In the editorial, Kaisa Laaksonen presents the Goethe Institute’s DRIN-project, which aims to increase diversity in children’s books by bringing in new voices, perspectives, and practices. Many of the articles in this issue of Onnimanni explore matters of equality and diversity.
Päivi Nordling presents the Finnish Institute for Children’s Literature’s project to chart the history of Finnish children’s book illustration 1847–2021. So far, information about ca 830 illustrators and their 6700 or more illustrated fictional and non-fictional works has been gathered; and the project continues next year.
Annu Viheriälehto’s article discusses the popularity of novels in verse both in Finland and abroad. The three Finnish and three translated verse novels published in 2021 deal with issues of diversity and equality. Secondary school teacher Viheriälehto has noticed that teenagers are not put off by the gaps and fragmented style of narrative poetry, because it is familiar from social media. Verse novels also suit inexperienced readers, since the airy layout allows for quick reading, e.g. during the school’s reading hour.
Riina Katajavuori and Martin Baltscheit’s picturebook Oravien sota (Tammi 2021) has attracted much attention. It tells the story of a conflict between two squirrel brothers but can also be read as a depiction of the Finnish Civil War in 1918. Päivi Heikkilä-Halttunen’s interview with the picturebook’s creators reveals how the project started. German Baltscheit wanted both Finns and Germans to be able to read about their ancestors’ over one hundred-year-old battle. Katajavuori and Baltscheit also wanted to show that later generations can collaborate and, thereby, help prevent similar incidents happening again.
In her other article, Päivi Heikkilä-Halttunen gives a historical overview of Finnish picturebooks about war. In the 1940s, Finnish picturebooks depicted children playing war games or animals fighting among each other. A patriotic ethos was important especially during the Continuation War and children’s books did not shy away from being propagandist. As a result, these books have since been erased from national memory. More recent children’s books feature young people who have experienced war or who reflect on the insanity of warfare.
Leena Laakso’s article combines the history of paper dolls with older children’s books featuring children playing with paper dolls. Many Finnish children’s book illustrators have, sometime during their career, made paper dolls. Today, these toys appeal more to adult collectors than to children.
According to information gathered by the Institute, ca 500 theses about literature for children and young adults have been written at Finnish universities 2010–2020. Literature students, followed by students of education and translation, write most of them. Old classics and new best-sellers are popular topics. Among Finnish authors, e.g. Tove Jansson, Sinikka and Tiina Nopola, Mauri Kunnas, Timo Parvela, Aino Havukainen and Sami Toivonen are the most researched. Among genres studied, poetry and non-fiction are rare and studies on humour in children’s books are lacking.
Emerita professor Leena Kirstinä’s obituary of Kirsi Kunnas (1924–1921) highlights her pioneering life’s work as a renewer of modern Finnish children’s poetry.
Translation Maria Lassén-Seger
