Recently, the children's book "The Best Summer Guest" by author Tuula Perre, illustrated by Bulgarian artist Milena Radeva, was published in Finland. The writer presents the illustrations for the book in an exhibition that opened on July 1 at the "Old Wasa Bank House" in Koskinen - the smallest town in Finland and will continue until the end of the month.
Tuula Perre was born in 1958 in Finland and spent her childhood in a small eastern town. In the late 1970s, she began her studies at the University of Helsinki, majoring in "Law" and settled in the capital. In 1984, she graduated with a master's degree in international civil law and comparative law. After a long, professional career as a lawyer and head of international corporations, in 2015 Tuula Perre began work on her doctoral thesis on the impact of social and cultural change in the 1960s and 1970s on the restriction of freedom of speech in the Finnish media. Despite her busy career, Tuula has published more than 30 books since 2010, which have been translated into several languages. But why did the lawyer start writing books? Here is what she shared with us:
"A person has a very limited impact on the world around him. The comparison that he is just a drop in the ocean is very accurate and it is very depressing. But I think we should not underestimate the significance that this single drop can have. Without these drops, there would be no oceans, rivers and lakes, and our wells would be empty. Anyone who decides that they want to do something good for this world will find a way to do it. Writing children's books is definitely a way. Many people do not realize its seriousness and think that it is a waste of time. But I believe that anyone who is driven by the right motives will provoke and make a change. For me, the motivation comes from the little readers who will be influenced by the stories and the people who help them read them - parents, teachers, doctors and nurses. In my opinion, a good book is one that gives its reader - small or large, a warm embrace and supports them in difficult moments. It builds bridges and emphasizes similarities, not the differences between people.
All this may sound naive, but I believe that good, kind words have great power. They are like a candle that you light in the dark to illuminate the darkness and create a sense of home for all of us.”
He met Milena Radeva by chance while looking for an illustrator to rework the book she had already written about the little summer guest Jonty, who spends an incredible summer with his grandmother. After a long work, the book is now on the market, published by Wick Wick Publishing. Two more books dedicated to Jonty’s adventures are coming, again with illustrations by Milena.
Photos: Tuula Perre
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