Gorilla by Miikka Pörsti & Anne Vasko sold to South Korea

South Korea continues to be enamoured by the Finnish children’s literature: after already acquiring 4 children’s titles from HLA’s list, Korean Studies International has now also bought the Korean language rights for Gorilla, a beautiful picture book written by Miikka Pörsti and illustrated by Anne Vasko.

Gorilla (2020)

KSI is one of the many publishers that HLA agents met during their recent trip to Seoul; the house focuses on publishing children’s picture books that promote self-searching, independence, family love, environment, and diversity, among other themes.

Gorilla is an original, funny and moving picture book about feelings and how to deal with them that stresses the importance of friendship. When little Eino gets upset, he literally fall apart to pieces. Eino doesn’t need much to get sad, and now there is a giant Gorilla too, that beats its chest and frightens Eino even more.

But one day, something happens, and Gorilla itself breaks completely; after that everything changes.

This is the second foreign rights deal for the book; Estonian rights have previously been sold to Elust enesest. In Finland, the title was published by S&S.

Congratulations to the authors!