1,001 Creatures

$20.00

Yonder: Restless Books for Young Readers | Ages 3 - 6

By Laura Merz and Aino Järvinen

Translated from the Finnish by Emily Jeremiah

A 2021 USBBY Outstanding International Book

From the dung-beetle to the blue whale, no creature is too humble or huge for Finnish author and illustrator duo Laura Merz and Aino Järvinen in 1,001 Creatures, a gorgeously illustrated, interactive exploration of the natural world.

Under the sun, the moon, and the stars
all the creatures of the world, big and small,
carry out their own tasks
as part of nature’s great balance.

Have you ever wondered how a crocodile keeps its teeth clean? Or why herons like to sit on the backs of water buffalo? What exactly does a giant blue whale eat to get so big? In 1,001 Creatures, Aino Järvinen and Laura Merz playfully investigate the complex and awe-inspiring world of twenty-six fascinating insects, reptiles, and mammals. 

With fun facts and captivating illustrations, 1,001 Creatures explores the diversity of the animal world and its ecosystems. Interactive questions allow readers to take their curiosity and imagination off the page and into the real world with prompts to create their own artwork, imitate a camel’s unique walk, and discover the ways in which all creatures are connected on our planet. Painted from memory using experimental methods, Laura Merz’s unique ink-drawn illustrations and Aino Järvinen’s humorous style enhance the central message that we’re all in this together—human, jellyfish, and penguin alike.

Yonder: Restless Books for Young Readers | Ages 3 - 6

By Laura Merz and Aino Järvinen

Translated from the Finnish by Emily Jeremiah

A 2021 USBBY Outstanding International Book

From the dung-beetle to the blue whale, no creature is too humble or huge for Finnish author and illustrator duo Laura Merz and Aino Järvinen in 1,001 Creatures, a gorgeously illustrated, interactive exploration of the natural world.

Under the sun, the moon, and the stars
all the creatures of the world, big and small,
carry out their own tasks
as part of nature’s great balance.

Have you ever wondered how a crocodile keeps its teeth clean? Or why herons like to sit on the backs of water buffalo? What exactly does a giant blue whale eat to get so big? In 1,001 Creatures, Aino Järvinen and Laura Merz playfully investigate the complex and awe-inspiring world of twenty-six fascinating insects, reptiles, and mammals. 

With fun facts and captivating illustrations, 1,001 Creatures explores the diversity of the animal world and its ecosystems. Interactive questions allow readers to take their curiosity and imagination off the page and into the real world with prompts to create their own artwork, imitate a camel’s unique walk, and discover the ways in which all creatures are connected on our planet. Painted from memory using experimental methods, Laura Merz’s unique ink-drawn illustrations and Aino Järvinen’s humorous style enhance the central message that we’re all in this together—human, jellyfish, and penguin alike.

About the authors

Laura Merz is a visual artist, illustrator, and textile designer from Finland specializing in experimental drawing, wildlife-themed works and children’s culture. Her works have been shown in solo and group exhibitions both in Finland and around the world. Laura is the illustrator of two award-winning children’s books, and teaches art workshops to young people from refugee backgrounds with NGOs (Pass the Crayon in Germany and All Our Children in Finland).

Aino Järvinen is a retired teacher of Finnish language and literature. Aino loves writing and collaborates with her goddaughter and visual artist Laura Merz on children’s books based on Laura's unique animal drawings. Aino has seen Laura grow from an animal-loving little girl to a fantastic artist whose works are based on an endless interest in nature.

Laura Merz and Aino Järvinen’s debut book 1,001 Creatures received The Most Beautiful Books of 2016 prize awarded by the Finnish Book Art Committee.

About the translator

Emily Jeremiah was born in Kent in 1975, and now lives in London. A professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, she is the author of three academic books. She is also an award-winning translator of poetry and fiction. With her Finnish mother Fleur Jeremiah, she has co-translated four novels for Peirene Press, and she has published two selections of poetry, by Eeva-Liisa Manner and Sirkka Turkka, with Waterloo Press.

Book Details

Hardcover ISBN: 9781632062680
Publication date: Sep 29, 2020
9.65" x 11.73" • 64 pages

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Praise

“A childlike wonder imbues each exploration, creating a shared sense of discovery… as open-ended questions... invite engagement. The inky menagerie, conjured from spots, smears, splotches, lines, and brushstrokes—a pooping rhinoceros with a windmilling tail, a wide-eyed whale surfacing for air, and sharp-toothed wolves lolling in packs—is a humorous visual delight. Together, they offer a joyous celebration of ‘the funny little miracle[s]’ of nature.”

—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Merz’s playful attitude and love of creatures big and small shines through in drawings she made using unconventional tools like sticks, sponges, and spatulas. Each of the 26 animals— ranging from elephants and jellyfish to tigers and dung beetles—convey depth and motion and are just plain fun to look at…. The text is short but engaging, relating fun facts and ending with a question or prompt to encourage further play and discussion. It’s a wonderful way for children to begin to learn about predator/prey relationships and how animals are adapted to their specific environments…. both a work of art and a great first encyclopedia for the youngest animal lovers.”

—Mia Spangenberg, World Kid Lit

“The text is a bit playful, which is great and makes this so much more interesting than a dry textbook…. The illustrations are a treat…. This is a wonderful way to let young readers learn more about some well-known and lesser known creatures in our world in a way which entertains and delivers information at the same time.… It would make a great read-aloud and [would] definitely open up some fun discussions.”

—Tonja Drecker, Bookworm for Kids

“Wielding crayons and broad, inked brushes, a Finnish artist offers freestyle images of 26 wild animals of land and sea…. [T]he overall effect is one of lively activity, with occasional surprises, such as a clump of sinuous, scary-looking jellyfish on a vivid blue background—think H.P. Lovecraft à la Henri Matisse.”

—Kirkus Reviews