The Seven Dog Brothers

By Mauri Kunnas

A canine interpretation of Aleksis Kivi’s novel “Seven Brothers”, one of the cornerstones of Finnish literature. The memorable characters and rugged landscapes of the original are all present in Kunnas’s book, which follows the path of the seven pup brothers into adulthood.   “I’ve always felt that The Seven Brothers is the finest book in the Finnish language. I wanted to make a “canine” version of the novel in a way that was faithful to my own style. I tried to preserve in the text the rich and colourful style of the original, though for obvious reasons the story had to be abridged considerably. I hope that my doggerel version will also inspire readers to pick up Kivi’s original masterpiece” – Mauri Kunnas  

Publishing information

About the author

Mauri Kunnas (b. 1950) is Finland’s most successful children’s book author today. He has published over 50 books, which have been translated into over 40 languages and sold nearly 10 million copies.His books for children have aroused enormous interest around the world. The best-known book internationally is Santa Claus. The book has been translated into 29 languages and sold nearly two million copies. The sales of all Kunnas translations already exceed 2,5 million copies. Santa Claus is the bestselling Finnish title of all time, and the same Top 20 list included five more Mauri Kunnas titles.Kunnas is also widely aprreciated by adults, particularly for his comics about The Beatles.Mauri Kunnas offers the reader an unparalleled joy of discovery: his brilliantly coloured illustrations are filled with rich and humorous detail. He has an unrivalled gift for taking history and casting it in a new and hilarious way, as well as for giving old stories and legends his own delightful twist. His books always exude an atmosphere which is contagiously warm and happy.“My most important hobby is my drawings and making up stories to go with them – and that’s also my work. I must be a lucky dog to be able to mix the two.”– Mauri Kunnas