Sea Monsters

By Laura Ruohonen Erika Kallasmaa

Dive into the poectic world of underwater-creatures and create your own wild creatures with this hilarious poetic mix-and-match picture book, by the internationally acknowledged award-winning creative duo Laura Ruohonen and Erika Kallasmaa. How would a Cold-blooded Holothurian, a slobbish sea sausage look like? And how about a Simplicissimus felix, with no eyes, no brain, no love, no pain? Or a combination of both? Illustrated imaginary Sea Monsters with sharp and witty poems for all ages. The clever mix-and-match novelty format gives endless possibilities of combining new creatures and mock-Latin names for them. Creative reading, play and poems inspired by a sea-themes exhibition is published simultaneously in Finland in Finnish, Swedish and English. The book was selected as one of the Most Beautiful Books of 2019 in Finland.  

Publishing information

Awards & nominations

About the author

Laura Ruohonen (b. 1960) is one of the most prominent Finnish playwrights, a poet and director whose works have been translated into 27 different languages. She has been granted several awards, including Kordelin’s Literary Award and Pro Finlandia in 2010. Ruohonen has collaborated with awarded illustrators including Erika Kallasmaa and Linda Bondestam and published several highly praised and awarded illustrated poetry books. 

Erika Kallasmaa (b. 1969) is an award-winning artist, illustrator and graphic designer. She is a master of visual storytelling and her medium expands beyond the means of books and printed matters to theatre, television, architecture, performance arts and installations. Kallasmaa was awarded the Finnish State Prize of visual arts in 2013. She was awarded with an honorary mention at Mikkeli’s 12th Illustration Triennial in 2020.