Mari Ahokoivu

PRANKENSTEIN by Kaisa Paasto and illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu sold to Poland!

Posted on

We are back from Bologna book fair and are happy to report that Publishing House Greg has snapped up the Polish rights to PRANKENSTEIN by Kaisa Paasto and illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu! This deal was closed by Anna Kappauf at Elina Ahlback Agency.

Publishing House Greg is a children’s books publisher publishing children’s and YA titles from the classics to more contemporary titles as well as educational books for children.

PRANKENSTEIN was creating a nice buzz during Bologna book fair – the funny and heartwarming story, fresh black-and-white illustrations, and relatively short text with appeal for reluctant and first time readers seemed to tick many boxes of what editors were looking for across all territories!

And we have a full English sample translation for you to read!

Download the English materials for PRANKENSTEIN here!

Prankenstein
Tammi, 2024, 112 pp.

Reading material:
Full English translation
Finnish edition

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
Poland: Greg

About author


Kaisa Paasto

Kaisa Paasto spent her childhood in the north of Finland and now lives in Espoo with her husband, two children, bunnies and a shih tzu. Kaisa has a master’s degree in Comparative Literature and has previously worked as translator, content specialist and entrepreneur. Apart from the Anni books she has published domestic thrillers for adults by Storytel Original.

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

I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER sold to Sweden!

Posted on

We are happy to announce that the Swedish rights for the non-fiction title I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER by Tero Mielonen and Mari Ahokoivu have been acquired by Swedish publisher Epix! The deal was closed by Anna Kappauf at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Previously sold to Bulgaria and Latvia, I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER shows children how they can turn their interests into careers in science and research, proofing that everyone can be a scientist!

Praise for I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER:

“I’ll Become a Researcher tells you the basics of every discipline with accuracy and precision. Even If a preschooler will not understand all words, the excellent illustrations can help bring the research equipment and objects of investigation to life.  The presentation was also approved by my 12-year-old son, who is a little older than the target group. The comic in the end of the book gets a special commendation. Clear demonstration, I liked it!”
– Elina Lindfors, Tähdet ja Avaruus -magazine, Finland

We have a full English pdf for you to read and the rights are still available in UK, US, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Korea etc!

Download the full English pdf for I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER here!

 

Maailman tutkijat
Ursa, 2021, 53pp

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Ursa (orig.)
BULGARIA: Enthusiast
LATVIA: Latvijas Mediji
SWEDEN: Epix

Reading materials:
Full English pdf

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


Tero Mielonen

Tero Mielonen (PhD) is an atmospheric scientist and a comic book enthusiast. He studies the role of atmospheric aerosols in climate change at the Finnish Meteorological Institute. He also enjoys public outreach in its various forms.

Mielonen has written a children’s book, I'll Become a Researcher (illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu) which gives introductions to several scientific fields and shows how you can still do the things you enjoyed as a child when you become a scientist. A graphic novel written by Mielonen, The Ozone Diary, was shortlisted for Comic/Graphic Novel at the British Fantasy Awards 2020. Mielonen lives in Kuopio and is partial to cycling everywhere.

Read more

Illustrator Mari Ahokoivu wins the Puupäähattu Award! 

Posted on

We are excited to share the news that our illustrator Mari Ahokoivu has won the Puupäähattu Award, given yearly to an established comic artist by the Finnish Comics Society!
The award has been given out since 1972, and past winners include e.g. Mauri Kunnas, Tom of Finland, and Tove and Lars Jansson! The name of the prize refers to the hat of Ola Fogelberg’s classic character Pekka Puupää.

Mari has illustrated e.g. multiple children’s nonfiction titles – the newest one is the lovely I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER, written by Tero Mielonen, and together with Laura Ertimo she’s worked on the WEIRD WEATHER series, sold to 17 territories! 
She has also illustrated the charming ANNI THE FRIEND TAMER series, written by Kaisa Paasto!

Congrats on the award Mari!

Reminder: The FILI translation grant application round is ongoing! FILI provides grants that can cover up to 70% of the costs of translating Finnish and Finland-Swedish titles to other languages. The deadline for the current application round is February 1st. You can find more information here: Translation and printing grants for publishers outside Finland – FILI

 

I’ll Become a Researcher

Tero Mielonen, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu

Anyone can become a researcher!

South American Kat used to examine the starry skies with her father and now her job is to search for new planets. Marjane loved hunting for treasures, and she became an archeologist who solves the mysteries of ancient cultures. Eduardo loved playing video games. He did not become a professional gamer, but now he creates climate models and ponders what our world will be like in a hundred years. All kinds of people do science, and anyone can become a scientist!

Download the materials for I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER here!

 

Weird Weather

Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu

Answering children’s tough questions about climate change and explaining how we can all fight against it!

Two clever buddies, Lotta and Kasper, get tired of their parents’ evasive answers about weird weather. They decide to research what climate change is really about. Weird Weather! is an accurate but hopeful children’s nonfiction title 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-positive skills every day.

The independent sequel, Where Did the Animals Go which helps to understand the biodiversity crisis, was awarded the Tietopöllö Award for best children’s nonfiction in 2022!

Download the materials for WEIRD WEATHER here!

 

Anni the Friend Tamer series

Kaisa Paasto, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu

Shy people of the world, unite!

Anni is a 10-year-old girl. When her friend Miisa moves abroad, Anni has a chilling realization: she has never had to find a new friend. Is it too late to learn how to make friends? Obviously, no one can learn a skill this big when they’re 10, can they? Anni also has another problem. Her new pet pig only wants to stay in his safe place, under the table. Good thing Anni’s brother has just had a back operation, as this means he has lots of time to lie in bed and dole out advice. Anni’s parents are alright as far as parents go, even if they laugh a bit too much at their own jokes.

