Loukko by 
Original title: Anni Kaverinkesyttäjä
Author: Kaisa Paasto
Illustrator: Mari Ahokoivu
Published: 2020
Publisher: Tammi
Genre: Middle Grade (8-12 Years)
Pages: 128
Part of a series: Anni the Friend Tamer series
Reading material:
Finnish text
English full sample
Shy people of the world, unite!
- With hilariously quirky 4-colour artwork that perfectly illustrates the two sides of Anni: fun and witty at home, quiet and shy at school
- Teaching middle grade readers that it’s cool to be “weird” and that everyone can find their tribe of like-minded people
- An anti “pink girls” series!
- Rights sold to Germany and Albania!
- Mari Ahokoivu won the Tieto Lauri Award in 2022, Puupäähattu Comic Book Award 2023 and has been nominated for the Finlandia Prize in 2021
Anni is a 10-year-old girl. When her friend Miisa moves abroad, Anni has a chilling realization: she has never had to find a new friend. Is it too late to learn how to make friends? Obviously, no one can learn a skill this big when they’re 10, can they? Anni also has another problem. Her new pet pig only wants to stay in his safe place, under the table. Good thing Anni’s brother has just had a back operation, as this means he has lots of time to lie in bed and dole out advice. Anni’s parents are alright as far as parents go, even if they laugh a bit too much at their own jokes.
So it’s not all bad – Anni just needs to become a ‘friend tamer’!
Kaisa Paasto manages to carry out the inner emotional world of shy children, but at the same time effortlessly portrays the heroine as likable and self-confident. What immediately convinced us was the sweet little pig, which reflects the development of the protagonist: At first scared, strange, and a bit out of place, in the end an open, lovable friend. What a wonderful story!
Laura Hänel, Editor, Loewe Verlag, German
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