Estonian rights sold to Tales from Bug Forest by Ville Hytönen

Hytonen_newsletterFeb262015We are happy to announce that Koolibri has acquired Estonian rights to author Ville Hytönen’s latest picture book, Tales from Bug Forest (Tammi 2014)!

Koolibri is also the Estonian publisher of Ville Hytönen and illustrator Matti Pikkujämsä’s Finlandia Junior Prize -nominated Wonky Donkey (Tammi 2013).

Tales from Bug Forest is an astonishingly multilayered and imaginative work that contains educational thoughts between the lines.”
– Kadri Haljamaa, editor, Koolibri

Published in summer of 2014, Tales from Bug Forest has earned rave reviews from Finnish critics. The delightful and poetic picture book, set in a world of insects with distinctive personalities, is illustrated by acclaimed graphic designer and artist Virpi Penna.

Praise for Ville Hytönen:

“The inhabitants of Bug Forest are as cute as can be…the language is wonderfully real, bold and, most importantly, descriptive. The illustrations are expressive, and there are pictures on every page, holding the attention of even the smallest readers.”
Meidän perhe (“Our Family”) magazine, Finland (on Tales from Bug Forest)

“Ville Hytönen has given us a charming book from the land of bugs…this is high-quality children’s literature.”
Kirjavinkit (“Book Tips”) literature blog, Finland (on Tales from Bug Forest)

“Hytönen uses unbelievably nimble and descriptive language without needing to show off.”
Lapsen maailma (“Kid’s World”) magazine, Finland (on Tales from Bug Forest)

“Hytönen’s language is expressive, and captivating when read out loud.”
-Finlandia Junior Prize jury (on Wonky Donkey)

About the author:

Ville Hytönen (b. 1982) is a poet, children’s book writer, bookshop owner, columnist and publishing director at Savukeidas Publishing. His poems have been translated into 16 languages. In 2010 he received the Sammon Tekijät Award, given by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture to recognize creativity and innovation. Wonky Donkey, which Hytönen created together with illustrator Matti Pikkujämsä, was nominated for the prestigious 2013 Finlandia Junior Prize and named one of 2013′s three most beautiful Finnish children’s books by the Finnish Book Art Committee.

RIGHTS SOLD: Tales from Bug Forest
Original publisher:
FINLAND, Tammi
ESTONIA, Koolibri

RIGHTS SOLD: Wonky Donkey
Original publisher:
FINLAND, Tammi
ESTONIA, Koolibri

Reading material:
Tales from Bug Forest
Finnish edition
Wonky Donkey
Full English text
Finnish edition

Contact: info@ahlbackagency.com

About author


Ville Hytönen

Ville Hytönen (b. 1982) is a poet, children’s book writer, bookshop owner, columnist and publishing director at Savukeidas Publishing, which he founded at the age of 19. He lives in Tallinn, Estonia. Hytönen’s poems have been translated into 16 languages. In 2010 he received the Sammon Tekijät Award for new thinking, creativity and innovation. Awarded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, the prize is worth 50,000 euros.

Wonky Donkey (Hipinäaasi apinahiisi, Tammi 2013), which Hytönen created together with illustrator Matti Pikkujämsä, was nominated for the prestigious 2013 Finlandia Junior Prize that honours the year’s best children’s book. Wonky Donkey was also named one of 2013’s three most beautiful Finnish children’s books by the Finnish Book Art Committee.

Bibliography


2018, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Winter in Bug Forest

Ville Hytönen


2014, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Tales from Bug Forest

Ville Hytönen


2013, Picture Books (0-3 Years)

Wheezy Donkey and Wonky Monkey

Ville Hytönen

Wheezy Donkey and Wonky Monkey nominated for the Finlandia Junior Prize 2013

HipinäaasiKANSI176.inddWe are thrilled to announce that Wheezy Donkey and Wonky Monkey (Hipinäaasi apinahiisi, Tammi 2013) written by Ville Hytönen and illustrated by Matti Pikkujämsä is nominated for the Finlandia Junior Prize 2013.

Wheezy Donkey and Wonky Monkey is a tale of two lonely animals who are both somehow different. The small donkey with bad lungs says ’hee, hee’ and the large, clumsy monkey goes ’hssh, hssh’ when it hobbles around. The other animals in the forest make fun of their peculiarities, as animals sometimes tend to. ‘Wheezy donkey, wonky monkey’ they call out to the unhappy puffing donkey and the monkey shuffling along feeling sorry for himself, making them feel lonelier than ever. But then one day, the donkey and the monkey meet and everything changes. 

A warm-hearted story about friendship, Ville Hytönen’s second children’s book explores the way we are all different and, because of that, also alike. The book introduces the reader to a menagerie of colourful characters that come to life in Matti Pikkujämsä’s illustrations. This gently anarchistic and wise tale about friendship has a message: we are all different – and therefore similar.

The Finlandia Junior Prize is an annual award worth 30.000 EUR, given to the most outstanding Finnish children’s book.

Please ask the Agency for reading copies!

About author


Matti Pikkujämsä

Matti Pikkujämsä has created illustrations for nearly a dozen children’s books as well as several national magazines and newspapers in Finland. His visual language is defined by clear lines, stylized and expressive characters and bold colours. Among his accolades has been the 2012 Rudolf Koivu Prize, a biennial award given by the Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland to an outstanding children’s or YA book illustration.

Wonky Donkey (Hipinäaasi apinahiisi, Tammi 2013), which Pikkujämsä created together with author Ville Hytönen, was nominated for the prestigious 2013 Finlandia Junior Prize that honours the year’s best children’s book. Wonky Donkey was also named one of 2013′s three most beautiful Finnish children’s books by the Finnish Book Art Committee.

About author


Ville Hytönen

Ville Hytönen (b. 1982) is a poet, children’s book writer, bookshop owner, columnist and publishing director at Savukeidas Publishing, which he founded at the age of 19. He lives in Tallinn, Estonia. Hytönen’s poems have been translated into 16 languages. In 2010 he received the Sammon Tekijät Award for new thinking, creativity and innovation. Awarded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, the prize is worth 50,000 euros.

Wonky Donkey (Hipinäaasi apinahiisi, Tammi 2013), which Hytönen created together with illustrator Matti Pikkujämsä, was nominated for the prestigious 2013 Finlandia Junior Prize that honours the year’s best children’s book. Wonky Donkey was also named one of 2013’s three most beautiful Finnish children’s books by the Finnish Book Art Committee.