So it’s not all bad – Anni just needs to become a ‘friend tamer’!

Download the materials for the ANNI THE FRIEND TAMER series here!

I’ll Become a researcher
Maailman Tutkijat
URSA, 2021, 53 pp.
Rights sold: FINLAND: Ursa (orig.), BULGARIA: Enthusiast, LATVIA: Latvijas Mediji
Reading materials: Full English sample

 

Weird Weather! 
Ihme Ilmat – miksi ilmasto muuttuu
Into Kustannus, 2019, 48pp
Rights sold: FINLAND: Into Kustannus (orig.), DENMARK: Staarup & Co., ESTONIA: Avita, GERMANY: Cross Cult, HUNGARY: Ciceró Könyvstúdió, ITALY: Mondadori/Edizioni Piemme, LATVIA: Jumava, LITHUANIA: Obuolys, MEXICO: (Latin American Spanish rights): Ordinal Books, NORTH MACEDONIA: Feniks, NORWAY: Aschehoug, POLAND: Amber, SERBIA: Odiseja, SLOVAKIA: Ikar, SPAIN: Astronave, SWEDEN: Rabén & Sjögren, TURKEY: Kolektif, UNITED STATES (North America): Skyhorse Publishing/Sky Pony Press
Reading materials: Full English PDF

 

Anni the Friend Tamer
Anni Kaverinkesyttäjä
Tammi, March 2020, 128 pp.
Rights sold: FINLAND: Tammi (orig.), ALBANIA: Muza (books 1-2), GERMANY: Loewe Verlag (books 1-3)
Reading materials: Finnish edition, English sample and synopsis

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

Related news

Three new Children’s deals!

Posted on

We are thrilled to announce three new Children’s deals!

Firstly, Cambourakis has acquired the French rights to LITTLE MOUSE AND THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT, the 8th and latest title in the LITTLE MOUSE series by Riikka Jäntti! The deal was closed by Toomas Aasmäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

The Éditions Cambourakis are delighted to continue publishing Riikka Jäntti’s series Little Mouse. As we follow in his footsteps, we discover everyday’s marvels and surprises; a character our little French readers don’t seem to be tired of!
– Charlotte Groult, Assistante éditoriale, Éditions Cambourakis, France

Secondly, the Bulgarian rights for I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER, a children’s non-fiction title by Tero Mielonen and Mari Ahokoivu, have been acquired by Enthusiast, an imprint of Alto! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Thirdly, the Albanian rights to the internationally bestselling MONSTER NANNY trilogy by Tuutikki Tolonen and Pasi Pitkänen have been acquired by Westprint! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

The wonderful LITTLE MOUSE series has 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 inspiring and educational I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER has been sold to Bulgaria and Latvia. All other rights are available!

Download the full English PDF here!

The humorous MONSTER NANNY trilogy has now been sold to 32 territories, but the rights are still available in Japan, Croatia, World Arabic, Bulgaria, Greece, Slovakia, Iceland etc.

Download the full English PDFs for the entire series here!

FILI GRANTS REMINDER

We are thrilled to remind you that the latest application period for Finnish Literature Exchange (FILI) translation and printing grants is still open and will last until May 1st!

It’s a perfect time to acquire exciting Finnish titles and apply for translation grants!
Don’t have a Finnish translator yet? Find them here!

In the last application period in Winter 2022, 63 projects earned a grant with 113,000€ awarded in total. See the previously awarded projects here!

Translation grants
Up to 70% of translation costs from Finnish or Finland-Swedish can be covered by a FILI translation grant. There are 3 application periods in a year, and the Spring application period is 1.4.–1.5.2022.

LITTLE MOUSE SERIES
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

 

I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER
MAAILMAN TUTKIJAT
Ursa, 2021, 53 pp.

READING MATERIALS:
Full English PDF

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Tammi (orig.)
BULGARIA: Enthusiast
LATVIA: Latvijas Mediji

 

MONSTER NANNY TRILOGY
MÖRKÖVAHTI
Tammi, 2015-2020.

READING MATERIALS:
Full English PDF for #1, English samples and synopses for #2 and #3

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND, Tammi (orig.)
ALBANIA: Westprint
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
KOREA: Seosawon
LATVIA, Zvaigzne
LITHUANIA: Nieko Rimto
NETHERLANDS: (print) Luitingh-Sijthoff
NETHERLANDS: (audio) Saga Egmont
NEW ZEALAND: Allen & Unwin
NORWAY, Gyldendal Norsk
OCEANIA: Allen & Unwin
POLAND, Vesper
PORTUGAL, Asa Editiones/Leya
ROMANIA: Univers
RUSSIA, Rosman
SERBIA: Laguna
SLOVENIA, Mladinska knjiga
SPAIN (Spanish), La Galera
SPAIN (Catalan), La Galera
SWEDEN, Rabén & Sjögren
TURKEY, SEV Redhouse Kidz
UKRAINE: School Publishing House
VIETNAM, Nha Nam
WORLD ENGLISH, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
FILM RIGHTS, Scott Free Productions

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


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


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

About author


Tero Mielonen

Tero Mielonen (PhD) is an atmospheric scientist and a comic book enthusiast. He studies the role of atmospheric aerosols in climate change at the Finnish Meteorological Institute. He also enjoys public outreach in its various forms.

