Author(s)
Maaret Kallio
Susanna Ruuhilahti
Illustrator(s)
Julia Savtchenko
Publication date
2022
Publisher
WSOY
Format info
Colour illustrated, 40pp, 200x266mm

Antsy: The Dark and Stormy Night

Murkens ja hirmuinen syysmyrsky

-   Susanna Ruuhilahti

Welcome to the enchanting world of Antsy, where emotions run high, friendships are forged, and the excitement of discovery awaits on every page. Antsy books provide children with useful tools to recognize and to cope with their emotions, and to enhance their friendship skills. Antsy’s autumnal adventure tells about fear and anxiety.

A thrilling adventure unfolds as a fierce autumn storm rages in the woods and Antsy and his friend Dainty find themselves suddenly in the dark and without electricity. While candles could provide some light and a touch of warmth, the absence of matches compels the friends to venture out into the stormy night, heading towards a neighbour’s house. Sensitive Dainty is terrified, and Antsy does everything in his power to quell their fear. However, imagination can play powerful tricks on anyone, even Antsy, especially in the dark.

The four Antsy books follow friends with different temperaments as they have exciting and emotionally challenging adventures in all four seasons. The autumn story deals with fear and overcoming it, the wintry tale delves into anger and upset, in the springtime love and joy come to play, and in the summer a thrilling discovery on the beach deals with the feelings of trust and security.

Maaret Kallio and Susanna Ruuhilahti have lent their expertise in emotional development into the creation of these fun yet effective stories that provide children with very useful tools as they encounter a spectrum of emotions and uncover the power of friendship. Julia Savtchenko’s rich, full-color illustrations exude warmth and the joy of childhood. Antsy’s Adventures are exciting and  comforting stories which capture children’s emotional landscape  with understanding and empathy.

’Emotional skills cannot be simply acquired through performance; instead, they are continually learned in everyday life. Stories can serve as powerful tools in this regard. With Antsy books, we don’t set out to teach about feelings, but rather, we rely on the power of storytelling. Stories can have a profound impact on individuals of all ages, as they connect with our inner selves in a way that mere knowledge or intellectual approaches cannot. Stories evoke emotions, trigger recognition of shared experiences, memories, and imagery, and ignite our imagination.’   Maaret Kallio

Material

Finnish original
English translation of Books 1 & 2, set in layout

Rights sold

Ars Libri (Romania)

Series