Elina Hirvonen

Arabic deal for LOGBOOK OF LOVE by Elina Hirvonen!

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We’re thrilled to announce that the Arabic rights to Elina Hirvonen’s beautiful LOGBOOK OF LOVE have been acquired by Logha Publishing in a pre-empt! The deal was closed by Elsa Lindström at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Founded in 2022, Logha Publishing focuses on translated literature of different topics from self-help and history to great fiction. They are the publishers of e.g. Emma Donoghue, Stéphanie Garnier, Sophie White, and Matthew Perry.

This is the first foreign deal for LOGBOOK OF LOVE, a literary explaration of love in all its different forms, from platonic love to passionate romantic love. The title, published in August 2023, has been received with adoration in Finland:

“This struggle between love’s sadness and ecstasy, between love’s brightness and shadows, is felt in every chapter of the book. Hirvonen writes about people beautifully and touchingly, greatly appreciating each and every one. The narrative is documentary-like, but it is beautified by a sense of relevance, warmth and presence. Despite the grim world it depicts heavy world, THE LOGBOOK OF LOVE is joyful and light.”
– Outi Hytönen in Suomen Kuvalehti newspaper

*****

“The breezy narration makes use of autobiographical material, of real events on both a personal and global level. It also draws on what other authors have written. In that sense, Hirvonen’s narrative is reminiscent of, among others, the genre-defining productions of W. G. Sebald (1944–2001) and Maggie Nelson [—] The narrator’s language remains sharp and concisely expressive and is a pleasure to read.”

– Mari Viertola in Turun Sanomat newspaper

 

Rights to the title are still available in e.g. UK, US, Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Estonia…

Download the English manuscript for LOGBOOK OF LOVE here! 

THE LOGBOOK OF LOVE
RAKKAUKSIEN LOKIKIRJA
WSOY, August 2023, 227 pp.

Rights sold:

FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)

Reading material:
Finnish edition
Full English translation

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

Bibliography


2023, Literary Fiction

The Logbook of Love

Elina Hirvonen


2023, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

The Rescuers Julia and Charlie

Elina Hirvonen


2021, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Charlie and the Wombat Warriors

Elina Hirvonen


2021, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Princess Rascal and the Quarrel Spell

Elina Hirvonen


2020, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Julia & P.A.L

Elina Hirvonen


2019, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Princess Rascal and The Potty Words

Elina Hirvonen


2019, Literary Fiction

Red Storm

Elina Hirvonen


2017, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Princess Rascal

Elina Hirvonen


2015, Literary Fiction

When Time Runs Out

Elina Hirvonen


2005, Literary Fiction

When I Forgot

Elina Hirvonen

Related news

Introducing THE LOGBOOK OF LOVE – a novel about the universal power of love!

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We are very happy to report that we have a new addition on our fiction hotlist! Just in time for London book fair, we have added THE LOGBOOK OF LOVE by award-winning author Elina Hirvonen to our spring 2023 catalogue. This novel about the universal power of love – perfect for fans of Rachel Cusk – will be published in Finland by Wsoy in August 2023.

What’s love all about? In The Logbook of Love, conversations about love form a sea of connections among people from wildly different backgrounds and places. A world where everyone continues to search for meaning, hope and joy. This touching novel has already received high praise pre-publication:

“From one of Finland’s most talented writers comes a beautiful, compelling and evocative novel about the universal power of love in its many diverse forms and voices, taking readers from Finland to Iraq, Malawi, Morocco, Spain, Zambia and points further afield.”

—Katja Pantzar, author of The Finnish Way, TarcherPerigee, Penguin Random House

“An exquisite meditation on human fragility, connection, and our yearning to find love, even in a world on fire. Hirvonen weaves together impossibly disparate, intimate stories of her friends strewn across the globe, and reveals commonality in the most diverse of circumstances, from Finland to Syria to Afghanistan to Iraq to Zambia. These stories are told with such compassion and love that despite the bitter struggles, the reader is left with a sense of hope. In a time of global division, this book is an essential reminder of all that unites us.”
—Anu Partanen, author of The Nordic Theory of Everything, HarperCollins

Join the conversation about love!

Download THE LOGBOOK OF LOVE here. 

Rakkauksien lokikirja /
The Logbook of Love
Wsoy, August 2023, 250pp

Reading material: English sample
Finnish ms. in May/June 2023

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

Bibliography


2023, Literary Fiction

The Logbook of Love

Elina Hirvonen


2023, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

The Rescuers Julia and Charlie

Elina Hirvonen


2021, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Charlie and the Wombat Warriors

Elina Hirvonen


2021, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Princess Rascal and the Quarrel Spell

Elina Hirvonen


2020, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Julia & P.A.L

Elina Hirvonen


2019, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Princess Rascal and The Potty Words

Elina Hirvonen


2019, Literary Fiction

Red Storm

Elina Hirvonen


2017, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Princess Rascal

Elina Hirvonen


2015, Literary Fiction

When Time Runs Out

Elina Hirvonen


2005, Literary Fiction

When I Forgot

Elina Hirvonen

Related news

3 new Fiction deals!

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We are extremely happy to announce that Naklada Ljevak has acquired the Croatian rights for Johanna Sinisalo’s novel BLOOD OF ANGELS and Elina Hirvonen’s novel WHEN TIME RUNS OUT.