Mielonen has written a children’s book, I'll Become a Researcher (illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu) which gives introductions to several scientific fields and shows how you can still do the things you enjoyed as a child when you become a scientist. A graphic novel written by Mielonen, The Ozone Diary, was shortlisted for Comic/Graphic Novel at the British Fantasy Awards 2020. Mielonen lives in Kuopio and is partial to cycling everywhere.

Read more

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."

Read more

I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER sold to Latvia! First international sale for this Children’s Non-Fiction title!

Posted on

We are overjoyed to announce that the Latvian rights for I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER, a children’s non-fiction title written by Tero Mielonen and illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu, have been acquired by Latvijas Mediji! The deal was closed by Sten-Erik Tammemäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

Latvijas Mediji praised the book for being an inspiring and entertaining read:

“I’ll Become a Researcher” is a vibrant and important book, introducing young readers to the various career options that their interests can lead to. This book celebrates the need for research and evidence-based thinking in the modern world (including the importance of humanities!). It will provide many fun hours for the readers and their parents and teachers who will be able to study the detailed illustrations and discuss the different professions of the world together.
– Līva Kukle, Children’s Editor, Latvijas Mediji

Download the full English PDF here!

I’LL BECOME A RESEARCHER
by Tero Mielonen and Mari Ahokoivu
Ursa, 2021, 53 pp.

South American Kat used to examine the starry skies with her father and now her job is to search for new planets. Marjane loved hunting for treasures, and she became an archeologist who solves the mysteries of ancient cultures. Eduardo loved playing video games. He did not become a professional gamer, but now he creates climate models and ponders what our world will be like in a hundred years. All kinds of people do science, and anyone can become a scientist!

MAAILMAN TUTKIJAT
Ursa, 2021, 53 pp.

READING MATERIALS:
Full English PDF

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Ursa (orig.)
LATVIA: Latvijas Mediji

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


Tero Mielonen

Tero Mielonen (PhD) is an atmospheric scientist and a comic book enthusiast. He studies the role of atmospheric aerosols in climate change at the Finnish Meteorological Institute. He also enjoys public outreach in its various forms.

Mielonen has written a children’s book, I'll Become a Researcher (illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu) which gives introductions to several scientific fields and shows how you can still do the things you enjoyed as a child when you become a scientist. A graphic novel written by Mielonen, The Ozone Diary, was shortlisted for Comic/Graphic Novel at the British Fantasy Awards 2020. Mielonen lives in Kuopio and is partial to cycling everywhere.

Read more

WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO sold to Hungary!

Posted on

We are very excited to let you know that the WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO written by Laura Ertimo and illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu has now been acquired in Hungary by the publisher Tessloff Babilon!
Rights have now been sold to Germany, Hungary and Estonia!
The deal was closed by Toomas Aasmäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency

In WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO, two children, Lotta and Kasper, find clues about the great changes that life has undergone in the past and how life has continued after major catastrophes.

Through their journey, they come to see the roots of the current situation, understand why solving it is so tricky and learn how the human species has overcome previous crises to survive to this day.

Download the English sample and Finnish pdf for the book here

This amazing title won the Tieto-Lauri award for the Best Children’s Non-Fiction title of 2021!
Here’s what the award jury said:

Children today grow up among worldwide ecological crises. It presents a great challenge for nonfiction literature: how to tell children about the complex phenomena in an easily understandable way and give factually based hope that even the hardest crises can be solved. Ertimo and Ahokoivu have successfully taken on this challenge.

 

WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO: Traveling Through Time With Lotta and Kasper
by Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu
Lotta and Kasper keep seeing new worrisome news: dying bees, endangered animals, plastic in the Mariana Trench and on the glaciers of Antarctica, rivers polluted by mines, forest fires…

The children realize that even if the problems of climate change were solved, Mother Nature would still be in trouble! Climate change is only one part of an escalating environmental crisis. How will we survive?

The fossil gremlin suggests that Lotta and Kasper set out on a grand journey through time in search of threads that may connect the past to the present and provide solutions for the future.

With the gremlin as their guide, the children find clues about the great changes that life has undergone in the past and how life has continued after major catastrophes. Through their journey, they come to see the roots of the current situation, understand why solving it is so tricky and learn how the human species has overcome previous crises to survive to this day.

WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO?
Aika matka! Lotta, Kasper ja luontokadon arvoitus
Into, 2021, 48 pp.

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Into (orig.)

ESTONIA: Avita
GERMANY: Cross Cult
HUNGARY: Tessloff Babilon

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

Estonian rights sold for WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO

Posted on

We are very happy to announce that the Estonian rights to the award-winning WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO have now been acquired by Avita! The wonderful title won the Tieto-Lauri prize for Children’s and YA non-fiction 2021 and the German rights were sold just last week! The deal was closed by Toomas Aasmäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

In WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO, two children, Lotta and Kasper, find clues about the great changes that life has undergone in the past and how life has continued after major catastrophes. Through their journey, they come to see the roots of the current situation, understand why solving it is so tricky and learn how the human species has overcome previous crises to survive to this day.

 

The rights are still available in Denmark, Italy, Russia, Sweden, Hungary, Norway, Lithuania, Czech Republic etc.

Download the English sample and Finnish pdf for WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO

The book just last week received the Tieto-Lauri award for the Best Children’s Non-Fiction title of 2021!
Here’s what the award jury said:

Children today grow up among worldwide ecological crises. It presents a great challenge for nonfiction literature: how to tell children about the complex phenomena in an easily understandable way and give factually based hope that even the hardest crises can be solved. Ertimo and Ahokoivu have successfully taken on this challenge.

