Kirsti Makinen, illustrated by Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin, translated by Kaarina Brooks,
The Kalevala: Tales of Magic and Adventures
Simply Read Books, 2009

Rating: G*

The Kalevala is the Finnish national epic. Originally compiled from oral sources, poems and folklore in the mid-1800’s, the stories tell of Creation and the origins of earth. This edition is a prose re-telling of The Kalevala, and contains excerpts from the original runes that were used to compile the stories. The book is illustrated throughout with delicate and detailed pictures by Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin.

This beautiful volume is perfect for sharing with a class, and is an excellent tool for comparing and contrasting with Native Canadian folklore and stories of Creation. The book should be an essential purchase if you have a high population of students of Scandinavian descent; otherwise it would be a useful, but not essential, addition to any well-stocked folklore collection.

Thematic Links: Epic Poetry; Finland; Tales of Creation

Claire Hazzard
Vol. 15, number 1
October 2009

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.