Finland - Children's Books

Finland is a wonderful place to visit with children with fantastical attractions such as the Santa Claus Village near the Arctic Circle in Lapland and Moominworld featuring the famous Moomin troll characters.

Do you know of such a book or any other children’s books featuring Finland? Please feel free to note it in a comment below!

Children's A to Z Books about Finland

D is for Dala Horse: A Nordic Countries Alphabet: Located in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic, the Nordic Countries/Territories are comprised of Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Aland. And while they may share a region and some traditions, each has its own distinct geography, history, and heritage. Explore Greenland where, contrary to its name, more than 80 percent of the land is covered by an ice cap. It is home to the polar bear, as well as walrus, reindeer, and seal. Stop off in Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark - the statue of the Little Mermaid from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale can be found near the harbor. Visit Sweden's lively Jokkmokk Winter Market which draws visitors from around the world, or sample the tasty fare of a Swedish smorgasbord.

Children's Books about Finnish Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, and Legends

The Moomins and the Great Flood: Join the Moomins in their very first adventure, crossing a huge flood to search for missing Moominpappa!  Moominmamma and Moomintroll need to find a home for the winter, someplace where sun is plentiful and safe from the dangers of the unknown. But before they can settle down, they must cross a dark and sinister forest and find their way through a flood of epic proportions, all the while hoping that they will find Moominpappa again. Their journey seems daunting but they forge ahead, with Moominmamma’s kindness and patience giving Moomin the courage he needs to face the strange, unexplored path that lies ahead of them.  Written during the 1939-40 Finnish-Soviet Union conflict, or The Winter War, Jansson uses the unusual setting of a natural catastrophe to provide the background of her first children’s book and the first appearance of her beloved Moomin characters. She wrote this as her escape from the horrors of war and its many consequences, but rather than avoiding the problems that war raises, she uses these as a basis for the many obstacles that the characters face, from separated families to forced displacement. With beautiful black and white artwork interspersed throughout the text and curious, playful prose, you find yourself rooting for the Moomins and their quest to find Moominpappa and a place to call home. [Mama Traveler Note: This is the first book in a series of 9 books as well as comics. The Moomins are the central characters in a series of novels, short stories, and a comic strip by Finnish writer and illustrator Tove Jansson. They are a family of white, round fairy-tale characters with large snouts that make them resemble the hippopotamus. However, despite this resemblance, the Moomin family are trolls. The family live in their house in Moominvalley and have had many adventures with their various friends. Read more]

An Illustrated Kalevala: Myths and Legends from Finland: Encounter mythical heroes, mighty eagles and terrifying dragons in this lavishly illustrated adaptation of the classic Finnish epic.  This superb prose retelling of Finland's national folk saga is brought to life with exquisitely detailed artwork of magical creatures, snowy mountains, adventurous heroes and dark forests by renowned illustrator Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin.

The Maiden of Northland: A Hero Tale of Finland: Not so long ago, in the tiny, isolated villages of Finland, where prolonged summer days gave way to endless winter nights, people would pass the time by singing the many adventures of their favorite heroes: the mighty, magical men and women of ancient days.  They sang of old Vainamoinen, greatest of sages and magicians, who helped create the world but never could find a woman to wed him. They sang of his friend and ally Ilmarinen, first among craftsmen, the blacksmith who forged the dome of the heavens.  They sang of Louhi, the ancient lady of Northland, whose crafty wit and magical powers made her a worthy opponent for Vainamoinen himself. And they sang of Aila, Louhi's lovely daughter, who captured the hopes of the two old friends and drew them as rivals to the shores of Northland.  The songs endure, the heroes live, in this poetic retelling of Finland's national epic, the Kalevala.