Finnish literature is conquering Croatia! Another prestigious publishing house in Croatia, Mala Zvona, has acquired the Croatian rights to Tiina Raevaara’s Runeberg Prize-winning novella collection I DON’T FEEL YOU BY MY SIDE. The deals were closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Naklada Ljevak praised both BLOOD OF ANGELS and WHEN TIME RUNS OUT:

Naklada Ljevak decided to publish the novel BLOOD OF ANGELS by award-winning Finnish author Johanna Sinisalo because its subject – environmental disaster caused by annihilation of the bees – becomes an increasingly urgent problem and because of the highest literary value of the novel that combines ecological warning, mythological themes and human relationships.

Naklada Ljevak is proud to announce publishing the Croatian edition of the haunting eco-thriller and psychological drama WHEN TIME RUNS OUT by one of the most esteemed Finnish writers, Elina Hirvonen. The timely and universal theme of the relationship within a family set against the backdrop of climate crisis will surely resonate with Croatian readers.
– Nada Brnardic, Editor, Naklada Ljevak, Croatia

BLOOD OF ANGELS
ENKELTEN VERTA
by Johanna Sinisalo
Teos, 2011, 275 pp.

“The queen is dead. The bees are gone. Thus, the world is about to end. But if you follow the bees, there are doors in the air. And a desperate man is ready to go through one.”

Albert Einstein is claimed to have said that if bees disappear from the earth, mankind has four years left to live. When mass bee-vanishings of unprecedented scope and devastation hit the United States, Orvo, a beekeeper, knows all too well where it will lead. And one day, when Orvo goes to check on his hives, he is forced to witness something he wishes he had never lived to see. The queen is dead. The epidemic has spread to Europe. The world is coming to an end.

The light of Orvo’s life is his son, Eero, whose secret animal activist existence Orvo discovers far too late. Eero’s activities as a defender of animal rights and an ardent opponent of Orvo’s inherited way of life propel the family into irreversible, gutwrenching conflict. Orvo takes a desperate step onto a path where only he and the bees know the way… This novel is a magical plunge into the myth of death and immortality, a tale of human blindness in the face of overwhelming choices and inevitabilities.

Download the full English PDF here!

WHEN TIME RUNS OUT
KUN AIKA LOPPUU
by Elina Hirvonen
WSOY, 2015, 256 pp.

Helsinki, less than a decade in the future. Laura Anttila is lecturing at the university on climate change, hope, and the responsibility of humans. In the hallway, she is confronted by two police officers.

Laura’s daughter Aava encounters a woman who has just lost her daughter in a Somalian village. Having returned to her apartment, Laura hears that someone is shooting at people from the rooftop of the Lasipalatsi building in Helsinki.

When Time Runs Out is a powerful novel about parenthood, about finding your place, and about the responsibility of people to intervene in the course of events. Hirvonen wakes the reader to ponder what climate change and the lack of clean water can entail for humans in the future.

Download materials here!

I DON’T FEEL YOU BY MY SIDE
EN TUNNE SINUA VIERELLÄNI
by Tiina Raevaara
Teos, 2010, 260 pp.

A young man is looking for his fate while observing dragonflies, an unknown something takes the life of Matilda, and Mr. Gordon ends up in a birds’ hospital.

Tiina Raevaara’s I DON’T FEEL YOU BY MY SIDE is a novella collection, the texts of which, veering into the surreal, take the reader on a journey to the confluences of man and nature, dreams and subconsciousness, the circle of death and life. In this collection of 14 novellas, Raevaara shines the spotlight on the human mind and the forces tearing through its realities. The feelings of alienation and longing combine with a clear language and different narrators, each of whom wants to connect with themselves or someone next to them before it’s too late.

Request materials here!

ENKELTEN VERTA
Teos, 2011, 275 pp.

Reading materials:
English manuscript

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Teos (orig.)
BULGARIA: Perseus Publishing House
CROATIA: Naklada Ljevak
DENMARK: Jensen & Dalgaard
FRANCE: Actes Sud
HUNGARY: Metropolis Media Group
POLAND: Foksal Publishing Group
UNITED KINGDOM: Peter Owen Limited

 

KUN AIKA LOPPUU
WSOY, 2015, 256 pp.

Reading materials:
Finnish edition

Rights sold:
FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)
CROATIA: Naklada Ljevak
CZECH REPUBLIC: Omega Publishing
ESTONIA: Varrak
LITHUANIA: Baltos Lankos
SWEDEN: Leopard Förlag
UK: Manilla

 

EN TUNNE SINUA VIERELLÄNI
Teos, 2010, 260 pp.

Reading materials:
Finnish edition

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Teos (orig.)
CROATIA: Mala Zvona

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

About author


Johanna Sinisalo

Johanna Sinisalo (b. 1958) is a Finlandia Prize-winning superstar of Finnish speculative fiction. In addition to her nine novels, she has also written short fiction and film and television screenplays. Her works have been translated into twenty languages.

Sinisalo has won several literary prizes also abroad, such as the 2004 James Tiptree, Jr. Award and the 2017 Prometheus Award, and was nominated for the Nebula Award in 2008, the Prix Escapades in 2012, and the Grand Prix de L’Imaginaire in 2017. In 2022, Johanna Sinisalo was awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal for services to Finnish literature.

Read more

About author


Tiina Raevaara

Tiina Raevaara (b. 1979) is a writer, science journalist, and biologist who received a PhD for her work in genetics. She received the State Award for Public Information and the Pro Scientia Prize from the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. She has published eight novels, three non-fiction books, and a novella collection which was awarded the Runeberg Prize. Her suspense novel Double Helix (2020), the opening chapter of a new thriller series, received the Laurin Kirja audio book award, and the second installment in the series, Polar Vortex (2021), has been widely praised.

Raevaara’s books combine grand perspectives of natural science with compelling literary expression. She draws inspiration from Nordic nature, the major questions of science, and the complexities of humanity.

