Marika Maijala

I grew up on a farm, in a small village called Vehkapuhto. Winters were always cold, I remember skiing and even skating to school along the frozen village lane. I read all the books in the library bus and wrote little stories. I wasn’t always sure what was real and what was my imagination. I didn’t even separate the two. I talked with animals and plants as I did with humans. My family had a cat who I believe felt she was the one taking care of us, and not vice versa. I was very close with this cat, and shared with her thoughts and feelings I didn’t share with anyone else. In the same way in Rosie Runs I connected my own experiences with those of Rosie, a rescue dog my friend had saved from harsh conditions. Rosie was a beautiful brown greyhound, who loved to sit elegantly on her sofa and run around with her friends, very much like those two pictured in the book. ––Marika Maijala

Marika Maijala lives and works in Helsinki as an illustrator and children’s book writer. Her debut writing project, Rosie’s Journey, was nominated for the Nordic Council Children’s and Young People’s Literature Prize, and selected for the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition. In 2020, Marika was nominated for the ALMA Award. (Photo credit: Hotel Mestiari)

Books by Marika Maijala

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