On March 4th, the Estonian Union for Child Wellfare and the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre announced the best children’s and youth books published in 2024. Children’s literature experts selected 18 works for children and 12 for young people from over 800 books published last year. Young readers themselves also had a say in selecting and voting for their favorite books.
According to Jaanika Palm, a jury member and a literature researcher at the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, good children’s and youth books continue to be published in abundance in Estonia, and the jury had to use a rather tight sieve to select the very best. “We hope that our discussions resulted in a worthy list that offers works for every child and young person, regardless of their age, gender, or interests. The selection serves as a good guideline for parents and teachers alike who struggle to find reading recommendations,” added Palm.
The good children’s and youth books were chosen by experts who regularly work with children’s literature from the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, the Estonian Union for Child Wellfare, the Estonian Reading Association, the Estonian Youth Literature Association, and the Estonian Librarians’ Union. Bookstore Rahva Raamat will mark the selected books with informative stickers to guide readers to valuable reading materials in both larger and smaller libraries.
This year, the Child Rights Ambassadors of the Estonian Union for Child Welfare selected Becky Dean’s adventure novel Love & Other Great Expectations as the Youth Council’s favorite. Triin Sooäär, the coordinator of the children’s and youth sector at the Estonian Union for Child Welfare, summed up the young readers’ choice by emphasizing that an adventure novel featuring a competitive literary trivia game introduces readers to literary greats and is sure to captivate even the older youth by building a bridge between different generations.
“As a young reader, one quickly realizes within the first pages of a book that literature is all around us—writers, too, draw inspiration from various places, creating stories that we later read,” said Sooäär.
According to Meribel Sillasoo, a Child Rights Ambassador of the Estonian Union for Child Welfare, it is great that children in Estonia have more reading choices than ever before. “There is something for every child to enjoy,” Meribel shared, expressing her joy that more and more children and young people, despite the digital age, are still discovering the joy of books.
The list of good children’s books has been compiled by the Estonian Union for Child Welfare and the Children’s Literature Centre since 2009. The lists are helpful for teachers, parents, specialists working with children, and certainly for the children themselves when selecting interesting and engaging quality reading material. Since 2018, good youth books have also been similarly recognized.
Good Children’s Book 2024
For younger children:
- Ulla Saar. Ita ja Piuks (Ita and Squeak). Illustrated by Ulla Saar. Published by Koolibri
- Piret Jaaks. Suur saladus (A Big Secret). Illustrated by Marju Tammik. Published by Päike ja Pilv
- Kairi Look. Natuke suur (A Little Bit Big). Illustrated by Anne Pikkov. Published by Koolibri
- Tiiu Kitsik. Meie tee (Our Road). Illustrated by Tiiu Kitsik. Published by Päike ja Pilv
- Tiina Laanem. Maailma parim liivaloss (The Best Sandcastle in the World). Illustrated by Tiiu Kitsik. Published by Pegasus
- Triinu Laan. Poiss ja papa (The Boy and the Papa). Illustrated by Anne Pikkov. Published by Päike ja Pilv
For older children:
- Anti Saar. Härra Haraldi unistuste aed (Mr. Harald’s Dream Garden). Illustrated by Marja-Liisa Plats. Published by Kolm Elu
- Ilmar Tomusk. Paul hakkab inseneriks (Paul Will Be an Engineer). Illustrated by Joonas Sildre. Published by Rahva Raamat
- Artur Gębka. Isa pudel (Papa’s bottle). Illustrated by Agata Dudek. Translated by Liisi Laineste. Published by Koolibri
- Liina Vagula. Kingitus südamest (A Gift from the Heart). Illustrated by Anni Mäger. Published by Tänapäev
- Maria Parr. Oskar ja mina (Oskar and Me). Illustrated by Ashild Irgens. Translated by Riina Hanso. Published by Eesti Raamat
- Marju Kõivupuu. Aastaringi jutukera (Year-Round Story Sphere). Illustrated by Regina Lukk-Toompere. Published by Varrak
- Sara Pennypacker. Lõpuks Jetke (Leeva at Last). Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Translated by Eve Laur. Published by Pegasus
- Tiina Laanem. Liisu laseb jalga (Liisu Runs Away). Illustrated by Sirly Oder. Published by Pegasus
- Priit Põhjala. Doktor Tindipleki töötuba (Dr. Tindiplekk’s Workshop). Illustrated by Ulla Saar. Published by Kultuurileht
- Doris Kareva. Puhas lora (Pure Nonsense). Illustrated by Regina Lukk-Toompere. Published by Verb
- Ali Standish. Uskumatud lood Baskerville Hallis (The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall). Translated by Kristina Uluots. Published by Varrak
- Silja Aldudóttir. Elukas (Beast). Illustrated by Bárður Dal Christiansen. Translated by Andry Arro. Published by Nordur
Good Youth Book 2024
For younger teens:
- Anne Muhonen. Greibikollane tulevik (Grapefruit Yellow Future). Translated by Lauri Juursoo. Published by Elust Enesest
- Nikola Huppertz. Elamiseks liiga pikk (Too Tall for Life). Translated by Eve Sooneste. Published by Ühinenud Ajakirjad
- Katherine Rundell. Võimatud olendid (Impossible Creatures). Translated by Jüri Kolk. Published by Varrak
- Elle McNicoll. Mingi säde (A Kind of Spark). Translated by Hels Kure. Published by Eesti Raamat
- Jukka Behm. Imepoiss Leon (Wonder Boy). Translated by Helena Lemendik. Published by Eesti Raamat
For older teens:
- Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Pärimismängud (Inheritance Games). Translated by Lii Tõnismann. Published by Rahva Raamat
- Holly Jackson. Hea tüdruku mõrvaraamat (The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder). Translated by Johanna Taiger and Jana Linnart. Published by Tänapäev
- Sarah Crossan. Kus süda peaks olema (Where the Heart Should Be). Translated by Kristina Uluots. Published by Varrak
- Mari Kujanpää. Koleda tüdruku päevaraamat (My Ugly Diary). Translated by Evelin Banhard. Published by Varrak
- Becky Dean. Armastus ja teised suured lootused (Love and Other Great Expectations). Translated by Marianne Ots. Published by Rahva Raamat – Favorite Book of the Child Protection Union Youth Collection
- Mairi Laurik. Grathelia (Grathelia). Published by Lummur OÜ
- Reeli Reinaus. Iiris, ilu ja instapildid (Iiris, Beauty, and Instagram Photos). Illustrated by Marja-Liisa Plats. Published by Ronk Ronk