Raevaara lives in Kerava, a small town in Southern Finland, and goes on daily walks in the forest with her two black dogs.

Read more

LITTLE MOUSE and PRINCESS RASCAL sold to Albania!

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We are very excited to let you know that the Albanian publisher Dritan has acquired the rights to the first titles in the LITTLE MOUSE and PRINCESS RASCAL series! The deals were closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

The wonderful LITTLE MOUSE series has now been sold to 19 territories, but the rights are still available in Hungary, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Norway, Czech Republic, Lithuania, etc.

Download the full English PDFs for the entire series here!

The hilarious PRINCESS RASCAL series has now been sold to 6 territories, but the rights are still available in Germany, Sweden, Hungary, Poland, Romania etc.

Download the full English PDFs for the entire series here!

LITTLE MOUSE SERIES
written and illustrated by Riikka Jäntti

A 8-book series about a little mouse living with a single mother mouse, acting as all little persons do – in the first book, it says NO to everything – to broccoli, getting dressed, washing teeth, sleeping. Other parts talk about Christmas, winter, having guests, having a holiday, summer vacation and going on an island.

LITTLE MOUSE (BOOK 1)
Tammi, 2015, 48 pp.

A day in the life of a toddler is a busy one and Little Mouse’s is no exception. Between getting dressed, going to daycare, eating dinner, and splashing in puddles, Little Mouse has a lot to do … and a lot to say ‘no’ to!

LITTLE MOUSE HELPS OUT (BOOK 2)
Tammi, 2016, 48 pp.

Little Mouse’s friend Pip is coming over to visit. But first, there are chores to do around the house, like cleaning, laundry and cooking lunch. Little Mouse is determined to help Mummy Mouse with all of them.

LITTLE MOUSE’S CHRISTMAS (BOOK 3)
Tammi, 2017, 48 pp.

Christmas is coming and Little Mouse can’t wait for Christmas Eve. Luckily there are all kinds of wonderful preparations to be made, from cooking to choosing the Christmas tree.

LITTLE MOUSE’S HOLIDAY (BOOK 4)
Tammi, 2018, 48 pp.

Little Mouse and Mommy Mouse take the train together to the countryside to stay at their cottage on an island, pick berries, heat the sauna and cook sausages over a campfire under the starry skies. It’s a real treat for a little city mouse!

LITTLE MOUSE’S WINTER (BOOK 5)
Tammi, 2019, 48 pp.

Winter is here and Little Mouse enjoys playing outside. But his fun is interrupted by piano lessons. And why do all the other kids have
phones and lots of collectable toy figures? Luckily mom has lots of fun activities that will make him happy again.

LITTLE MOUSE’S SUMMER (BOOK 6)
Tammi, 2020, 48 pp.

Summer holiday is full of fun: going to the amusement park, playing by the beach and visiting the art museum. Buying strawberries and ice cream, and going to the cinema when the weather is too hot. Little Mouse knows that one must enjoy the summer, because it doesn’t last forever.

LITTLE MOUSE GOES CAMPING (BOOK 7)
Tammi, 2021, 48 pp.

One beautiful summer’s day, Little Mouse’s goes camping with mom. Little Mouse helps their mother set up the tent, light the grill and prepare sausages and vegetables wrapped in foil. When it gets dark, Little Mouse listens to the sounds of the night in the tent.  In the morning, they are both very hungry but luckily the island’s restaurant is open!

LITTLE MOUSE AND THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT (BOOK 8)
Tammi, 2022, 48 pp.

At last, DING DONG! Little Mouse opens the front door for the birthday guests. Little Mouse receives delightful presents from his friends and then it is time to feast: the birthday cake and other desserts are to everyone’s taste. Games and quizzes are also a part of Little Mouse’s birthday. The next morning Little Mouse gets a present from his mother, butt ends up causing a surprising amount of trouble, especially to Mom!

PRINCESS RASCAL (BOOK 1)
by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman
Tammi, 2017, 42 pp.

You would think that Rascal is a just a little girl, but she’s also a princess with many crowns for different purposes: one for Important Thoughts, one for Great Adventures, one for Peaceful Dreams. When Mom gets mad at her, she must find the right crown to calm Mom down.

PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE POTTY WORDS (BOOK 2)
by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman
Tammi, 2019, 42 pp.

Princess Rascal starts pre-school. She’s nervous about her new mates and new teacher. Especially nervous she is about going to the toilet. When she uses toilet words in a completely wrong situation, she’s sure that she is the most embarrassing girl in the world. But a solution for the problem can be found in her secret treasure chest.

PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE QUARREL SPELL (BOOK 3)
by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman
Tammi, 2021, 44 pp.

Which spell is the best when it seems that the parents do not have enough time for themselves? Resourceful Princess Rascal has a solution to every problem!

When Mom looks like a red-eyed panda and Dad like an angry troll, and they snap at each other without any reason, it’s time for some Rascal spells and Onni’s insights. The solution is the world’s finest KISSING BOOTH.

“You have to go in there to kiss. Then you will love again. And never quarrel again.”

PIKKU HIIRI
Tammi, 2015-2022, 48 pp.

