Absurd and funny fairy tales for adults and children.
Author: Kari Hotakainen
lllustrator: Anne Pikkov
Finnish original title: Naurulokki ja pastori huvipuistossa
Publisher: Orava, 2026
Genre: children’s fiction
Number of pages: 179 pp
Rights sold: Finnish original, English sample
In Kari Hotakainen’s fairy tales, people and animals find themselves facing lifechanging events, whether they want to or not. A crane falls in love. A cow and a pig are forced to change careers. A snake grows tired of slithering.
These tales teach us that money does not necessarily bring happiness – neither for the venture capitalist nor for the sewer rat dreaming of an easy life. On the other hand, bliss and fulfilment can sometimes be found closer than one might think – say, in a bowl of quark just three cents away.
In this collection of fairy tales, humans are certainly not the crown of creation, but merely one species amongst many. The stories in this book are at once wildly absurd and entirely true. Anne Pikkov’s illustrations fan the flames of the reader’s imagination.
The author wishes that these stories will make adults think and children laugh.
Anne Pikkov (b. 1974) is an Estonian children’s book illustrator and graphic designer. Her playful and imaginative visual language is often characterised by subtle humour and unexpected details. She has illustrated and designed numerous books published around the world, and her work has received international recognition.
About the author:
Kari Hotakainen