop motion or CGI. Åsa has a passion for hand rendered drawings and explores many different textures and mediums in all areas of her work. She loves mixing humour with melancholy and thrills in bringing characters of every shape and form to life with compelling scripts and inventive visions. She nimbly blends music, authentic dialogue, film segments, hand drawn characters and dolls in innovative ways.

Åsa has directed multiple shorts, including her award-winning film Lost Property, as well as many heart-warming commercial films for clients including Blue Peter, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Project Every- one and Childline, and a VR documentary film for BBC. Most recently she directed the music video for Coldplay’s track Daddy that has won numerous awards.

The Finlandia-nominated Stella (2023) was the first picture book by Åsa Lucander, who, in addition to being a director and illustrator at Aardman Animations, has also animated music videos for artists such as Coldplay. She created the book together with Ted Forsström. In spring 2025 her and Ted's second collaboration, Stiven, was published.

Ted Forsström

Ted Forsström is a Finnish-Swedish media personality, author, and comedian based in Ostrobothnia. He has worked as an actor, radio host, and screenwriter, and is widely known as one half of the popular duo Ted & Kaj. Together with Kaj Korkea-aho, he co-wrote the Finlandia Junior-nominated YA trilogy ZOO! and currently co-hosts Ted & Kaj, the most popular Swedish-language podcast in Finland.

Forsström also creates children’s content for Svenska Yle. In 2023, he published the Finlandia-nominated children’s book Stella together with illustrator Åsa Lucander. In spring 2025, the follow-up Stiven was published.