Tales from a Finnish Tupa: First published in 1936, this book presents tales of magic like "The Mouse Bride" and "Antti and the Wizard's Prophecy," droll stories such as "The Pig-Headed Wife," and fables from the collections of Eero Salmelainen and Iivo Härkönen, sharing Finnish wisdom on topics from the end of the world to how the Rabbit earned his self-respect. Featuring hand-rendered illustrations in full color, Tales from a Finnish Tupa is a folklore gem for all ages.

An Illustrated Collection of Nordic Animal Tales: Travel to the snowy forests of Lapland in this warm and witty storybook with beautiful illustrations – perfect for sharing and reading aloud.  Classic characters of Nordic folklore – cunning Fox, gullible Wolf, clever Hare and powerful Bear – star in these lively stories of mischief and fun. Readers will discover why Bear is ruler of the northern forests, how Fox outwitted Wolf, and what Hare did to earn her fluffy white tail.  In this stunning storybook, renowned Finnish author-illustrator Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin retells twenty-six of her favorite traditional animal tales, illustrated with intricate and characterful artwork. An ideal gift book, An Illustrated Collection of Nordic Animal Tales features foil details, luxury paper and a ribbon marker. Readers of all ages will find themselves drawn into the warm and funny stories which are sprinkled with the magic of Nordic culture.

Nordic Tales: Folktales from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Denmark: Nordic Tales is a collection of 16 traditional tales from the enchanting world of Nordic folklore.  Translated and transcribed by folklorists in the 19th century, these stories are at once magical, hilarious, cozy, and chilling.  Welcome to a world of mystical adventure—where trolls haunt the snowy forests, terrifying monsters roam the open sea, a young woman journeys to the end of the world, and a boy proves he knows no fear.

Scandinavian Folk & Fairy Tales: Tales From Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland & Iceland: A collection of folk literature from five countries, with illustrations by native artists.

Children's Books about Stories in Finland and Finnish People

The Princess Mouse: A Tale of Finland: In Mikko's family, young men find their sweethearts by cutting down a tree and following where it points. As his father says, "That's how we've done it, and that's how we always will."  Though Mikko's brother makes his tree fall how he wants, Mikko's tree seems to have ideas of its own. So, what is Mikko to do when it sends him into the forest and all he finds there is a mouse? And what if the mouse offers gladly to be his sweetheart, and even passes the test that is set by Mikko's father?  This sweet tale from Finland shows that even a mouse can be special, and that trees may well fall true.

From Finland to Niagara Falls: Explorer Pehr Kalm in North America: The fascinating untold story of Finnish scientist and explorer Pehr Kalm, who in 1750, became the first scientist to visit and study Niagara Falls. Sent by the famous Swedish natural historian Carl Linnaeus to research the New World, Kalm’s task was to collect samples and write descriptions for Linnaeus. His exciting expedition lasted three and a half years, and its impact on the natural sciences was groundbreaking. Kalm described all that he saw: the landscape and geography, colonists’ settlements and customs, Indians and slaves, and of course, many plants and animals. His scientific report on Niagara Falls was the first, and it was published by Benjamin Franklin. Two states have named their state flowers after him, and the Virginia creeper, which he brought back from his travels, now grows all over Finland.

Sisu (Nordic Language Series): The first in the Nerdy Nanny Productions Nordic Language Series. Created for Finnish American children and those of Finnish American descent.Sisu is one of those indefinable words which defied simple translation. It is also an intrinsic part of Finnish culture. Implying strength, courage, fortitude, modesty and so much more, Sisu can be hard to explain to children growing up outside of Finland. Luckily, we've explained it for you...

A Year in Finland with Mustikka Ukko: A great little story, excellent to teach children with. A year long journey through nature and traditions of the great north. An hymn to life at pace with nature and its many gifts. Delicate watercolours illustrations enrich the story in a simply but effective way.

A Summer in Finland with Mustikka Ukko: An educational yet fun story, suitable for younger and younger at heart, to get acquainted with finnish nature, traditions and culture. A final appendix of traditional delicious summer finnish recipes to try. Enriched with delicate watercolours which bring the story alive.