READING MATERIALS
Full English PDFs

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Into (orig.)
ALBANIA: Dritan
AUSTRALIA: Scribble/Scribe
CHINA: Beijing Yuntu Tech
DENMARK: ABC Forlag
ESTONIA: Rahva Raamat
FRANCE: Cambourakis
GERMANY: Cross Cult
ITALY: Sinnos
NEPAL: Kathalaya
NEW ZEALAND: Scribble/Scribe
POLAND: Filia
PORTUGAL: Harper Collins Iberica
ROMANIA: Editura Paralela 45
RUSSIA: Strecoza
SLOVAKIA: Fortuna
SPAIN (Spanish): Harper Collins Iberica
SPAIN (Catalan): Harper Collins Iberica
UK: Scribble/Scribe

PRINSESSA RÄMÄPÄÄ
Tammi, 2017-2021

READING MATERIALS:
Full English PDFs

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
ALBANIA: Dritan
CZECH REPUBLIC: Albatros Media
DENMARK: Gads Forlag
ESTONIA: Elust enesest
LITHUANIA: Nieko Rimto/ Publishing House Nothing Serious

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

About author


Mervi Lindman

Mervi Lindman is a much-loved illustrator whose cheerful artworks have been published in 19 different countries to date. Lindman’s illustrations have been regularly appraised by critics and public alike.

Read more

About author


Riikka Jäntti

Riikka Jäntti, a 2003 graduate of University of Industrial Art of Helsinki, now part of Aalto University, is a Helsinki-based illustrator and author who has created art for both nonfiction and fairy tale books for children. Her first children’s book was published in 2005. Jäntti is best known for the adorable Little Mouse series that has publishers in 20 territories, including Australia, Nepal, and China!

In her illustrations, she uses pen and ink as well as watercolor and gouache. In 2009 Jäntti won the first-ever Tieto-Lauri, an award for children’s and juvenile non-fiction, for her illustrations in Viidakkotanssi (Jungle Dance). The book was written by Markku Löytönen about the explorer Rafael Karsten in Ecuador.

Read more

PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE POTTY WORDS wins Nextory E-Book Award!

Posted on

We are thrilled to congratulate Elina Hirvonen and Mervi Lindman for having won the Children’s category of the Nextory E-book Award for PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE POTTY WORDS!

Nextory E-book Awards have been awarded in Finland since 2020, and their aim is to praise and draw attention to the most read e-books of the preceding year and to celebrate e-books and digital reading experience in general. The hilarious and relatable PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE POTTY WORDS was one of the most read children’s e-books in Nextory streaming service in Finland!

PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE POTTY WORDS is the second title in the excellent Princess Rascal series that has been sold to 5 countries, but is still available in France, Portugal, Croatia, Slovenia, Norway, Germany, United States, UK, Japan, China, Taiwan etc.

Download the full English PDFs for all 3 titles in the series here!

 #1  PRINCESS RASCAL
You would think that Rascal is just a little girl, but she’s also a princess with many crowns for different purposes: one for Important Thoughts, one for Great Adventures and one for Peaceful Dreams. When Mom gets mad at her, she must find the right crown to calm Mom down.

Princess Rascal is a picture book about a little girl who knows her mind and has a heart of gold, though sometimes it’s difficult to know the right thing to do. The book has been praised for its accurate and hilarious depictions of everyday life in a toddler family – sometimes parents get tired too.

#2  PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE POTTY WORDS
Princess Rascal starts pre-school. She’s nervous about her new mates and the new teacher. She is especially nervous about going to the toilet. When she uses potty words in a completely wrong situation, she’s sure that she is the most embarrassed girl in the world. But a solution for the problem can be found in her secret treasure chest.

#3  PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE QUARREL SPELL
Which spell is the best when it seems that the parents do not have enough time for themselves? Resourceful Princess Rascal has a solution to every problem!

When Mom looks like a red-eyed panda and Dad like an angry troll, and they snap at each other without any reason, it’s time for some Rascal spells and Onni’s insights. The solution is the world’s finest KISSING BOOTH.
“You have to go in there to kiss. Then you will love again. And never quarrel again. And we don’t have to move to Flower’s.”

PRINSESSA RÄMÄPÄÄ SERIES:

#1 PRINSESSA RÄMÄPÄÄN TALVITAIKA
Tammi 2017, 42 pp.

#2 PRINSESSA RÄMÄPÄÄ JA VESSASANAT
Tammi 2019, 42 pp.

#3 PRINSESSA RÄMÄPÄÄ JA RIITATAIKA
Tammi, 2021, 42 pp.

Reading materials:
English PDFs

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
CZECH REPUBLIC: Albatros Media
DENMARK: Gads Forlag
ESTONIA: Elust Enesest
LITHUANIA: Nieko Rimto/ Publishing House Nothing Serious

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

About author


Mervi Lindman

Mervi Lindman is a much-loved illustrator whose cheerful artworks have been published in 19 different countries to date. Lindman’s illustrations have been regularly appraised by critics and public alike.

Read more

PRINCESS RASCAL series sold to Czech Republic!

Posted on

We are happy to announce that the first two titles in the PRINCESS RASCAL SERIES by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman, have now been pre-empted in the Czech Republic by Albatros Media!

CZECH PRAISE:
A lovely, cute heroin and her true and funny stories caught my heart, not only as an editor, but especially as a mom. I´m sure all families will definitely love Princess Rascal and her pure baby heart.
– Zuzana Neubauerová, Albatros Media, Czech Republic

The series has publishers in 5 languages and is still available in France, Portugal, Croatia, Slovenia, Norway, Germany, United States, UK, Japan, China, Taiwan etc.

Download the Full English pdfs for all 3 titles in the series here!

 

PRINCESS RASCAL (BOOK 1)
by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman
Tammi 2017, 42 pp.

You would think that Rascal is a just a little girl, but she’s also a princess with many crowns for different purposes: one for Important Thoughts, one for Great Adventures, one for Peaceful Dreams. When Mom gets mad at her, she must find the right crown to calm Mom down.

PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE POTTY WORDS (BOOK 2)
by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman
Tammi 2019, 42 pp.

