News

A Dog Called Cat Says Farewell by Tomi Kontio, illustrated by Elina Warsta, is the winner of this year’s Finlandia Junior Prize.

Wonderful news for our children’s list: A Dog Called Cat Says Farewell by Tomi Kontio has won the Finlandia Junior Prize, the largest and most prestigious literary award in the country for children’s books.

A Dog Called Cat Says Farewell is the last chapter of the much-loved Dog Called Cat series, published in Finland by Teos and masterfully illustrated by Elina Warsta, that follows an unlikely trio of friends:  a dog called Cat, a man called Weasel, and a cat called Dog.

The series explores the themes of accepting difference, seeing people without prejudice, and the importance of looking beyond the surface. The bittersweet, humorous books show life in all its guises. Even those of us with a rougher lot can experience joy and happiness. A Dog Called Cat Says Farewell was published in a different format than the rest of the series, expanding into a short novel for middle-grade readers. In it, Dog and Cat say their farewells to Weasel.

The winner of this year’s Finlandia Junior Prize was chosen by endurance runner Mustafe Muuse, who motivated his choice as follows:

“This work is a prime example of how it is possible to speak gently of big and difficult themes. It deals with friendship, letting go, and the melancholy that is an inevitable part of life. The author describes how being different is not an obstacle to connection, but rather its richness. The text is like poetry, but still, it is so clear, that it goes right under your skin. The illustrations complete the world in a way that gives meaning even to small spaces and silent moments. This is a book that I wish every parent will read to their child, young people will find as a story companion, and to which even we adults should stop. Because we all need consolation and understanding.”

Tomi Kontio (b. 1966) is an established poet and author who has received numerous awards for his works. His first children’s book, Wings to the Other Side of the World (2000), won the Finlandia Junior Prize and was awarded the LukuVarkaus Prize by a children’s jury. Kontio’s poetry has been translated into many languages.

Warmest congratulations to the author and the publisher!

Another accolade for author and senior researcher PhD Timo R. Stewart, who has been chosen as the Social Scientist of 2026 by the Social Science Professionals Union. This is the second recognition to Stewart’s contribution within political and social sciences in just a few weeks.

The Chair of the Union Hanna Sauli has motivated the choice as follows: “Stewart has provided extensive background to the situation in the Middle East and prompted a broad social conversation. The combination of academic analysis and social influence makes him the best bearer of the honorary title of best social scientist of the year”.

In Palestine and Israel. A History in Maps two-times Finlandia nominee and PhD Timo Stewart uses a simple yet efficient structure to tackle a complex issue: over the course of the book, he analyzes 25 maps of the geographical area that encompasses Palestine and Israel, encouraging a critical approach to maps and historiography.
Who drew these maps, and with what purpose? Maps are a tool to understand the world, but also a tool of political power and history-making: our ideas of the world and national borders are far from being eternal and set in stone, and exploring their changes and development results in an unusual yet engaging way to approach history with more than skin-deep knowledge. The takeaway is an increased critical eye that can be turned to the different ways conflicts and politics shape the world we live in, in the Middle East and everywhere. In Finland, the book is published by Gummerus.

Warm congratulations to the author, and don’t miss out on this title!

Three of our award-winning authors are taking France by storm, giving contemporary Finnish literature a deserved spotlight!

Award-winning authors Merja Mäki, Marisha Rasi-Koskinen, and Iida Turpeinen are touring in France and getting a much-deserved spotlight.

Merja Mäki and Iida Turpeinen have taken part in the Arctic Female Voices panel at the Petit Palais auditorium and an influencer event at the Embassy of Finland in France last Wednesday and had a chance to discuss the themes of their works in more depth, led and aided by translator Claire Saint-Germain. Mäki is currently running for the Des Racines et des Mots – Prix de la littérature de l’exil Award with her Torch-Bearer winner title Before the Birds, and Turpeinen is celebrating a warm reception of the French edition of Beasts of the Sea, that was nominated for the Best Foreign Book of the Year in 2024.

Marisha Rasi-Koskinen, who won the Runeberg Prize for her novel REC, out in France with Payot & Rivages, is joining the French tour to attend the Les Boréales Festival in Caen.

All three acclaimed award-winning authors are appearing on several days throughout the festival. The Les Boréales Festival, founded in 1992, is a cultural festival with a special focus on the artistic, literary, and dramatic scene in the Nordic and Baltic countries.

Before the Birds by Merja Mäki is one of the finalists for the Des Racines et des Mots – Prix de la littérature de l’exil Award in France.

Delightful news from Paris: Before the Birds by Merja Mäki is one of the finalists for the Des Racines et des Mots – Prix de la littérature de l’exil in its French edition, out with Léduc/Charleston in translation by Fantine Brunel.

The Des Racines et des Mots – Prix de la littérature de l’exil award is given on a yearly basis to a book that focuses on the themes of exile or gives voice to authors in exile. The winner is chosen by a jury of literary and culture professionals and will be announced on December 6th. Before the Birds tells the story of Alli, a young girl from Karelia forced to flee her home when Winter War breaks out in 1939.

Published in January 2022, Before the Birds instantly became the readers’ and reviewers’ favourite: the novel sold over 10,000 in Finland, and foreign rights have so far been sold to 3 territories: France (Leduc); Sweden (Historiska Media); and Ukraine (Astrolabe). Before the Birds is also the winner of the Torch-bearer Prize in 2022.

Author Merja Mäki  is a writer and Finnish teacher. She has stated that in her view writing about war’s impact on people is peace work. Her Before the Birds and Wept Another have been revered by readers, and Wept Another has recently won her the Pohjalainen Award.

Congratulations to the author and the publisher, and fingers crossed!

Helsinki Literary Agency is excited to announce that the Open Call for the Voices Across / Ääniä yli rajojen / Voces a través Fellowship is now open for applications.

The Open Call aims at selecting a total of 6 acquiring editors from the English-language world and the Basque, Catalan, and Spanish-language areas for the Voices Across Fellowship that will take place in Helsinki from February 3^rd to February 6^th, 2026.

The Fellowship program includes:

– A four-day program in Helsinki with the Finnish literary market in focus

– Flights to and from Helsinki and hotel accommodation during the stay

– Meetings with literary professionals and visits to local publishers

The deadline for applications is set for December 15^th.

The Voices Across / Ääniä yli rajojen / Voces a través project has been launched with the support of the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. The goal of the project is to foster the visibility and publication of Finnish literature in the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking world. With this project we aim to create new connections to boost the publication of Finnish literature in both areas.

You can find the link and apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdP0qmJKxC9dvO1t2DVRvPodwLESzhkwDwwYLy_g_QOWtxipw/viewform?usp=dialog

If you have any questions, you can be in touch with us at assistant@helsinkiagency.fi.

We look forward to having you in Helsinki!