Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin is a well-known Finnish illustrator, renowned for her delicate, detailed portrayals of Finland's wildlife and folklore. She graduated in 1977 from Helsinki University of Art and Design and has since illustrated many books loved by children and adults. She is the illustrator of Otto and the Secret Light of Christmas, co-created with her daughter Nora, and An Illustrated Kalevala, both published by Floris Books. Jill Timbers is professional Finnish-English translator. Originally from Pennsylvania, USA she lived and worked in Finland for many years. Her books include Otto and the Secret Light of Christmas and An Illustrated Collection of Nordic Animal Tales. She currently lives in Illinois with her Finnish husband.
'The stories are steeped in traditional rural life, which is depicted beautifully in the intricate and authentic illustrations. The collection is perfect for reading with children. While the tales stand alone, there is a narrative thread that runs through them and it is satisfying to read each one in turn and to be absorbed in the magic of Nordic culture.' -- Juno 'The lighthearted, humorous, and wise tales in this well-written Finnish import are narrated in breezy, conversational tones... Characters are individualized and well realized and have loads of personality; the dialogue-heavy tales are fast-paced and capably convey characters' quirky temperaments The illustrations, created with plant-based watercolors and ink pen, are lovely. The delicate yet lush, textured, detailed artwork captures the naturalistic-looking animal characters These stories are such fun readers will race through this anthology.' -- Kirkus Reviews 'With large font and full-page illustrations, these lively stories are perfect for newly confident readers to read by themselves, but Nordic Animal Tales is also a lovely book to read aloud with younger children.' -- Five Books 'Beautifully illustrated throughout and exceptionally well written, An Illustrated Collection of Nordic Animal Tales will prove to be an enduringly popular and entertaining addition to personal, family, primary school, and community library collections.' -- Midwest Book Review