Representing the best
Finnish authors abroad
Finnish authors abroad
Ella is in first grade at school.
She has lovely friends at class and a nice teacher. But recently Teacher has been acting very strangely. He has been receiving secret letters, forgetting to give homework and the children even witness him jumping in swimming pool with his clothes on.
Hanna figures it all out: Teacher is clearly behaving like someone who is being blackmailed. The classmates grow concerned: they must help Teacher! And who could be doing such a terrible thing? Ella and her friends decide to find out — with some surprising results!
In the end all is resolved: Teacher is in fact in love with another teacher at the school. The letters are love letters, and he’s behaving like a fool in love. The loved-up couple decide to get married and at the end of the book the children wave them off on their honeymoon.
Timo Parvela (b.1964) is the number one children’s author in Finland and Ella & Friends is his longest standing series. He is a true master of capturing how children think in familiar situations and he always does it with a sense of humour and a touch of magic.
Ella & Friends Role Reversal, 2022
Ella & Friends on a Poop Trail, 2021
Ella & Friends Remote Schooling, 2021
Ella & Friends Finally in 3rd Grade, 2020
Ella & Friends Ahoy There!, 2020
Ella & Friends Save the Earth, 2019
Ella & Friends as Kings, 2019
Ella & Friends in Concert, 2018
Ella & Friends as Master Chefs, 2018
Ella & Friends on their Way to Scout Jamboree, 2017
Ella & Friends – Horseplay, 2017
Ella & Friends in a Pickle, 2015
Ella & Friends in His Majesty’s Secret Service, 2016
Ella & Friends Build a Magic Machine, 2016
Ella & Friends Babysit, 2015
Ella & Friends Skip School, 2014
Ella & Friends in the Woods, 2013
Ella & the Lost Pointer, 2012
Ella & the Great Deeds of Sampo, 2011
Ella & Friends Have a Party, 2010
Ella & the Night Knight, 2010
Ella Hits the Jackpot, 2009
Ella & F1, 2008
Ella & the Seven Sillies, 2007
Ella – Watch Out for the Children!, 2006
Ella at Sea, 2005
Ella & the Superstar, 2004
Ella in Lapland, 2003
Ella at Night School, 2001
Ella & the New Boy in Class, 2000
Ella & Pete, 1999
Ella & the Holiday Camp, 1998
Ella on a School Trip, 1998
Ella in the Theatre, 1996
Ella & the Blackmailer, 1995
57pp
Black and white drawings
Ages: 6-9
Finnish PDF
Series synopsis
English translation
French translation
German translation
The Ella books have been published in Arabic/ME, Belarusian, Czech, Danish, Estonian, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Sámi and Persian.
“Parvela is in in his element. Gorgeous blundering that keeps you entertained.”— Anita Ruckerbauer, BN-News, Germany
“The Ella books are one of very few book about school that you even want to read during the holidays!”— Die Zeit, Germany
“Guaranteed nonsense and deliusions with Ella and her friends!” — Stéphane Larue, France
“Clever, genuinely funny… with a perfect dose of emotion.”— Savon Sanomat newspaper