Representing the best
Finnish authors abroad
Finnish authors abroad
The Invitation is the first book in the bestselling Kepler62 series.
Overpopulation has caused earth’s natural resources to diminish and people are struggling to survive. Thirteen-year-old Ari is looking after his little brother Joni, who has fallen ill with a mysterious virus. The boys manage to get hold of a copy of Kepler62, the newest computer game that everyone’s talking about and which is supposed to be almost impossible to complete. Working together, the brothers manage the impossible and they soon discover that Kepler62 is more than just a game. It’s an invitation – one that the boys will accept.
An award-winning series about a group of children who are sent away to investigate whether the distant planet Kepler62 is capable of sustaining life, because earth’s resources are diminishing at an alarmingly fast rate. Their story is gripping and moves from one book to the next with cliff-hangers at the end of each instalment.
Series 1: Kepler62
Book 1: The Invitation, 2015
Book 2: The Countdown , 2015
Book 3: The Voyage , 2016
Book 4: The Pioneers, 2016
Book 5: The Virus, 2017
Book 6: The Secret, 2017
Season 2: Kepler62 The New World
Book 1: Two Tribes, 2018
Book 2: The Island, 2019
Book 3: The Whisperer’s Lair, 2019
Book 4: The Cave, 2020
Book 5: Gaia, 2020
Season 3: Keper62 Terra
Book 1: The Clones, 2021
Book 2: Heart 2022
128pp
4-colour illustrations
Age: 9+
Albanian (Mediaprint)
Chinese, simplified (Mysterium/Guangxi Normal University Press Group Co.)
Czech (Host)
Danish (Bogoo)
Dutch (Clavis)
English US & Canada (Arctic Books USA)
Estonian (Ajakirjade kirjastus/HeaLugu)
Faroese (Bókadeildin)
French (Nathan)
German (Kosmos)
Hungarian (Pagony)
Icelandic (Bókabeitan)
Korean (Jaeum&Moeum)
Latvian (Zvaigzne ABC)
Netherlands (Clavis)
Norwegian (Piggsvin)
Polish (Widnokrąg)
Romanian (Humanitas Junior)
Russian (Rozovy Zhiraf /Pink Giraffe)
Slovenian (Skrivnost Zalozba)
Spanish (Grupo SM)
Swedish (Bonnier Carlsen)
Turkish (Can Publishing)
Ukranian (BookChef)
English translation (set in layout)
Finnish edition
Norwegian translation (set in layout)
Editions in: Czech, Dutch, Estonian, Faroese, Finnish, French, Hungarian, Icelandic, Korean, Latvian, Norwegian, Turkish and Spanish
“The details and the plot of Parvela and Sortland’s ambitious series are carefully polished. The series gets off to such a flying start that you are powerless to resist the pull of its most extraordinary world.” – Savon sanomat newspaper
“Right from the very first book, Parvela and Sortland bring up many themes that add depth to their dystopia, while the book still remains primarily an entertaining and fast-moving novel. In this case, the entertainment and fast-moving plot are advantages as Kepler 62 also draws in children who tend not to enjoy books. But bookworms shall also enjoy the collaboration between Parvela, Sortland and Pitkänen. After all, who doesn’t love a well-written adventure?” – Lumiomena blog
“Pasi Pitkänen’s illustrations are a major part of the book and in places the particularly dark pictures, which speak volumes, create powerful additional tension alongside the text. […] [The illustrations] are so well-placed within the text and are so successful that the pictures immediately catch the reader’s eye, move the story forward and, at the most exciting parts, even send a shiver down your spine…” – Nuorille ja naperoille children’s book blog
“We’ve been looking for an illustrated series that is full of suspense, easy to read and will capture the imaginations of reluctant readers, and KEPLER62 is a perfect fit!”– Cécile Verdier, Nathan, France
“As if intended to capture the imagination of even the most reluctant of readers, Kepler 62 is gripping, fast-paced and entertaining in an almost movie-like way. The story grabs you for good, and takes you with it from book to book, from one cliff-hanger to the next. The rich, moody, and altogether astonishing illustrations make for another level of the story, and the way they unfold across the pages is somehow reminiscent of comic books, which is also very compelling. However, make no mistake, these are novels in full force, conveying themes and ideas that add depth and dimension to the dystopian plot. All in all, the books are captivating, and the authors are amazing creators of worlds in the best sci-fi literary tradition.” – Iustina Croitoru, Humanitas Junior, Romania
“A great opening to a very promising science fiction series with not too much text and richly-coloured illustrations- a great book for (but not exclusively) young computer game fans…” – Gießener Allgemeine Zeitung Germany
“This is a truly gripping adventure story with sensational illustrations included. The Countdown, with its pictures running across pages before ending with a surprise at the door. Suitable for everyone, this is the kind of book to take with you on the train and then feverishly wait for the next book.” – Grafschachter Nachrichten, Germany
“Pasi Pitkänen’s graphic novel-style illustrations are mostly rendered in a dark palette and at times run across several pages. They are an ingenious addition to the exciting stories with their numerous references to the world of comics and sci-fi.” – BN Bibliotheksnachrichten, Germany
“Short, exciting and comic-like make for easy entry to the dystopian plot that is genre-rich and moodily illustrated, but also entertaining and relevant to the target group’s themes.” – Leipziger Lesekompass, Germany
“Kepler62 is more than a book – an extraordinary science fiction series that captivates readers with all mediums of art.” – Heilbronner Stimme, Germany
“Exciting, fantasy-filled and aesthetically-pleasing – an all-round recommendation!” – Eva Maus, boysandbooks.de blog, Germany
“…an extraordinary children’s book, which I initially would never have thought the daughter would be so captivated by. In the best science fiction tradition, underlined by fascinating illustrations, everything revolves around a mysterious computer game and an extraordinary space mission.” –Mama im Ländle blog, Germany
2020 Lesekompass Prize, Germany
2015 Nominated for the Arvid Lydecken Prize, Finland