 

 

WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO: Traveling Through Time With Lotta and Kasper
written by Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu

Lotta and Kasper keep seeing new worrisome news: dying bees, endangered animals, plastic in the Mariana Trench and on the glaciers of Antarctica, rivers polluted by mines, forest fires…

The children realize that even if the problems of climate change were solved, Mother Nature would still be in trouble! Climate change is only one part of an escalating environmental crisis. How will we survive?

Rights sold:
FINLAND: Into (orig.)

GERMANY: Cross Cult
ESTONIA: Avita

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

German rights sold for the award-winning WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO

Posted on

We are very excited to let you know that the WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO – Travelling Through Time With Lotta and Kasper written by Laura Ertimo and illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu has now been acquired in Germany by the publisher Cross Cult.
The deal was closed by Toomas Aasmäe at Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

In WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO, two children, Lotta and Kasper, find clues about the great changes that life has undergone in the past and how life has continued after major catastrophes.

Through their journey, they come to see the roots of the current situation, understand why solving it is so tricky and learn how the human species has overcome previous crises to survive to this day.

Download the English sample and Finnish pdf for the book here

The book just yesterday received the Tieto-Lauri award for the Best Children’s Non-Fiction title of 2021!
Here’s what the award jury said:

Children today grow up among worldwide ecological crises. It presents a great challenge for nonfiction literature: how to tell children about the complex phenomena in an easily understandable way and give factually based hope that even the hardest crises can be solved. Ertimo and Ahokoivu have successfully taken on this challenge.

WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO: Traveling Through Time With Lotta and Kasper
by Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu
Lotta and Kasper keep seeing new worrisome news: dying bees, endangered animals, plastic in the Mariana Trench and on the glaciers of Antarctica, rivers polluted by mines, forest fires…

The children realize that even if the problems of climate change were solved, Mother Nature would still be in trouble! Climate change is only one part of an escalating environmental crisis. How will we survive?

The fossil gremlin suggests that Lotta and Kasper set out on a grand journey through time in search of threads that may connect the past to the present and provide solutions for the future.

With the gremlin as their guide, the children find clues about the great changes that life has undergone in the past and how life has continued after major catastrophes. Through their journey, they come to see the roots of the current situation, understand why solving it is so tricky and learn how the human species has overcome previous crises to survive to this day.

 

WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO?
Aika matka! Lotta, Kasper ja luontokadon arvoitus
Into, 2021, 48 pp.

RIGHTS SOLD:
FINLAND: Into (orig.)

GERMANY: Cross Cult

READING MATERIALS:

English synopsis,
Full English translation,
Finnish PDF

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

‘Where Did the Animals Go – Travelling Through Time With Lotta and Kasper’ wins the Tieto-Lauri prize for Children’s and YA nonfiction!

Posted on
Prestigious award for the praised children’s nonfiction about environmental and ecological crises

We are very excited to announce that just this morning it was revealed that ‘WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO – Travelling Through Time With Lotta and Kasper’ written by Laura Ertimo and illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu won the Tieto-Lauri prize for the best Children’s and YA nonfiction title 2021! The original Finnish title is ’Aika matka! Lotta, Kasper ja luontokadon arvoitus’. The prestigious award is worth 15 000 €.

The jury states that: “Children today grow up among worldwide ecological crises. It presents a great challenge for nonfiction literature: how to tell children about the complex phenomena in an easily understandable way and give factually based hope that even the hardest crises can be solved. Ertimo and Ahokoivu have successfully taken on this challenge.” 

Download the materials from here

We are incredibly happy to see this stand-alone sequel to the best-selling WEIRD WEATHER continue its success after the Finlandia nomination last year!

Congrats to Laura Ertimo and Mari Ahokoivu!

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Into (orig.)

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

German rights for WEIRD WEATHER now pre-empted!

Posted on
We are really happy to let you know that the German rights for WEIRD WEATHER have now been pre-empted by Cross Cult!

Weird Weather! is accurate but hopeful children’s title that explains how humans are responsible for climate change and what we can do to fight it.

Publisher Cross Cult is inspired:

Author Laura Ertimo and illustrator Mari Ahokoivu use text parts, comic style scenes and large illustrations to make an important and difficult topic accessible to younger readers. We are looking forward to publish the German edition of this great book that makes aware and explains one of the great problems of our time.
– Andreas Mergenthaler, Publisher, Cross Cult, Ludwigsburg, Germany

Rights are still available in: Russia, Czech Republic, Romania, Korea, Turkey, Albania, Netherlands, France, UK, Greece, Bulgaria, Iceland etc.

Download the Full English pdf for the title here!
WEIRD WEATHER

by Laura Ertimo, illustrations by Mari Ahokoivu

Climate changes, why don’t we? Weird Weather! answers children’s tough questions about climate change, and tells how we can all fight against it.

Two clever buddies, Lotta and Kasper get tired of their parents’ evasive answers about weird weather. They decide to research what climate change is really is
about!

Weird Weather! is accurate but hopeful children’s nonfiction 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. But climate change won’t be beaten with tiny tricks, and this book also encourages talking to children about how to make changes in society, and how working together can change everything.

Author 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. Her latest title WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO? was nominated for Finlandia Prize for Children’s and Youth Literature in 2021.

Illustrator Mari Ahokoivu (b. 1984) 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.
Her illustrated title WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO? was nominated for Finlandia Prize for Children’s and Youth Literature in 2021.

WEIRD WEATHER
Ihme ilmat, Into 2019, 48pp

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Into (orig.)

