In the editorial Tuula Korolainen discusses the position of literature in schools. She concludes e.g. that there still are schools where students do not read as much as one book during the whole school year, as well as schools that lack a library. The good news is, however, that several reading projects have been launched and that new schools promoting the reading of literature have been founded.

Päivi Heikkilä-Halttunen has interviewed Terhi Rannela, who has published her debut novel Puhdas valkoinen. The novel tells the story of a 14-year-old girl who works as a trainee at a newspaper office and is confronted with racism. Terhi Rannela has been writing ever since she was a young girl and she wrote her first manuscripts inspired by Sue Townsend’s Adrian Mole-books.

The Onnimanni jury has selected last year’s best books for children and adolescents. The winners are Annastiina Syväjärvi’s picturebook Siipirikko ei voi lentää and Arja Puikkonen’s novel Haloo, kuuleeko kaupunki, which was given the Finlandia Junior-award. The jury noticed that the supply of high quality picturebooks has increased, whereas the supply of realistic novels for adolescents was rather thin and did not go down well with the jury.

Tuula Korolainen has interviewed Riitta Kuivasmäki - who celebrated her 70th birthday in January - about her career as a children’s literature researcher. At present Kuivasmäki is exploring 17th century books for children and adolescents for a historical study of literature translated into Finnish. She would also like to write about the work of many so far unknown female translators of literature into Finnish.

120 years have passed since the birth of children’s author Arvid Lydecken. Päivi Nordling, who has put together an exhibition in memory of Lydecken, writes about his versatile life’s work. Lydecken wrote e.g. poetry for children and adults, fairy tales and realistic novels for children, but also adventure stories and science fiction. Moreover, he was a regular reviewer of children’s books in Finnish daily newspapers. Mervi Koski writes about Lydecken’s poetry. She concludes that his poems are characterised by rhythm, energy and harmony. They cover both fantastic and realistic themes and they express national features as well as international exoticism. Many poems express a longing for innocence and idyll, and e.g. the African motifs are treated with a naive and honest sense of wonder. Lydecken differs from his contemporaries in the sense that his texts are not overtly didactic, although he always takes a stand for what is good. 

In the news section we learn e.g. that the Topelius-award goes to Maijaliisa Dieckman for her adolescent novel Luostarin Piritta, and the Lydecken-award goes to Johanna Venho for her children’s novel Okulus ja yöihmiset.

The Nordic publishing houses WSOY, Rabén & Sjögren, Aschehoug and Gyldendal have arranged a picturebook contest together. 

Translation: Maria Lassén-Seger