Princess Rascal starts pre-school. She’s nervous about her new mates and new teacher. Especially nervous she is about going to the toilet. When she uses toilet words in a completely wrong situation, she’s sure that she is the most embarrassing girl in the world. But a solution for the problem can be found in her secret treasure chest.

PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE QUARREL SPELL (BOOK 3)
by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman
Tammi 2021, 44 pp.

Which spell is the best when it seems that the parents do not have enough time for themselves? Resourceful Princess Rascal has a solution to every problem!

When Mom looks like a red-eyed panda and Dad like an angry troll, and they snap at each other without any reason, it’s time for some Rascal spells and Onni’s insights. The solution is the world’s finest KISSING BOOTH.

“You have to go in there to kiss. Then you will love again. And never quarrel again.”

PRINCESS RASCAL SERIES
Tammi 2017-2021.

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)

CZECH REPUBLIC: Albatros Media (1-2)
DENMARK: Gads Forlag (1-3)
ESTONIA: Elust enesest (1-3)
LITHUANIA: Nieko Rimto/ Publishing House Nothing Serious (1)

READING MATERIALS:

Full English PDFs

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

About author


Mervi Lindman

Mervi Lindman is a much-loved illustrator whose cheerful artworks have been published in 19 different countries to date. Lindman’s illustrations have been regularly appraised by critics and public alike.

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Estonian rights for PRINCESS RASCAL series sold!

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We are really happy to announce a new deal for the adorable and realistic PRINCESS RASCAL series!

Estonian publisher Elust enesest has now acquired all three titles in the PRINCESS RASCAL series written by Elina Hirvonen and illustrated by Mervi Lindman.

Download the full English pdfs for PRINCESS RASCAL series from here
________________________________________

PRINCESS RASCAL series by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman.

The topics of the clever and fun books of the Princess Rascal series arise from the day-to-day challenges of families with children. Busy days can be filled with snappy talk and misunderstandings. But on the other hand, there’s always lots of new ideas, warmth and practical magic around!

The series has publishers in 4 languages and is still available in France, Portugal, Croatia, Slovenia, Norway, Germany, United States, UK, Japan, China, Taiwan etc.

PRINCESS RASCAL (BOOK 1)
by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman
Tammi 2017, 42 pp.

You would think that Rascal is a just a little girl, but she’s also a princess with many crowns for different purposes: one for Important Thoughts, one for Great Adventures, one for Peaceful Dreams. When Mom gets mad at her, she must find the right crown to calm Mom down.

PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE POTTY WORDS (BOOK 2)
by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman
Tammi 2019, 42 pp.

Princess Rascal starts pre-school. She’s nervous about her new mates and new teacher. Especially nervous she is about going to the toilet. When she uses toilet words in a completely wrong situation, she’s sure that she is the most embarrassing girl in the world. But a solution for the problem can be found in her secret treasure chest.

PRINCESS RASCAL AND THE QUARREL SPELL (BOOK 3)
by Elina Hirvonen, illustrated by Mervi Lindman
Tammi 2021, 44 pp.

Which spell is the best when it seems that the parents do not have enough time for themselves? Resourceful Princess Rascal has a solution to every problem!

When Mom looks like a red-eyed panda and Dad like an angry troll, and they snap at each other without any reason, it’s time for some Rascal spells and Onni’s insights. The solution is the world’s finest KISSING BOOTH.

“You have to go in there to kiss. Then you will love again. And never quarrel again.”

PRINCESS RASCAL
Prinsessa rämäpää ja talvitaika
Tammi 2017, 42 pp.

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)

DENMARK: Gads Forlag
ESTONIA: Elust enesest
LITHUANIA: Nieko Rimto/ Publishing House Nothing Serious

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

About author


Mervi Lindman

Mervi Lindman is a much-loved illustrator whose cheerful artworks have been published in 19 different countries to date. Lindman’s illustrations have been regularly appraised by critics and public alike.

Read more

New deals for MISS SWIFT’S WEIRD AND WONDERFUL HOUSE and PRINCESS RASCAL SERIES!

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We are very happy to start July with 2 new children’s deals!

Just 2 days after the original Finnish publication, we now have the first international sale for MISS SWIFT’S WEIRD AND WONDERFUL HOUSE!

The first international publisher is Grada from Czech Republic. Congratulations!

MISS SWIFT’S WEIRD AND WONDERFUL HOUSE is a new middle-grade title by bestselling writer-illustrator duo Magdalena Hai and Teemu Juhani, whose Little Shop of Nightmares series has already been sold to 13 countries.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Miss Swift lives happily alone in a very extraordinary house that has tigers in the garden and a ghost in the living room. She doesn’t have family, friends, and even people in the pictures on the wall have disappeared.
But one day three children appear on her doorstep, and seems like she might have forgotten something very important…
The answer can be found behind a locked door in the third floor. What’s behind the door you might ask? It’s Miss Swift’s past.

Request the English reading materials for Miss Swift’s Weird and Wonderful House by clicking here!

We are also glad to announce that we now have another sale for PRINCESS RASCAL series!
Danish rights for both books were acquired by Gads Forlag. Previously, PRINCESS RASCAL was acquired by Nieko Rimto in Lithuania.

Princess Rascal is a spirited and resourceful little girl with a great imagination, like the kid sister of Pippi Longstocking!
The heartwarming and funny picture books are written by Elina Hirvonen and illustrated by Mervi Lindman – 2 titles have been published thus far.

Request the full English pdfs for the Princess Rascal series by clicking here!

