Six deals in one month for Laura Lähteenmäki’s COUNT SILENTLY TO TEN!

We are extremely thrilled to announce another deal for Laura Lähteenmäki’s stunning middle-grade novel Count Silently to Ten.  The Czech rights for the title were acquired by Portál in a deal closed by Martti Berner – marking the sixth rights sale in just a month.

With this latest deal, the novel has now been sold in seven countries: Czechia, Sweden (pre-empt), Denmark (auction), Italy, Germany (pre-empt), Estonia (auction), and Poland. 

A huge congratulations to Laura Lähteenmäki on this incredible international success!  Rights still available in the UK, Spain, Norway, France, Hungary, Turkey…

This beautifully written novel by Laura Lähteenmäki was nominated for the prestigious 2024 Nordic Council Children and YA Literary Prize. It offers a poignant and timeless portrayal of childhood and the delicate transition to adolescence, exploring the magic of play and the emotional complexities of friendship.

Below, read what the acquiring editors have to say about this beautiful novel:

“Spending this summer with Myy is like revisiting your childhood with its mixture of carefree simplicity and insidious complexity, when the first adolescent issues appear. A truly relatable and touching reading experience.”

– Lisette Agerbo Holm, Editor, Straarup & co, Denmark

“A wonderful story about friendship and belonging, and about play as both a source of power and a refuge when you’re not quite ready to grow up yet.”
– Olivia Demant, Editor, Lilla Piratförlaget, Sweden

“Anyone who is (or once was) ten years old will identify 100% with this girl caught between childhood and growing up struggling to find her place. A beautifully told, finely observed children’s book about the power of friendship.”
– Wiebke Andersen, Editor, Carlsen Verlage, Germany

Click here to request reading materials for COUNT SILENTLY TO TEN!

About COUNT SILENTLY TO TEN:

Myy, Viivi, Heta, Aada, and Camilla are a close-knit group of five girls who call themselves Pätkikset. But as the fourth grade draws to a close, Myy finds that something has changed. She feels that she’s no longer part of the gang. She notices that lively conversations fall silent when she approaches her friends. When the girls hug each other in a tight circle, there’s no room for Myy.

COUNT SILENTLY TO TEN is a story about friendship between girls and the changes that come about as you grow up, but which are difficult to accept. Myy is left out and feels that there may be something wrong with her, since she still wants to play and isn’t interested in make-up and growing up. As things become difficult with the girls, a new boy appears in the area provides a wonderful opportunity for Myy to throw herself into the world of play. Myy and Lassi run to a nearby forest and immerse themselves in a joint game where time and space disappear.