Agnes and the Mysterious Manor

Tuutikki Tolonen

Original title: Agnes ja huvilan salaisuus

Author: Tuutikki Tolonen

Illustrator: Kati Vuorento

Published: 2021

Publisher: WSOY

Genre: Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Pages: 180

Part of a series: Agnes series

Reading material:

Finnish text

English sample

Agnes’ adventures continue in this sequel that is both a ghost story and a family mystery.

Agnes and her mother have inherited a beautiful old villa, but there seems to be something strange about it. There is a lovely scent of flowers in the air, even though there aren't any flowers in the houses. Every morning, the lid of an old piano is found open even though no one has been playing it. More importantly, why can they hear steps on the staircase to the attic?

PRAISE:

I really like the stories with Agnes. They are mysterious and have an atmosphere. Some things are unsaid in the book, so the reader can understand the book the way he/she wants. The story leads children to think about their family’s history and take the interest in the lives of their grandparents. This is very important. The story combines old and the wise with new and young.

- Hana Zobačová, editor, Portal publishing, Czech Republic

The mystery plot begins from the first pages and fulfills all expectations. The characters are great, and the story manages to remind you of the importance of normal life, and the power of friendship.

– Kallellaan kertomuksiin blog, Finland on Agnes and the Garden of Dreams

Download reading materials

Rights sold:
FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)
CZECH REPUBLIC: Portál
ESTONIA: Eesti Raamat
ROMANIA: Editura Paralera 45

Video

About author

Tuutikki Tolonen

Tuutikki Tolonen is the author of several acclaimed children’s books, plays and academic articles. She teaches creative writing and has worked as an editor and reporter at Vinski, a Finnish literary magazine for children. For Monster Nanny she received the Arvid Lydecken award.  Her inspiration for the Monster Nanny trilogy sparked during a family breakfast. “My son Leo, then six, said: ‘I heard on the radio yesterday that all moms have to go on vacation and monsters will take their places,” she says.

Her other bestselling series is the Agnes-series, of which the first book "Agnes and the Garden of Dreams" was in 2021 nominated for the Arvid Lydecken Award, received an honorable mention for the Runeberg Junior Award, and won the Luku Varkaus Award. Tolonen tells that the inspiration for Agnes comes for her interest for weird and inexpicable tales, ghost stories and mysteries: "I wanted to write a book my daughter Aili, then nine, would like to read - not too long, not too scary, but very curious."

Bibliography


2024, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tuutikki Tolonen

The Secret Ones


2022, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Tuutikki Tolonen

Agnes and the Shadow in the Window


2021, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Tuutikki Tolonen

Agnes and the Mysterious Manor


2020, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Tuutikki Tolonen

Monster Message


2020, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Tuutikki Tolonen

Agnes and the Garden of Dreams


2016, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Tuutikki Tolonen

Monster Route


2015, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Tuutikki Tolonen

Monster Nanny