ABOUT THE SERIES:

#1 PRINCESS RASCAL is a picture book about a little girl who knows her mind and has a heart of gold, though sometimes it’s difficult to know the right thing to do. The book has been praised for its accurate and hilarious depictions of everyday life in a toddler family: sometimes parents get tired, too.

#2 PRINCESS RASCAL AND POTTY WORDS Princess Rascal starts pre-school. She’s nervous about her new mates and new teacher. Especially nervous she is about going to the toilet. When she uses toilet words in a completely wrong situation, she’s sure that she is the most embarrassing girl in the world. But a solution for the problem can be found in her secret treasure chest.

“If your child can’t stop laughing at potty words, then this book is the best Christmas present.
The book made such an impression on the 5-year old in our family that it was read dozens of times a day for a week…. And in the starring role is Princess Rascal’s stunning imagination that rescues her from trouble!”

– Janica Vilen, Turun Seutusanomat newspaper, Finland on PRINCESS RASCAL AND POTTY WORDS

MISS SWIFT’S WEIRD AND WONDERFUL HOUSE
Neiti Kymenen ihmeellinen talo,
Otava, July 2020, 250 pp.
Ages 7+

Rights sold:

FINLAND:
Otava (orig.)

 

 

PRINCESS RASCAL SERIES:

Prinsessa Rämäpää
Tammi, 2017 42pp
Prinsessa Rämäpää ja vessasanat
Tammi, 2019 42pp

Rights sold:

FINLAND:
Tammi (orig.)

DENMARK:
Gads Forlag
LITHUANIA:
Nieko Rimto

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

About author


Magdalena Hai

Magdalena Hai is an award-winning author, lover of cross-genre fiction and all things strange. Her fiction often combines elements of sci-fi, fantasy and horror.

Her Little Shop of Nightmares series has been sold to 30 territories around the world. Among Hai's many accolades are winning the Finlandia Prize for children's and YA literature and the Finnish Literary Export Prize, and being nominated  the Nordic Council Children & Young People's Literature Prize.

Besides being an author, Hai teaches writing and is an active member and editor in the publishing co-operative Osuuskumma.

Read more Author's page

About author


Mervi Lindman

Mervi Lindman is a much-loved illustrator whose cheerful artworks have been published in 19 different countries to date. Lindman’s illustrations have been regularly appraised by critics and public alike.

Read more

About author


Teemu Juhani

Teemu Juhani is a Finnish illustrator, comic artist and picture book author whose illustrations have been published in picture books and children's fiction in over 20 countries. In addition to children's books Teemu has illustrated magazines and educational material. Originally from the fields and woods of North Karelia, Teemu now lives, works and eats way too many cakes in Helsinki.

Read more Author's page

Watch Elina Hirvonen talk about Julia & P.A.L// Introducing – Enchanted Planet Earth

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Introducing: Julia & P.A.L. by Elina Hirvonen

Toy Story meets The Avengers! The first part of the new exciting middle-grade series where plush animals have super powers.

More than anything else, Julia, 10 years, wishes that somebody would like her. She can explain the structure of the universe, but has no idea how to talk to her classmates. What she doesn’t know is that she already has her very own best friend – her toy bunny Buck, who in reality is a top secret agent of the Plush Animal League (P.A.L.).

See the author reading from the book by clicking on the video below.

Ask for the English sample for Julia & P.A.L here.

 

Introducing: Enchanted Planet Earth by Laura Ertimo

There is a planet where plants plan world domination. Where beasts are good, and trees live for thousands of years, collecting memories in their bark. This enchanted place is Earth.

This book has 10 stories, and 10 maps. They may sound or look like they are out of a fairy-tale, but they are real, true maps of our planet. The Enchanted Planet Earth is a children’s non-fiction book that also engages adults. Through magical maps it teaches about nature, oceans and the history of continents. The stories also provide a context where adults and kids can discuss the environmental issues and how people’s actions affect nature. Through narratives the book explains the real processes that change our planet and make the Earth habitable.

Ask for the English sample and full Finnish pdf for Enchanted Planet Earth here.

Map of migratory birds and animals.

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

About author


Laura Ertimo

Laura Ertimo is a geographer and author. She has previously worked in publishing of geography-related non-fiction and maps, and now she writes full time, specializing in children’s non-fiction. A recurring theme in her work is the holistic worldview, the interaction between phenomena, people and nature.

In 2020, she received the prestigious Tietopöllö Award for her work as a Non-Fiction writer. Her children's title WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu, was nominated for the 2021 Finlandia Award and has also won the Tieto-Lauri award!

Read more

About author


Nadja Sarell

Nadja Sarell is an illustrator living in Helsinki, Finland. She graduated with MA in Dance from Theatre Academy Helsinki. Soon after that she moved to a small town in North Wales to study children’s book illustration. She graduated from North Wales School of Art and Design with BA in Illustration for Children’s Publishing in 2004.

Since then she has worked as a freelance illustrator for children’s publishing in Finland and abroad. She loves to teach art, illustration and dance for both children and adults. She is also passionate about surface pattern design and enjoys creating charismatic, expressive book characters.
If Nadja was an animal, she would be a cat living in an old mansion with a large fireplace and a comfy sofa. Her favourite things are her family, music, dancing, black coffee and chocolate.

Read more Author's page

About author


Satu Kontinen

Satu Kontinen is a graphic designer and illustrator obsessed with flowers. She is known for her detailed ink works as well as creating quirky creatures and imaginary worlds that spark the imagination of kids and adults alike. She has been awarded for designing and illustrating one of the most beautiful books/book covers in Finland (_Vuoden kaunein kirja_ by the Finnish Book Art Committee) in 2008, 2015, 2016 and in 2018. In 2004 she was nominated for the Finlandia Junior Prize and in 2017 she was one of the top 10 finalists in the prestigious Rudolf Koivu illustration awards. In 2020 she was given a Merit Award in the Three x Three International Illustration Awards.

