Finlandia Junior prize goes to Riitta Jalonen and Kristiina Louhi

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The annual Finlandia Junior Prize for the year's best children's book was awarded to Riitta Jalonen and Kristiina Louhi on Thursday. The book is titled Tyttö ja naakkapuu ("The Girl and the Rook Tree") and it tells about a little girl whose father has just died. The book was written by Jalonen and illustrated by Louhi. The publishers are Tammi.
      The prize is worth EUR 26,000, and this year's winner was chosen by Jukka Kajava, a well-known theatre and television critic of the daily broadsheet Helsingin Sanomat.
      According to Kajava, the choice was difficult as the six nominees were all so different. However, Riitta Jalonen's vivid text together with Kristiina Louhi's colourful and touching pictures made a profound impression on him. "Even when the theme is sad, the book conveys a certain hopefulness and brightness while the reader is following the survival story of the child", Kajava explained.
      Furthermore, Kajava complimented the beautiful layout of the book, which was designed by Anne-Mari Ahonen.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Arja Puikkonen receives Finlandia Junior Prize for children's books (28.11.2003)

Helsingin Sanomat