Oksi

By Mari Ahokoivu. Translated by Silja-Maaria Aronpuro. Published by Levine Querido. 

Softcover, 400 pages, B&W and Colour, 2021. 

Where was the bear born?

Where delivered?

By the moon, next to the sun

Among the stars of the plough

Sent to Earth in a golden cradle With silvery chains.

Poorling is a little bear. She’s a bit different from her brothers. Mother keeps their family safe.

For the Forest is full of dangers. It is there that Mana lives, with her Shadow children.

And above them all, Emuu, the great Grandma in the Sky.

From the heart of Finnish folklore comes a breathtaking tale of mothers, daughters, stars and legends, and the old gods and the new.

★ "A must for libraries with folklore and world culture collections."—School Library Connection (starred review)

★ “Fluidly rendered in inky black and white washes; accents of color leap off the page as the translation by Aronpuro flows smoothly.”— Publishers Weekly (starred)

★ “Painful yet unforgettable… [this] Finnish fairy tale sees the damage that gods, mothers, and daughters are willing to inflict upon one another, all under the guise of love.”—Booklist (starred)

★ “Rich. Radiant. Arresting. A breathtaking exploration of generational connection and the ways that damage can pass down from mother to daughter as easily as love.”—BCCB (starred)

"Inspired by Finnish mythology and folklore, Oksi is a grand, memorable graphic novel about family, jealousy, and love."—Foreward Reviews

"The book’s art is a haunting but playful feast for the eyes; its procession of stunning images are complemented by the selective use of color. Oksi interprets an age-old story with inimitable vision and grace."—Foreward Reviews

“Dark, complex, and gratifying. With its ethereal fairy-tale quality, this quietly challenging story of parents and children translated from the original Finnish is visually powerful and emotionally compelling.”—Kirkus Reviews