DENMARK: Staarup & Co.
ESTONIA: Avita
GERMANY: Cross Cult
HUNGARY: Ciceró Könyvstúdió Kft.
ITALY: Edizioni Piemme S.p.a
LATVIA: Jumava
LITHUANIA: Obuolys
MACEDONIA: Feniks
MEXICO (Latin American Spanish rights): Ordinal
NORWAY: Aschehoug
POLAND: AMBER Sp. z o.o.
SERBIA: Odiseja
SLOVAKIA: Ikar
SPAIN: Norma Editorial
SWEDEN: Raben & Sjörgen
UNITED STATES: Skyhorse Publishing

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

‘Where Did the Animals Go – Travelling Through Time With Lotta and Kasper’ nominated for Finlandia Prize for Children’s and Youth Literature

Posted on
‘Where Did the Animals Go – Travelling Through Time With Lotta and Kasper’ nominated for the prestigious Finlandia Prize for Children’s and Youth Literature

We are very excited about the news from this morning! ‘Where Did the Animals Go – Travelling Through Time With Lotta and Kasper’ written by Laura Ertimo and illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu has been nominated for the Finlandia Prize in Children and Youth Literature. The original Finnish title is ’Aika matka! Lotta, Kasper ja luontokadon arvoitus’.

The jury states that: “The journey into the enigma of the loss of biodiversity flows smoothly through the playful arrangement of imagery and writing. The text meanders from the smallest small to the greatest of matters, satisfying the thirst for knowledge of all age groups. The expressive illustration walks alongside the text, at times excitedly getting carried away into an independent cartoon adventure where future, present and history unite. The entity is a vivacious cornucopia that induces the reader to do research, to come back to the book and to take effect.”

Download materials from here

WHERE DID THE ANIMALS GO – TRAVELLING THROUGH TIME WITH LOTTA AND KASPER
by Laura Ertimo and illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu

Aika matka! Lotta, Kasper ja luontokadon arvoitus
Into, 2021, pp. 48

 

Rights sold
FINLAND: Into (orig.)

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

Now 16 rights sold for WEIRD WEATHER!

Posted on

We are very excited to let you know that WEIRD WEATHER has now sold to North Macedonian publisher Feniks! 

Publisher Feniks said:

Our Mother planet Earth needs our help! This wonderful book written by Laura Ertimo with beautiful illustrations by Mari Ahokoivu will help the readers (young and adults) to better understand why the climate is changing and how we can help and contribute towards a better future and save the planet for future generations.
– Nena Anastasovska, Publishing House Feniks, North Macedonia

Download the Full English pdf for the title here!

WEIRD WEATHER
by Laura Ertimo, illustrations by Mari Ahokoivu

Climate changes, why don’t we? Weird Weather! answers children’s tough questions about climate change, and tells how we can all fight against it.

Two clever buddies, Lotta and Kasper get tired of their parents’ evasive answers about weird weather. They decide to research what climate change is really is
about!

Weird Weather! is accurate but hopeful children’s nonfiction 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. But climate change won’t be beaten with tiny tricks, and this book also encourages talking to children about how to make changes in society, and how working together can change everything.

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Into (orig.),
DENMARK: Staarup & Co.,
ESTONIA: Avita,
HUNGARY: Ciceró Könyvstúdió Kft.,
ITALY: Edizioni Piemme S.p.a,
LATVIA: Jumava,
LITHUANIA: Obuolys,
MACEDONIA: Feniks
MEXICO (Latin American Spanish rights): Ordinal,
NORWAY: Aschehoug,
POLAND: AMBER Sp. z o.o.,
SERBIA: Odiseja,
SLOVAKIA: Ikar, SPAIN: Norma Editorial,
SWEDEN: Raben & Sjörgen,
UNITED STATES: Skyhorse Publishing

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

EALA Spring 2021 Children’s Rights Guide

Posted on

We have wonderful new Children’s titles for you!

We are very proud to share our Spring 2021 Children’s Rights Guide and announce exciting titles from YA fantasy adventures to finding new friends with a pet pig, from teaching children about viruses to a wonderful wintertime story and everything in between!

Browse our full Spring 2021 Children’s Rights Guide here.

 

Stormseye
by Meri Luttinen

Nominated for Finlandia Prize for Children’s & YA literature 2020!

Topelius Prize Winner 2020!

A beautiful historical fantasy adventure set in the ancient Finnish fantasy world where a young woman finds her own place in the society

On a long midsummer night, when the sun never really sets, sixteen year-old Kainu stands at the edge of a series of red circles drawn in ochre on the ground.

All young girls in her village discover what their future role in life is going to be by taking part in this ancient and traditional “rite of the circles”. Girls usually find that they end up in one of the more common circles that points them in the direction of roles such as matrons, mothers, or craftswomen. No one even dreams about the five most unique and select innermost circles, usually reserved for shamans and sages. Not one single girl has ever found themselves directed to one of the special circles for hundreds of years.

However, when Kainu enters the very middle circle which is that of a Great Sage, heavy responsibilities fall on her, and she has to go on a long journey to find out who she really is.

Download English sample and synopsis here!

 

Annie the Friend Tamer
by Kaisa Paasto, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu

Shy people of the world, unite!
Annie is a 10-year-old girl. When her friend Miisa moves abroad, Annie has a chilling realization: she has never had to find a new friend. Is it too late to learn how to make friends? Obviously no-one can learn a skill this big when they’re 10. Can they?

At home Annie has a different sort of problem: her new pet pig is refusing to be trained. He just wants to stay in his safe place, under the table. Good thing that Annie’s brother has just had a major back operation, as this means he has lots of time to lie in bed and dole out great advice. Anni’es parents are also alright as far as parents go, even if they do laugh a bit too much at their own jokes. So it’s not all too bad – she just needs to become a ‘friend tamer’!

