Two Ahlbäck Agency nominees for Paabeli Torn Translation Award in Estonia!

The nominees for the 2026 Paabeli Torn Translation Award for Children’s Literature have been announced in Estonia! We are happy to share the news, that two Ahlbäck Agency authors have been nominated in the Children’s Fiction category:

Congratulations to Laura Lähteenmäki, and “Loe mõttes kümneni“, Count Silently to Ten! Translated to Estonian by Triin Tael.

And to Päivi Lukkarila, and “Tihnik“, Deep In the Woods! Also translated by Triin Tael.

The Estonian section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is presenting the Babel Tower Award for the 23rd time, recognizing the best translated children’s books. Picture books and fiction titles are judged separately, with five nominees selected in each category. The Winner will be announced on November 19th!

Count Silently To Ten

A novel about friendship, growing up, and the importance of childhood play.

Myy, Viivi, Heta, Aada, and Camilla are a close-knit group of five girls who call themselves Pätkikset. But as the fourth grade draws to a close, Myy finds that something has changed. She feels that she’s no longer part of the gang. She notices that lively conversations fall silent when she approaches her friends. When the girls hug each other in a tight circle, there’s no room for Myy.

Count Silently to Ten is a story about friendship between girls and the changes that come about as you grow up, but which are difficult to accept. Myy is left out and feels that there may be something wrong with her, since she still wants to play and isn’t interested in make-up and growing up. As things become difficult with the girls, a new boy in the area provides a wonderful opportunity for Myy to throw herself into the world of play. Myy and Lassi run to a nearby forest and immerse themselves in a joint game where time and space disappear.

The novel describes a summer on the border between childhood and adolescence. Although the book depicts childhood in our time, the portrayal of play captures the timeless charm and power of childhood games.

Deep In the Woods

Four very different teens sent on a smartphone-free wilderness expedition…

Luka feels like he’s in high school only to satisfy his parents. Why bother with something you’re not interested in?

Sabina’s relationship with Nella has ended. Nella liked her when she was just “conveniently” queer, girly and long-haired. Now that Sabina has decided to be who she always wanted to be, Nella has left her. How do the other three participants in the hike feel about her?

Nasim, from Nokia, dreams of studying literature and becoming a writer, but is constantly confronted with prejudice.

Joel is convinced that one day he’ll be a world-famous stand-up comedian. Comedy’s tough, and it’s easy to overdo it when you’re trying to make people laugh. Joel tells a very different story about his background. What’s real, and what is he making up?

The expedition is only supposed to last three days, but a fateful event changes everything and the teens have to survive in the wild without their guide. They try to entertain each other with ghost stories, and as they tell them, their own frightening childhood experiences come back to haunt them. There seems to be something creepy about their surroundings. What was it in there that spooked all the tourists and will the four be left to wander the wilds until their final days?

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