Ellie's Voice
or Trmmmpffff
Will be published approx. on 17. September 2020
Book
Hardback
40 pages
978-1-63206-191-1 (ISBN)
Description
A touching and profound tale of friendship, differences, and acceptance from renowned Estonian children's author and illustrator Piret Raud.
On the sandy shore of a big sea lived a bird named Ellie who had no voice.
"Everything else has a voice," Ellie thought sadly. "The trees rustle. The waves crash. Even the rain sings when it falls."
"I'm the only one who can't make a sound."
Ellie felt tears well up in her eyes-that's how sad she was to be voiceless.
Ellie's life is turned upside down when she finds a curious instrument on the shore that makes the most amazing sound when she blows into it: Troeoeoemmmpffff! Creatures come from near and far to hear Ellie's magnificent new voice. But when Ellie learns that the horn actually belongs to Duke Junior who is desperately unhappy without it, she goes on an adventure to return the horn to its rightful owner. After days and nights of searching, she finds Duke Junior on an island in the middle of the water. To her surprise and delight, Duke Junior doesn't just toot Troeoemmmpfff on the horn... he plays the most beautiful music! Ellie is so happy that Duke Junior has his horn back and can produce such lovely sounds that she's content listening to his tunes and being herself.
On the sandy shore of a big sea lived a bird named Ellie who had no voice.
"Everything else has a voice," Ellie thought sadly. "The trees rustle. The waves crash. Even the rain sings when it falls."
"I'm the only one who can't make a sound."
Ellie felt tears well up in her eyes-that's how sad she was to be voiceless.
Ellie's life is turned upside down when she finds a curious instrument on the shore that makes the most amazing sound when she blows into it: Troeoeoemmmpffff! Creatures come from near and far to hear Ellie's magnificent new voice. But when Ellie learns that the horn actually belongs to Duke Junior who is desperately unhappy without it, she goes on an adventure to return the horn to its rightful owner. After days and nights of searching, she finds Duke Junior on an island in the middle of the water. To her surprise and delight, Duke Junior doesn't just toot Troeoemmmpfff on the horn... he plays the most beautiful music! Ellie is so happy that Duke Junior has his horn back and can produce such lovely sounds that she's content listening to his tunes and being herself.
Reviews / Votes
"ESTONIA IN THE HOUSE!!! A voiceless creature (Ellie) finds an instrument that brings attention for its incredible sound, but when Ellie realizes it belongs to someone else, she sets out to return the horn to its rightful owner. Quirky black and white illustrations set a contemplative tone not often seen in picture books." -- Travis Jonker * 100 Scope Notes, The Most Astonishingly Unconventional Children's Books of 2020 * "It's easy to sympathize with Ellie as she watches the world around her express itself through noise, while she has none. Her discovery of a fitting 'voice' is a bit different than what one might expect, but it works. Young listeners will not only identify with her problem, but be drawn in by the originality and imagination. This is also a story that pulls at the heartstrings, switching from sadness to happiness to excitement to disappointment and ending with a twist, which is filled with warmth and thought. The idea in this one drives deep (especially after the ending), which opens up to discussions and draws warm emotions.... The illustrations in this book are lovely. Done in black and white, the tiny details are exquisite and really shine with their whimsical, imaginative flair. And all of that while still drawing the reader in with a clear understanding of what is happening. It's a treat to flip through again and again, and earns a special spot on the bookshelf." * Bookworm for Kids * "An intriguing story about acceptance, knowing when it's best to listen, and knowing when it's wise to give over one's voice to someone else. As an American reader, I can't help but think of the notion of #ownvoices; this could almost be a literal translation of the idea. And Raud has a distinctive style. The book's bizarre creatures are intricately drawn in copious white space.... it's a surreal landscape Raud creates, much different from what we tend to see in American picture books." -- Julie Danielson * Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast * "If illustrations could make noise, then Piret Raud's art would sing.... Ellie's Voice will likely give readers, too, the feels and something to think about. Estonian author/illustrator Raud's parable of self-acceptance, which features intricate black-and-white images of egg-shaped and otherwise oblong animals built with careful lines and pointillistic dots, harbors some applause-worthy sight gags.... The black-and-white line-and-dot art in this animal-centric parable about a lost horn is music to the eyes." -- Nell Beram * Shelf Awareness * "A stunning and emotive picture book with text and images that truly sing." * Outside in World * "An adorably whimsical Estonian picture book.... Ellie's Voice is a sweet parable about self-acceptance and selflessness, two important themes. But what makes this book so very special? Piret Raud's marvelously intricate, witty black-and-white illustrations.... Adam Cullen's poetic translation doesn't hurt the appeal of this wonderful story either."-Nanette McGuinness, Global Literature in Libraries Initiative
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: From Preschool to First Grade, Reading Age: From 3 to 6 years, Interest Age: From 3 to 6 years
Product notice
With printed dust jacket
Illustrations
Illustrations, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 231 mm
Width: 175 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
295 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-63206-191-1 (9781632061911)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Persons
About the Author:
Piret Raud was born in 1971 in Tallinn, Estonia. She has studied printmaking at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Since graduating in 1995 she has been living and working in Tallinn as a graphic artist, book illustrator and author. She has illustrated approximately fifty books, written eighteen books for children and one novel for adults.
About the Translator:
Adam Cullen (1986) is a poet and translator of Estonian prose, poetry, theater, and children's literature into English. A member of the Estonian Writers' Union, his most recent published translations include Eno Raud's The Gothamites (Elsewhere Editions 2019), Kai Aareleid's Burning Cities (Peter Owen Publishers 2018), contributions to New Baltic Poetry (Partian 2018) and The Butterfly Man and Other Stories by Mehis Heinsaar (Paper + Ink 2018), Rein Raud's The Reconstruction (Dalkey Archive Press 2017), and Mihkel Mutt's The Inner Immigrant (Dalkey Archive Press 2017). Several of his translations have been nominated for the Cultural Endowment of Estonia's Award for Literary Translation. To date, Cullen has also published two collections of original poetry in Estonia. Originally from Minnesota, he has lived in Estonia for over a decade.
Piret Raud was born in 1971 in Tallinn, Estonia. She has studied printmaking at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Since graduating in 1995 she has been living and working in Tallinn as a graphic artist, book illustrator and author. She has illustrated approximately fifty books, written eighteen books for children and one novel for adults.
About the Translator:
Adam Cullen (1986) is a poet and translator of Estonian prose, poetry, theater, and children's literature into English. A member of the Estonian Writers' Union, his most recent published translations include Eno Raud's The Gothamites (Elsewhere Editions 2019), Kai Aareleid's Burning Cities (Peter Owen Publishers 2018), contributions to New Baltic Poetry (Partian 2018) and The Butterfly Man and Other Stories by Mehis Heinsaar (Paper + Ink 2018), Rein Raud's The Reconstruction (Dalkey Archive Press 2017), and Mihkel Mutt's The Inner Immigrant (Dalkey Archive Press 2017). Several of his translations have been nominated for the Cultural Endowment of Estonia's Award for Literary Translation. To date, Cullen has also published two collections of original poetry in Estonia. Originally from Minnesota, he has lived in Estonia for over a decade.