Representing the best
Finnish authors abroad
Finnish authors abroad
A heart-warming picture book illustrates how the most unlikely friendships can blossom when different worlds collide.
Selected for the BRAW Amazing Book Shelf at Bologna Book Fair 2025.
A little mouse, who cherishes solitude and prefers the small and quiet things in life, finds his peace disrupted by loud knocking at his door. The mouse chooses to pretend he’s not at home rather than opening the door. In fact, the mouse finds the stranger’s persistent and showy attempts to forge a connection between them most annoying. However, a delightful and timely plot twist eventually gets rid of the stranger, and a friend emerges in his place.
Kati Närhi beautifully celebrates the value of diversity and the joy found in discovering common ground with others. Through a journey of heartwarming discovery, the story challenges our preconceptions about making friends and reminds us that every cherished friend was once a stranger.
Kati Närhi’s first wordless children’s picture book Missing won the Purple Island Prize in the Nami Island Concours (South Ko-rea) in 2023 and several other international accolades. Kati has also previously won the prestigious Graphic Novel Finlandia Prize with The Seventh Guest. Närhi’s graphic novels have been nominated for the prize three times, and published in French, Italian and Czech.
Finnish edition
English translation
2025, selected for BRAW Amazing Book Shelf at Bologna Book Fair
2025, selected for the list of Most Beautiful Books 2024
2024, shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards, category Children’s publishing
‘The book’s colour scheme is an exciting artistic feat, where the brilliance of the colours and the textures of the illustrations are brought to their full potential. The typography is thoughtfully designed, with carefully chosen type and colour tones that beautifully support the story unfolding across the dark pages. The book feels fresh and contemporary, while gently evoking a sense of nostalgia.’ —Jury of the ‘Most Beautiful Books’ competition