In her free time Satu enjoys designing floral fabrics and writing children's and YA fiction in secrecy. Maybe some day she will show them to a publisher.

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3 new children’s deals: Weird Weather, Princess Rascal and Monster Nanny!

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3 new children’s deals: Weird Weather, Princess Rascal and Monster Nanny!
We are very excited to announce our 3 new children’s deals!

WEIRD WEATHER! Why Does Climate Change? – a book that explains climate change to children (and adults) was just acquired by Astronave in Spain.

WEIRD WEATHER was published only in October and has already sold to Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey which means that soon the book will be published in 10 territories!Weird Weather! Why Does Climate Change? is accurate but hopeful children’s non-fiction book that explains how humans are responsible for climate change and what we can do to ensure a brighter future. It also gives tips on how everyone can make better choices and practice climate skills every day. The book is written by Laura Ertimo and illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu.

Request the reading materials for Weird Weather here!

Lithuanian publisher Nieko Rimto 
acquired the rights for:

  • Elina Hirvonen’s Princess Rascal and
  • Tuutikki Tolonen’s Monster Nanny!

Princess Rascal is a spirited and resourceful little girl, like the kid sister of Pippi Longstocking!

You would think that Rascal is a just a little girl, but she’s also a princess with many crowns for different purposes: one for Important Thoughts, one for Great Adventures, one for Peaceful Dreams. When Mom gets mad at her, she must find the right crown to calm Mom down.

Princess Rascal is a picture book about a little girl who knows her mind and has a heart of gold, though sometimes it’s difficult to know the right thing to do. The book has been praised for its accurate and hilarious depictions of everyday life in a toddler family: sometimes parents get tired, too.
The book is written by Elina Hirvonen and illustrated by Mervi Lindman.

Request the full English pdf for Princess Rascal by clicking here.

Monster Nanny is a wonderful middle-grade book, first of a trilogy that has already sold to 25 countries and a feature film is in development by Scott Free Productions.

The Hellman children must make do with a nanny while their mother is away at a spa. The only problem? Their nanny is a monster.

Grah is hairy, dusty, and doesn’t talk. When the siblings discover that other neighborhood kids have been left with similar creatures, they start to wonder where the monsters came from. With the parents away, the kids work together (between bickering) to figure out the mystery of the monsters.

Tolonen seamlessly intertwines contemporary life with a world full of strange creatures. Monster Nanny is at once a refreshing change of pace and a return to timeless adventure.
The author of the book is Tuutikki Tolonen and the illustrations are done by Pasi Pitkänen.

Request the full English manuscript for Monster Nanny by clicking here.

WEIRD WEATHER
Ihme ilmat!
Into Kustannus 2019, 48 pp.
235 x 250 mm, four-color-illustrations

Rights sold:

FINLAND:
Into Kustannus (orig.)

ESTONIA:
Eesti Raamat
HUNGARY:
Ciceró Könyvstúdió
ITALY:
Mondadori/Edizioni Piemme
LITHUANIA:
Obuolys
NORWAY:
Aschehoug
SERBIA:
Odiseja
SPAIN:
Astronave
SWEDEN:
Rabén & Sjögren
TURKEY:
Kolektif

 

PRINCESS RASCAL
Prinsessa Rämäpään talvitaika, Tammi, 42pp

Rights sold:

FINLAND, Tammi
(orig. publisher)

LITHUANIA: Nieko Rimto

 

MONSTER NANNY
Mörkövahti, Tammi, 303pp

Rights sold:

FINLAND, Tammi (orig.)
AUSTRALIA, Allen & Unwin
BOSNIA, Šahinpašić
BRAZIL, DarkSide Books
CHINA, Beijing Children’s Publishing House
CZECH REPUBLIC, Portál
DENMARK, Turbine
ESTONIA, Tiritamm
FRANCE, Editions Robert Laffont
GERMANY, Carl Hanser Verlag
HUNGARY, Tessloff Babilon
ITALY, Salani/Mauri Spagnol
LATVIA, Zvaigzne
NETHERLANDS, Luitingh-Sijthoff
NEW ZEALAND, Allen & Unwin
NORWAY, Gyldendal Norsk
OCEANIA, Allen & Unwin
POLAND, Vesper
PORTUGAL, Asa Editiones/Leya
ROMANIA, Editura Univers
RUSSIA, Rosman
SLOVENIA, Mladinska knjiga
SPAIN (Spanish), La Galera
SPAIN (Catalan), La Galera
SWEDEN, Rabén & Sjögren
TURKEY, SEV Redhouse Kidz
VIETNAM, Nha Nam
WORLD ENGLISH, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

FILM RIGHTS, Scott Free Productions

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

About author


Laura Ertimo

Laura Ertimo is a geographer and author. She has previously worked in publishing of geography-related non-fiction and maps, and now she writes full time, specializing in children’s non-fiction. A recurring theme in her work is the holistic worldview, the interaction between phenomena, people and nature.

In 2020, she received the prestigious Tietopöllö Award for her work as a Non-Fiction writer. Her children's title WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu, was nominated for the 2021 Finlandia Award and has also won the Tieto-Lauri award!

Read more

About author


Mari Ahokoivu

Mari Ahokoivu is a Finnish illustrator and a comics artist. She’s been drawing professionally for over 10 years, mainly drawing graphic novels and comics for children, including Sanni & Joonas and Lola Olifante. Ahokoivu loves everything cute and scary. She lives and works in Copenhagen. 