Download English book presentation and Full Finnish pdf from here

Full English text coming soon!

BOOK 2 coming in Fall 2021! 

 

Tales of Wintertide: The Snow Queen’s Spell
by Hannele Lampela

Nominated for Arvid Lydecken Prize 2020!

Imagine if all the bedtime stories were true! The Snow Queen’s Spell begins an enchantingly funny and fantastical series for middle-grade readers.

Greta’s little brother Kai has gone missing, but her parents act like he has never even existed. So, she embarks on a mission to find and save him, and ends up in the fairytale-like land of Wintertide, where she becomes a member of the Storytellers Guild. Before Greta can save Kai, she needs to learn to tell her own story.

But just what is her story? Is it a fairy tale about the Snow Queen? At least it seems as if it is;  Greta must now become a member of the Guild to break the enchanted spell cast by the Queen of Coldness. It’s clear that the Queen is definitely not going to let Kai go without a fight.

Download English sample and synopsis here

 

Mini Science: Invisible World
by Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Sanna Pelliccioni

In the second title of Mini Science series – INVISIBLE WORLD – the adorable character Plop will discover the things one cannot see: electricity, garden in the fog, darkness, micro-organisms and other invisible things.

When Plop will get sick, he will learn about bacteria and viruses and how to avoid them. Vaccinations can seem scary, but they keep us healthy!
Sometimes it’s better to stay home, even if this makes you bored, so that soon you could go discovering the Dark Side of The Moon!

Download full English pdf here

 

Weird Weather: Why Does Climate Change
Weird Weather Activity Book for Climate Heroes

by Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu
Now the bestselling children’s non-fiction title about climate change got even better!
Let us introduce the Weird Weather Activity Book that compliments the original bestselling title and can turn anyone into a Climate Hero!

Weird Weather is an original title about climate change, sold already to 16 territories!

Two clever buddies, Lotta and Kasper get tired of their parents’ evasive answers about weird weather. They decide to research what climate change is really about. Weird Weather! is an accurate but hopeful children’s nonfiction title 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-positive skills every day.

But climate change won’t be beaten with tiny tricks, and that’s why this book also encourages talking to children about how to make societal changes, and how working together can change everything. Stay also tuned for the upcoming sequel!

Download full English pdf here

Weird Weather, the Activity Book provides fun pastimes for environment lovers. Fun tasks, brain-teasers and inspiring ideas unleash children’s creative powers. Through the activities, they will learn more about the world including both past and current changes happening everywhere in nature – as well as what can be done for a better future!

Some of the tasks can be done directly in the book, others encourage the children to explore their home environment or the surrounding areas. Get busy with a friend, call your grandparents to learn about the climate, and why not write a letter to the people who can make a difference, whether it’s your favorite YouTuber – or the President!

Download full Finnish pdf here

About author


Hannele Lampela

Hannele Lampela's lovable works have been praised above all for their rich humor and ability to truly show the world from a child's perspective. She has the ability to enchant her readers, and that is why both children and adults love her stories. Lampela's works have been dramatized for example by the Finnish National Theater, Kuopio City Theater and YLE's radio plays. She has been awarded the prestigious Kaarina Helakisa Prize for her work and she has been nominated for Runeberg Junior award in 2019 and for Storytel Award, and Arvid Lydecken Award four times, most recently in 2023.

In addition to her fictional works, Lampela has written and created  a world of stories for the next national ABC book of Finnish schools. First graders across the country will learn to read through Hannele’s texts. Lampela lives in a small wooden house in the middle of apple trees with her family, and spends her days not only writing, but also pampering herself and others on a regular basis.

Read more Author's page

About author


Kaisa Paasto

Kaisa Paasto spent her childhood in the north of Finland and now lives in Espoo with her husband, two children, bunnies and a shih tzu. Kaisa has a master’s degree in Comparative Literature and has previously worked as translator, content specialist and entrepreneur. Apart from the Anni books she has published domestic thrillers for adults by Storytel Original.

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


Meri Luttinen

Meri Luttinen is an award-winning Finnish debut writer from Tampere. Her debut Stormseye won the Topelius prize and was nominated for both Kuvastaja Award and Finlandia Prize for Children's & YA literature in 2020.

She has a Master's degree in Finnish language and literature and has worked teaching Finnish and creating study materials. Luttinen is fascinated by everyday life in different eras and wants to transport readers to other worlds with her texts.

Read more

LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES series sold to Lithuania, WEIRD WEATHER to Denmark!

Posted on

We are very excited to start the week with 2 new children’s translation rights sales!

The LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES series by Magdalena Hai has now been acquired by Lithuanian publisher Briedis.

The wonderful younger middle-grade series illustrated by Teemu Juhani will be published in 15 countries, but rights are still available in: France, United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Poland, Slovenia, China, Bulgaria, Greece etc.

Thematically, it hit well in the 6-9 age group. A perfectly illustrated and exiting book series!
Indrė Polimaitienė, editor, publishing house “Briedis”

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

The translation of the second book of the series is also nominated for the best children’s book of the year in Norway. The winners will be announced in May!

We are also very happy to announce that a Danish publisher Staarup & Co has acquired the non-fiction bestseller WEIRD WEATHER by Laura Ertimo with illustrations by Mari Ahokoivu.
The very important title about climate change for children and their parents has sold to 14 territories, but rights are still available in Germany, Russia, Czech Republic, France, Turkey, Netherlands, etc.