Finland: The Mysterious Triplets: Book One (The Adventurous Mailbox Series): Having just experienced a life-changing adventure, Crameye skips self-introductions as he needs to get right into sharing his story. Starting off in Helsinki, where he is joined by Neva and her family, Crameye’s talkative self runs head on into the stoic Finn culture. Fortunately, Marco and Matias spice things up by laying out clues for Neva and him to use to find them in a secret location. They figure out that their dads are holed up in a spooky old bookstore, where their very impressed fathers give them an opportunity to take their very first mission. They seize the opportunity, of course.  The two embark on an adventure that takes them way up north to Lapland, within the Arctic Circle. Accompanied by an extremely odd set of triplets (one an emotional wreck, another a gluttonous beauty queen, and the third a blindfolded, bald woman who is all logic), the kids must not only handle them, but also deal with a food vendor bent on thwarting their plans. The illuminating ending and the struggle to get there have a profound effect on Crameye and on his relationship with Neva.

Children's Books about Travel to Finland

My First Book - Finland: The culture, the beauty, the landmarks, the food - it is simply fascinating. In this book, we cover all of those magical elements about FINLAND in a digestible and engaging way!  Combining fun and education, we use real-life images to help your child learn about the country.

A Kid's Guide to Scandinavia and Finland: A Kid's Guide to Scandinavia and Finland takes young readers (ages 9-12) on an exciting and colorful adventure to four amazing Nordic countries: Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (the Scandinavian countries), and Finland. The book helps today’s young explorers learn about the fascinating history, geography, culture, and wildlife of these countries with both fun facts and trivia.

Finland Coloring Book For Kids: With Interesting Facts: A fun and interesting coloring book for kids offering creative and imaginative coloring pages that are sure to keep your child entertained and engaged. The coloring pages will help your child improve their creativity and fine-motor skills, while stimulating their young mind with interesting facts about Finland. This book is also great for developing your child's cognitive thought processes and boosting their concentration.

Fletcher Flies to Finland: Join Fletcher the Flip Flop Frog as he travels to Finland to visit his friend Henry, who takes him on some amazing adventures that will be unforgettable. Recommended ages are 3-8 years.

Children's Books about Christmas in Finland

Otto and the Secret Light of Christmas: A wonderful winter storybook from Finland. Read a beautifully illustrated chapter a night in the weeks before Christmas.  One day Otto, an adventurous elf, finds a postcard showing pictures of beautiful sparkling lights in the night sky with the words, 'The light of Christmas!' Otto decides he must see this brightness himself and so begins an amazing journey towards Lapland, in search of the secret light of Christmas.  Mother and daughter team Pirkko-Liisa and Nora Surojegin have painted a captivating picture of the landscape, wildlife and folklore of Finland, which is full of expressive and intricate illustrations. 

Christmas in Finland (Christmas Around the World): How do Finns count the days until Christmas? What is an ice lantern? What is the power of the Christmas loaf? The exciting, eye-catching pictures and easy-to-read sentences in Christmas in Finland help young readers learn about how people in Finland celebrate Christmas. The book shares special songs and easy-to-follow Christmas recipes and craft that represent Finland. The book also has a helpful glossary that directs students to the most important terms and topics. 

Bonus! Practical Souvenirs from Finland for Babies and Kids

In Finland, mothers receive a box from the Finnish government as a starter kit with necessities ranging from clothes to toys to help care for their newborn. The box can even be used as a first baby bed.  Finland has the lowest infant mortality rate in the world, in part due to the maternity kit as an initial equalizer for every infant. While it's not possible to obtain the official baby box unless in Finland, Reima, a Finish company, offers a "Reima Baby Box" with gender-neutral essentials for your newborn baby, in very nice Nordic designs with the Moomins. Check out Reima's website for other kids clothing featuring the Moomins as well.