Badger Goes Missing

By Sanna Sofia Vuori Cara Knuutinen

A lovely collaboration of warm storytelling by Sanna Sofia Vuori, and traditional illustrations by Cara Knuutinen. These picture books by the duo are for both story-loving children and adult readers who are taken back to their childhood with the more classic-styled illustrations. 

In this sweet story, a child has a stuffed animal she calls Badger. Badger becomes the child’s best friend, and one day, she takes him to the kindergarten. However, along the way, Badger becomes curious and goes to a dog in a park and is forgotten in the hurry! Left behind in the park, Badger meets another stuffed animal, a ragged rabbit, who has been through the worst possible experience that a stuffed animal could imagine. 

Little Badger, however, is a resilient character and does not give up, and he becomes reunited with the child.

Publishing information

Year of publication

2020

Page count

24

Original title

Grävling borta

Original language

Swedish

Original publisher

Förlaget M

Book series

Badger (Book 1)

Rights sold

  • Danish
  • German

About the author

Author photo of Sanna Sofia Vuori for Rights & Brands Literary Rights.

Sanna Sofia Vuori (b. 1981) is very active in the children’s cultural scene: she is the creator of the popular web show Estrids bokklubb and also the Saga children’s theatre, among other things. The delightful and ingenuous picture book The Egg, illustrated by Linda Bondestam, is her debut as a picture book author. It was also nominated for the Finlandia Junior in 2018. Vuori’s other collaborations with Cara Knuutinen gives us the lovely Badger books that are a cosy read to both children and adults. The two titles, Badger Goes Missing and Badger Meets Lion, are traditionally illustrated with warm storytelling about a child who loves her stuffed animal Badger. The second title gained a Runeberg Junior nomination in 2023.  

Author page Photo of Cara Knuutinen for Rights and Brands Literary Rights.

Cara Knuutinen (b. 1965) is a teacher in art education and a beloved illustrator of various books. She was nominated for the Rudolf Koivu prize in 2009.Knuutinen’s collaboration with Sanna Sofia Vuori has brought out picture books about a plush toy Badger, which are a lovely read to both children and adults. The two titles, Badger Goes Missing and Badger Meets Lion, are traditionally illustrated stories about a child who loves her stuffed animal Badger. With warm storytelling combined with Knuutinen’s classic-styled illustrations, the second title gained a Runeberg Junior nomination in 2023.

Author page

Reviews

"A small, everyday drama from the perspective of the lost, portrayed with creativity and warmth."

Vasabladet

"Badger Goes Missing is an excellent picture book where repetition and alliteration help create a rhythmic reading. It is poignant, playful, and at the same time insightfully written."

Bibliotekstjänst (Swedish Library Journal)

"Sanna Sofia Vuori is a skilled writer who creates great drama with small means. There is a quirky finesse in letting the child herself imagine what happens to the friend gone astray."

Hufvudstadsbladet

Related content & publishing