Download the English pdf for WEIRD WEATHER by using this link.

THE LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES
by Magdalena Hai, illustrated by Teemu Juhani

Nina is a is a clever, 9-year-old girl who goes to work in the Little Shop of Nightmares. During the course of the trilogy, she has to solve a mystery with tickling powder, find the lost teeth of a vampire and discover the reason why suddenly it just doesn’t stop snowing. The Little Shop of Nightmares is a mystery full of fascinating and fun characters that make young readers both wonder and laugh!

 #1  THE TERRIBLE TICKLING POWDER
When Nina, 9 years old, enters The Little Shop of Nightmares in hopes of getting a job, she is
greeted by an odd sight: shopkeeper Mr. Kook is rolling on the floor, unable to stop laughing.
With a little help from a ghost called Paddy, they start looking for the untickling powder to help
him, but things are certainly not made easier by Mr. Kook’s world-domination-planning pet octopus
Squishy McGoo, who is a bit too quick about getting into trouble with rollerblades on its tentacles.

 #2  MYSTERY OF THE MISSING TEETH
Nina goes to buy ice cream after her first work day at The Little Shop of Nightmares.
But at the ice cream shop she discovers a vampire – without teeth! Nina decides to help
vampire Lucas to find his teeth from Mr. Kook’s shop. But for some reason all the vampire
teeth seem to have disappeared. It seems like somebody has hidden them on purpose…

 #3  STICKY THE TERRIBLE SNOWMAN
Same awesome monsters. New blizzardy trouble. The Little Shop of Nightmares is
getting buried in snow! Nina and Paddy are trying to find the cause of the snowstorm,
but that’s easier said than done. A well-meaning but horribly clumsy snowman keeps
getting in their way and stopping their every effort to stop the snowing inside.

WEIRD WEATHER
by Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Mari Ahokoivu

Weird Weather! is accurate but hopeful children’s nonfiction 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. But climate change won’t be beaten with tiny tricks, and this book also encourages talking to children about how to make changes in society, and how working together can change everything.

LITTLE SHOP OF NIGHTMARES SERIES:

#1 Kamala kutituspulveri, WSOY 2019, 60pp
#2 Hampaat hukassa, WSOY 2019, 60pp
#3 Hirmuinen Jumimies WSOY 2021, 60pp

Rights sold

FINLAND:
WSOY (orig.)

CZECH REPUBLIC:
Euromedia
DENMARK:
Vild Maskine
ESTONIA:
Postimees Publishing
GERMANY:
Egmont Schneiderbuch
HUNGARY:
Cerkabella
ITALY:
Terre di Mezzo
LATVIA:
Latvijas Mediji
LITHUANIA:
Briedis
NETHERLANDS:
De Vier Windstreken
NORWAY:
Fontini
RUSSIA:
KompasGuide
ROMANIA:
Editura Univers
SWEDEN:
Hegas
TURKEY:
Epsilon

 

WEIRD WEATHER
Ihme ilmat, Into 2019, 48pp

Rights sold:

FINLAND: Into (orig.),
DENMARK: Staarup & Co.,
ESTONIA: Avita,
HUNGARY: Ciceró Könyvstúdió Kft.,
ITALY: Edizioni Piemme S.p.a,
LATVIA: Jumava,
LITHUANIA: Obuolys,
MEXICO (Latin American Spanish rights): Ordinal,
NORWAY: Aschehoug,
POLAND: AMBER Sp. z o.o.,
SERBIA: Odiseja,
SLOVAKIA: Ikar, SPAIN: Norma Editorial,
SWEDEN: Raben & Sjörgen,
UNITED STATES: Skyhorse Publishing

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


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


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


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

Latvian rights sold for WEIRD WEATHER! Turkish for ENCHANTED PLANET EARTH!

Posted on

Today we are very glad to announce that Laura Ertimo and Mari Ahokoivu’s WEIRD WEATHER has now sold to Latvia – the happy publishing house is Jumava!

This paramount title about climate change has now already sold to 15 territories!

Download the full English pdf for WEIRD WEATHER here

Also, Laura Ertimo and Satu Kontinen’s ENCHANTED PLANET EARTH now has a Turkish publisher: Alfa publishing house! Previously the title with amazing maps and stories has been sold to AST in Russia and just last week to Eurograf in Poland.

Download the Full Finnish pdf and English sample for ENCHANTED PLANET EARTH here

We are also excited to share for the first time full English pdf for very timely MINI SCIENCE 2: INVISIBLE WORLD – another very important title by Laura Ertimo, illustrated by Sanna Pellicioni.

The book teaches small children about invisible things – imaginary friends, bacteria and viruses. It also covers the very important topic of vaccinations and how to behave when you are sick.

Download the full English pdf for this timely title here.

ABOUT WEIRD WEATHER:

Climate changes, why don’t we?

Weird Weather! is accurate but hopeful children’s nonfiction 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. But climate change won’t be beaten with tiny tricks, and this book also encourages talking to children about how to make changes in society, and how working together can change everything.

ABOUT THE ENCHANTED PLANET EARTH:

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.

