Loukko by 
Darkclaw by J. S. Meresmaa, illustrated by Elina Äijälä and The Secret Staircase by Salla Simukka, illustrated by JP Ahonen are nominated for Lasten LukuVarkaus Literature prize 2025!
The finalists for the national Lasten LukuVarkaus, children’s literature Prize, were published on Thursday, 20th of February. An adult jury reviewed nearly 90 children’s novels published last year and selected six finalists. A child jury will read all the finalist books and select the winner. The winner will be announced in June during the Vekara-Varkaus festival week.
The national Lasten LukuVarkaus literature Prize was established jointly by Stora Enso Corporation and the City of Varkaus in 2001. The prize is awarded annually to a children’s novel published in Finland and in Finnish. The prize is worth €3,500. The adult jury reviews all published children’s literature for each year, reads all the children’s novels in the category and selects the finalists. Six children, selected from primary schools in Varkaus, will read the finalist books and choose the winner.
ABOUT DARKCLAW, Monster Manor series #1
13-year-old Aapo has moved to the village of Black Gorge. One day he sees a mysterious character whose tattoo bears a striking resemblance to the one his recently deceased grandfather had. Could it be a coincidence? When Aapo ends up playing disc golf near the woods of Lumola Manor, it seems that there are other strange things going on in the village. Aapo encounters his first monster – and the estate is full of them.
While not all the monsters living in the manor are dangerous, some of them are. Aapo begins to have nightmares about the looming darkness. Soon he finds himself caught in the middle of events, where dreams and truth mix into an unstoppable vortex.
DOWNLOAD READING MATERIALS FOR DARKCLAW HERE
ABOUT THE SECRET STAIRCASE
An exciting and touching novel about two boys, who live in the same house but in different realities. Can their friendship cross the border separating two worlds?
10-year-old Alexis’ family moves to a house where he gets the attic room. Another 10-year-old-boy, Max, moves to a house, where a great basement room is waiting for him. Soon the boys notice something weird in their houses: Alexis hears voices under the floor, even though they don’t have a basement. Max’s ears pick up someone playing an instrument from the attic, even though no one is there.
When the two boys finally meet, they realize that they can visit each other’s worlds at night time. But will their friendship endanger everything when the worlds start to blur into each other?
DARKCLAW, Monster Manor series #1
PIMEÄNKYNSI, Karisto, 2024, 152 pp.
Rights sold:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
Reading materials:
Finnish PDF, English sample & synopsis
THE SECRET STAIRCASE
POIKA ULLAKOLLA, POIKA KELLARISSA, Tammi, 2024, 200 pp.
Rights sold:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
CZECHIA: Portál
ESTONIA: Ühinenud Ajakirjad
Reading materials:
English sample & synopsis, Finnish edition
