About the Author: Aino Järvinen is a retired Finnish language teacher who has always had an interest in writing and storytelling. In 2016 her debut book Thousand and One Creatures received The Most Beautiful Books of 2016 prize awarded by the Finnish Book Art Committee. About the Illustrator:Laura Merz is a visual artist, illustrator and textile from Finland. She specializes in experimental drawing, wildlife themed works and children’s culture. Her works have been shown in in solo and group exhibitions both in Finland and around the world. Laura is the illustrator of two award-winning children’s books, and she teaches art workshops to children with a refugee background in partnership with the Berlin-based NGO Pass the Crayon and the Finnish organization All Our Children. About the Translator: Emily Jeremiah was born in Kent in 1975, and now lives in London. A professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, she is the author of three academic books. She is also an award-winning translator of poetry and fiction. With her Finnish mother Fleur Jeremiah, she has co-translated four novels for Peirene Press, and she has published two selections of poetry, by Eeva-Liisa Manner and Sirkka Turkka, with Waterloo Press.

“Merz’s playful attitude and love of creatures big and small shines through in drawings she made using unconventional tools like sticks, sponges, and spatulas. Each of the 26 animals— ranging from elephants and jellyfish to tigers and dung beetles—convey depth and motion and are just plain fun to look at…. The text is short but engaging, relating fun facts and ending with a question or prompt to encourage further play and discussion. It’s a wonderful way for children to begin to learn about predator/prey relationships and how animals are adapted to their specific environments…. both a work of art and a great first encyclopedia for the youngest animal lovers.”—Mia Spangenberg, World Kid Lit

About the Author: Aino Järvinen is a retired Finnish language teacher who has always had an interest in writing and storytelling. In 2016 her debut book Thousand and One Creatures received The Most Beautiful Books of 2016 prize awarded by the Finnish Book Art Committee. About the Illustrator:Laura Merz is a visual artist, illustrator and textile from Finland. She specializes in experimental drawing, wildlife themed works and children’s culture. Her works have been shown in in solo and group exhibitions both in Finland and around the world. Laura is the illustrator of two award-winning children’s books, and she teaches art workshops to children with a refugee background in partnership with the Berlin-based NGO Pass the Crayon and the Finnish organization All Our Children. About the Translator: Emily Jeremiah was born in Kent in 1975, and now lives in London. A professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, she is the author of three academic books. She is also an award-winning translator of poetry and fiction. With her Finnish mother Fleur Jeremiah, she has co-translated four novels for Peirene Press, and she has published two selections of poetry, by Eeva-Liisa Manner and Sirkka Turkka, with Waterloo Press.

“Merz’s playful attitude and love of creatures big and small shines through in drawings she made using unconventional tools like sticks, sponges, and spatulas. Each of the 26 animals— ranging from elephants and jellyfish to tigers and dung beetles—convey depth and motion and are just plain fun to look at…. The text is short but engaging, relating fun facts and ending with a question or prompt to encourage further play and discussion. It’s a wonderful way for children to begin to learn about predator/prey relationships and how animals are adapted to their specific environments…. both a work of art and a great first encyclopedia for the youngest animal lovers.”—Mia Spangenberg, World Kid Lit

About the Author: Aino Järvinen is a retired Finnish language teacher who has always had an interest in writing and storytelling. In 2016 her debut book Thousand and One Creatures received The Most Beautiful Books of 2016 prize awarded by the Finnish Book Art Committee. About the Illustrator:Laura Merz is a visual artist, illustrator and textile from Finland. She specializes in experimental drawing, wildlife themed works and children’s culture. Her works have been shown in in solo and group exhibitions both in Finland and around the world. Laura is the illustrator of two award-winning children’s books, and she teaches art workshops to children with a refugee background in partnership with the Berlin-based NGO Pass the Crayon and the Finnish organization All Our Children. About the Translator: Emily Jeremiah was born in Kent in 1975, and now lives in London. A professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, she is the author of three academic books. She is also an award-winning translator of poetry and fiction. With her Finnish mother Fleur Jeremiah, she has co-translated four novels for Peirene Press, and she has published two selections of poetry, by Eeva-Liisa Manner and Sirkka Turkka, with Waterloo Press.

“Merz’s playful attitude and love of creatures big and small shines through in drawings she made using unconventional tools like sticks, sponges, and spatulas. Each of the 26 animals— ranging from elephants and jellyfish to tigers and dung beetles—convey depth and motion and are just plain fun to look at…. The text is short but engaging, relating fun facts and ending with a question or prompt to encourage further play and discussion. It’s a wonderful way for children to begin to learn about predator/prey relationships and how animals are adapted to their specific environments…. both a work of art and a great first encyclopedia for the youngest animal lovers.”—Mia Spangenberg, World Kid Lit