The maps in the book include: Hidden by Earth – Treasure Map, Invisible World – Underwater,  Stormy Weathers – A different climate map, Meeting of Trees – The oldest forests and trees, Plant Love – Map of Flowers, Story of the Kind Wolf – Map of Extinct Animals, Travelling Animals – Migration map, Fairies and Goblins – Map of the Little Folk, Stories of Travel and Travelling Stories – Travel Map, Changes – Map of Disappeared Things, Visions from outer Space – Small maps of moving continents

ABOUT MINI SCIENCE SERIES:

Mini Science is a new nonfiction series for the smallest in the family. The series will tackle big science questions with lovely illustrations, and encourages kids to wonder and ask questions. It feeds curiosity and is designed to start conversations about different topics that children might not think about on their own.
In #1 Where Are You? we follow Plop, a little creature who guides us through space to the Earth and from there to the human DNA and finally to the world of atoms. Zooming in all the way from the enormities of space to the minisculness of atoms, we learn a great deal in between.

In #2 Invisible World  Plop will discover the things one cannot see: electricity, garden in the fog, darkness, micro-organisms and other invisible things.

When Plop will get sick, he will learn about bacteria and viruses and how to avoid them. Vaccinations can seem scary, but they keep us healthy!
Sometimes it’s better to stay home, even if this makes you bored, so that soon you could go discovering the Dark Side of The Moon!

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


Sanna Pelliccioni

Sanna Pelliccioni is a Finnish illustrator, graphic designer and children’s author living in Helsinki with her Finnish-Italian family. An awarded illustrator, Pelliccioni has been e.g. honoured with being the only Finn named on the IBBY honour list 2022. Pelliccioni utilizes many different techniques in her illustrations, some of her favourites are collage and mixed techniques. She studied Arts and Illustration in Bologna and Macerata, Italy, and Graphic Design at the Pekka Halonen Institute in Finland.

She loves illustrating picture books and poems and making graphic design for book covers and her own books. She also writes for children and young people and concerning the themes of books she’s especially interested in equality, indigenous people, myths and taboos, forest and nature. Pelliccioni is mostly known for her Onni-poika picture book series which started in 2007 and contains 15 books so far.

​Pelliccioni collaborates with authors writing for children and young people and works with many Finnish editors. Some of her books have been translated to Chinese, Korean, Arabic, English and Swedish, Turkish and Estonian.

Read more

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.

Read more

MARESI is now sold to 24 territories! Excellent reviews for LITTLE MOUSE’S SUMMER, AGNES and ENCHANTED PLANET EARTH!

Posted on

MARESI is now sold to 24 territories!
Excellent reviews for LITTLE MOUSE’S SUMMER, AGNES and ENCHANTED PLANET EARTH!

We are very happy to announce that MARESI by Maria Turtschaninoff has now been sold to 24 territories!
The Azerbaijani rights were bought today by Alatoran. Rights were also recently acquired in Bulgaria by Izida.
This bestselling YA title has sold to already 24 territories, but the rights are still available in Russia, Czech Republic, Greece, Lithuania, Slovenia,  Japan, Portugal, Croatia and in many other countries. See the rights sold list.

MARESI is the first title in The Red Abbey Chronicles and an international feature film is under development by Film4/The Bureau.
MARESI RED MANTLE, book 3 in the trilogy,  was awarded earlier this month the 2020 Global Literature in Libraries Translated Book Prize, as the best translated book of the year!

Request the full English PDFs for the trilogy by clicking here.

About THE RED ABBEY CHRONICLES: The Red Abbey is a refuge for women and girls, where everyone pursues their own areas of interest. Maresi prefers to spend her time reading and learning. Everything changes when the frightened Jai arrives on the island. She has seen her sister get buried alive for speaking to a young man, and her father and a crew of thugs are after her. Maresi and her friends have to fight to defend both Jai and their community.

Meanwhile, Finland’s biggest daily Helsingin Sanomat has reviews for just-published children’s titles LITTLE MOUSE’S SUMMER, AGNES AND THE GARDEN OF DREAMS and ENCHANTED PLANET EARTH.

LITTLE MOUSE’S SUMMER

“Good-mood book for children and adults!”
– Helsingin Sanomat

The 6th title of Little Mouse picture book series deals with summer.
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.

Ask for English materials here

ENCHANTED PLANET EARTH

“Text is flowy and interesting, but the illustrations make this surprising, almost lyrical!”
– Helsingin Sanomat

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.

Ask for English materials here.

AGNES AND THE GARDEN OF DREAMS 

“Fast-paced mystery plot and relatable strong characters.”
– Helsingin Sanomat

11-years-old Agnes has to move to a small countryside town with her mother. Her parents are divorced, and Agnes doesn’t know anyone
from her new hometown. She is not having the best summer of her life.

But then something weird happens. Agnes finds an old tombstone that has her name and birthday engraved on it – only the birth year is different. Whose grave is it?

Ask for English materials here.

RED ABBEY CHRONICLES
Rights sold: for the series:

FINLAND (orig.)

AZERBAIJAN
BELGIUM
BRAZIL
BULGARIA
CANADA
CHINA (Simplified)
DENMARK
ESTONIA
FINLAND
FRANCE
GERMANY
HUNGARY
ITALY
LATVIA
NETHERLANDS
NORWAY
POLAND
ROMANIA
WORLD SPANISH
SWEDEN
TURKEY
UNITED KINGDOM
UNITED STATES
FILM RIGHTS

LITTLE MOUSE’S SUMMER
Rights sold for the series:

FINLAND (orig.)

AUSTRALIA
CATALAN
CHINA
DENMARK
ESTONIA,
FRANCE
NEPAL
NEW ZEALAND
PORTUGAL,
RUSSIA
SPAIN
UNITED KINGDOM

ENCHANTED PLANET EARTH
Rights sold:

FINLAND (orig.)

 

AGNES AND THE GARDEN OF DREAMS
Rights sold:

FINLAND (orig.)

CZECH REPUBLIC
DENMARK
ESTONIA
RUSSIA

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