Author: Chiara Stanziani

Cappelen Damm has acquired the Norwegian digital rights to bestseller Radio Popov by Anja Portin.

Cappelen Damm has acquired the Norwegian digital rights to Radio Popov by Anja Portin, one of the most successful children’s books of the last decade. Radio Popov won the Finlandia Junior upon its release, and has already travelled to 25 language territories. Radio Popov follows Alfred, a nine-year-old boy who lives virtually alone. His mother is not in the picture and his father is constantly busy with work and business trips. During one of these business trips Alfred is left alone for so long he runs out of food, and electricity is cut off.

When everything seems lost, Alfred is saved by a mysterious stranger who delivers food and woollen socks in lonely children’s letterboxes. It is the beginning of a wonderful adventure that will lead Alfred to a new family, and to saving more forgotten children. Alfred’s story is moving, and touches on social issues, but also contains joy, friendship, and a happy ending.

Anja Portin has quickly become a favourite among children’s authors with her middle grade novel Radio Popov. She writes about children who take matters into their own hands when grownups do not want to take responsibility or are not there to do it. 

Cappelen Damm is one of Norway’s leading publishers, and publish an extensive variety of titles for all audiences. They are the Norwegian home of, among others, Kari Hotakainen’s works.

Congratulations to the author and the publisher!

The Maja from Stormskär series by Anni Blomqvist is travelling to Estonia, where it will be published by Eesti Raamat.

Amazing news for a new entry on our list: the Maja from Stormskär series by Anni Blomqvist is starting its journey out into the world and is now travelling to Estonia, where it will be published by Eesti Raamat.

Originally published from 1968 to 1973, the Maja from Stormskär series follows Maja, a young girl from Åland Island, for over 50 years. Her life is forever changed when Janne, a fisherman’s son, asks for her hand in marriage despite barely knowing her. Young Maja is set to start a new life on the remote Stormskerry and grows into a strong woman capable of dealing with both the good and the bad that life throws at her. A coming-of-age story, a portrayal of wild nature and hard work, and a love story beautifully weaved together, the series consists of five volumes. The new edition, launched by Schildts & Söderströms in 2024, was a hit in Finland and sold almost 10.000 copies in less than a year. Now an established Swedish-language classic, Maja from Stormskär was adapted into a widely successful movie, and became the most watched movie of 2024 in the Nordic countries.

Anni Blomqvist (1909–1990) was born on Vårdö, northeast of the Isle of Åland, where she lived her entire life. She debuted in 1966 and after the success with the books about Maja from Stormskär (1968-1973) Blomqvist wrote several critically acclaimed novels and an autobiographical work about life in the archipelago, past and present. Maja från Stormskär is loosely based on her family’s experiences.

Congratulations to the author and the publisher!

Host has acquired the Czech rights to A Dangerous Dream by Miila Westin, thus continuing The Mythicals series.

The Mythicals series is continuing for Czech readers: Host has acquired the rights to A Dangerous Dream (The Mythicals #2) by Miila Westin. The Mythicals series is a graphic novel series that beautifully blends together Finnish mythology, adventure, and stunning illustrations. In Finland the series is published by Kustantamo S&S.

In A Dangerous Dream (Mythicals #2) Eevi is lonely: after their successful adventure, none of her friends has been in touch, and no one believed her when she explained what happened. Then, one night Otso comes knocking at her window and asking for her help. His sister is sick, and Eevi’s necklace could be the key to saving her, so she goes along. But why does Eevi keep having scary dreams? And are they really just dreams?

Host is the Czech home of many Finnish titles, including our very own A Giraffe’s Heart Is Unbelievably Large for the children’s list and Pirkko Saisio’s Helsinki Trilogy and Juhani Karila’s Fishing For the Little Pike for adults’ fiction.

Warm congratulations to the author and the publisher!

Runeberg winner Suliko by Pirkko Saisio is travelling to Estonia, where it will be published by Postimees.

Suliko by Pirkko Saisio, the winner of this year’s prestigious Runeberg Prize, is continuing its journey out into the world and is now travelling to Estonia, where it will be published by Postimees. This is the third foreign deal for this title.

Suliko is a lyrical and intense novel where a disillusioned dictator reflects on his life on a cold New Year’s Eve. The only thing that seems to bring him comfort is Suliko, a song from his youth that has become a leitmotif throughout his entire life. The novel slips into flashbacks, describing how his idealism turned into something completely different, and the events flash him by until he can hardly recognize himself. In Finland Suliko is published by Siltala.

Pirkko Saisio is the author of  the globally successful Helsinki Trilogy, and the great dame of Finnish literature, with a production ranging from novels to plays. Her The Red Book of Farewells (Helsinki Trilogy #3) and Passion have recently been included in the Readers’ and Critics’ Selections of the 100 Best Books from Finland.

Postimees is one of Estonia’s leading publishing houses, with a list ranging from non-fiction to literary and commercial fiction, and children’s literature. They are the Estonian publisher of, among others, Julia Quinn, Anthony Gottlieb, Douglas Stuart, and John Irving.

Congratulations to the author and the publisher!

Author Niillas Holmberg has been nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize for the Sami language area.

Author Niillas Holmberg is running for the Nordic Council Literature Prize with his novel Goatnelle, representing the Sami language area. The Nordic Council Literature Prize is a prestigious yearly award founded in 1962 and aiming at fostering interest in the literature and the language of Nordic countries. This is the third nomination for Holmberg.

The novel follows the figure of Halla Helle, a Sami artist who is also at the centre of Holmberg’s novel Halla Helle (Gummerus 2021).

Niillas Holmberg (b. 1990) is a Sámi poet, musician, actor, and cultural and environmental activist living in his native Utsjoki in Lapland. He combines spoken word with singing and joik, traditional chanting, and performs his work with various bands. His poetry collection Lest the Weird Become Weirder (Amas amas amasmuvvat, 2014) was awarded the Saami Council’s Prize for Literature and was shortlisted for the Nordic Council Literature Prize. Also his latest collection Underfoot (Juolgevuod¯d¯u, 2019) was nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize and has travelled to Estonia and Germany.

Congratulations to the author!