Mari Ahokoivu won the Puupäähattu Comic Book Award 2023, and together with Laura Ertimo, they won the Tieto-Lauri Award 2022 and were nominated for the Finlandia Prize 2021 for WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO?!

Read more

About author


Mervi Lindman

Mervi Lindman is a much-loved illustrator whose cheerful artworks have been published in 19 different countries to date. Lindman’s illustrations have been regularly appraised by critics and public alike.

Read more

About author


Pasi Pitkänen

Pasi Pitkänen has become known for his richly detailed illustrative work on several children’s books such as the extremely popular Monster Nanny trilogy by Tuutikki Tolonen. He has also worked at Rovio Entertainment as an illustrator, character designer, and graphic designer. Pitkänen is the illustrator of the popular Kepler62 series and the author of two Children's titles Monster Tournament and The Island of Lost Animals.

Among Pitkänen’s hobbies are quantum physics, people-watching, B-movies, insects and baking.

Read more Author's page

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."

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Excellent praise for award-winning author Elina Hirvonen’s new novel RED STORM

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Red Storm, based on real-life events, is a story about families, motherhood, secrets, and hope that never dies.
The heartbreaking novel published a month ago was written by Finnish writer, journalist, and documentary film-maker Elina Hirvonen.

As a small boy grows up in Iraq ruled by Saddam Hussein, fear is always present. His father is part of an underground opposition movement that tries to overthrow the dictator. The father ends up spending years in prison, and the boy learns that just one wrong word can put his life in danger.

The family escapes to melancholy Finland, a country recovering from financial depression. It is a safe country, but the boy grows up with mixed feelings: can one be a good Muslim and a good Finnish boy? When ISIS is rising in Iraq, the boy returns to his home country as a peace negotiator, hoping to build a county where his children can travel safely to one day.

Ask for the English materials for the RED STORM by clicking here.

In the month it has been available in Finland, RED STORM has gathered excellent praise from both critics and readers alike:

“Red Storm is the best book you can bring home this autumn!”
– Turun Sanomat 30.10.

“The Red Storm describes with excellence the boundaries of a child’s consciousness, how imagination and dreams blend with reality, and how memories are shaped by the child’s comprehension.”
– Helsingin Sanomat newspaper

“Hirvonen depicts fantasticly how the people who have fleed their homes will always bear a longing in them. The main character is able to leave his agonies behind and start a new life in a new county, but he will always long for the lost chance of happy lives with his family in his own country. One of the most important books of the year.”
–Seppo Puutonen, literary critic

“We’re swept away by the steady force of Hirvonen’s insight into the family members, and by her profound sense of the ways parents influence their children. These are complex individuals whose encounters with love, war and injustice open up powerful revelations about our own lives. Moving back and forth in time—from the son’s work as an adult peacekeeper to his cross-cultural childhood—Red Storm becomes a poignant and exhilarating meditation on how our later experiences reshape our understanding of our earlier ones, how our future reinvents our past.”
– Kevin Frazier, literary critic 

“Hirvonen has written a stunning, strong novel that lifts up humanity and love even in the hardest of moments.”
– Leena Lumi blog

“Red Storm does incredile job discribing how it feels to have been grown up in the fear of constant violence, and then had to build a life as an outsider in a strange country.”
– Kirjaluotsi blog

“Hirvonen’s writing is beautiful and flowy, it strikes straight to the heart of a mother. – – – Red Strorm took me to another kind of world and showed another way of thinking. And it helped me to understand.”
– Kirsin Book Club blog

“Hirvonen has been able to capture the young boy’s emotions, fears, anger and desire to be accepted so well.”
– Kirjojen kuisketta blog

“In this short novel the entire human history meets the insignificance of a small individual in a breathtaking way.”
– Lukulaiffii blog

ELINA HIRVONEN is the author of adults’ and children’s prose, a journalist and documentary filmmaker. She has written four highly acclaimed adults’ novels that are at the same time tragic and beautiful, and two children’s books. She has received Kalevi Jäntti Prize, and Nuori Aleksis Prize and has been nominated for Finlandia Prize and Debut Prize.

Rights sold:

FINLAND: WSOY (orig.)

About author


Elina Hirvonen

Elina Hirvonen is an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker whose works have been translated into many languages. Hirvonen’s debut novel, When I Forgot, made the front page of The New York Times Book Review, and received rave reviews from the Independent, Guardian, Financial Times and Globe and Mail.

Hirvonen has won the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Young Aleksis Prize, has been nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize. She has received the prestigious 2023 Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö Literary Foundation Award, recognizing the artistic independence and high standard of her writing.

Her new novel, The Logbook of Love, was published in Finland in August 2023. The Logbook of Love is the first part of a trilogy of novels that create their world through conversations.

Read more

Bibliography


2023, Literary Fiction

The Logbook of Love

Elina Hirvonen


2023, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

The Rescuers Julia and Charlie

Elina Hirvonen


2021, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Charlie and the Wombat Warriors

Elina Hirvonen


2021, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Princess Rascal and the Quarrel Spell

Elina Hirvonen


2020, Middle Grade (8-12 Years)

Julia & P.A.L

Elina Hirvonen


2019, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Princess Rascal and The Potty Words

Elina Hirvonen


2019, Literary Fiction

Red Storm

Elina Hirvonen


2017, Chapter Books (3-6 Years)

Princess Rascal

Elina Hirvonen


2015, Literary Fiction

When Time Runs Out

Elina Hirvonen


2005, Literary Fiction

When I Forgot

Elina Hirvonen

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