A touching and profound tale of friendship, differences, and acceptance from renowned Estonian children's author and illustrator Piret Raud.

On the sandy shore of a big sea lived a bird named Ellie who had no voice.

"Everything else has a voice," Ellie thought sadly. "The trees rustle. The waves crash. Even the rain sings when it falls."

"I'm the only one who can't make a sound."

Ellie felt tears well up in her eyes-that's how sad she was to be voiceless.

Ellie's life is turned upside down when she finds a curious instrument on the shore that makes the most amazing sound when she blows into it: Troeoeoemmmpffff! Creatures come from near and far to hear Ellie's magnificent new voice. But when Ellie learns that the horn actually belongs to Duke Junior who is desperately unhappy without it, she goes on an adventure to return the horn to its rightful owner. After days and nights of searching, she finds Duke Junior on an island in the middle of the water. To her surprise and delight, Duke Junior doesn't just toot Troeoemmmpfff on the horn... he plays the most beautiful music! Ellie is so happy that Duke Junior has his horn back and can produce such lovely sounds that she's content listening to his tunes and being herself.

About the Author

About the Author:

Piret Raud was born in 1971 in Tallinn, Estonia. She has studied printmaking at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Since graduating in 1995 she has been living and working in Tallinn as a graphic artist, book illustrator and author. She has illustrated approximately fifty books, written eighteen books for children and one novel for adults.

About the Translator:

Adam Cullen (1986) is a poet and translator of Estonian prose, poetry, theater, and children's literature into English. A member of the Estonian Writers' Union, his most recent published translations include Eno Raud's The Gothamites (Elsewhere Editions 2019), Kai Aareleid's Burning Cities (Peter Owen Publishers 2018), contributions to New Baltic Poetry (Partian 2018) and The Butterfly Man and Other Stories by Mehis Heinsaar (Paper + Ink 2018), Rein Raud's The Reconstruction (Dalkey Archive Press 2017), and Mihkel Mutt's The Inner Immigrant (Dalkey Archive Press 2017). Several of his translations have been nominated for the Cultural Endowment of Estonia's Award for Literary Translation. To date, Cullen has also published two collections of original poetry in Estonia. Originally from Minnesota, he has lived in Estonia for over a decade.

Reviews

"An intriguing story about acceptance, knowing when it's best to listen, and knowing when it's wise to give over one's voice to someone else. As an American reader, I can't help but think of the notion of #ownvoices; this could almost be a literal translation of the idea. And Raud has a distinctive style. The book's bizarre creatures are intricately drawn in copious white space.... it's a surreal landscape Raud creates, much different from what we tend to see in American picture books."

-- Julie Danielson * Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast *

"If illustrations could make noise, then Piret Raud's art would sing.... Ellie's Voice will likely give readers, too, the feels and something to think about. Estonian author/illustrator Raud's parable of self-acceptance, which features intricate black-and-white images of egg-shaped and otherwise oblong animals built with careful lines and pointillistic dots, harbors some applause-worthy sight gags.... The black-and-white line-and-dot art in this animal-centric parable about a lost horn is music to the eyes."

-- Nell Beram * Shelf Awareness *

"A stunning and emotive picture book with text and images that truly sing."

* Outside in World *

"An adorably whimsical Estonian picture book.... Ellie's Voice is a sweet parable about self-acceptance and selflessness, two important themes. But what makes this book so very special? Piret Raud's marvelously intricate, witty black-and-white illustrations.... Adam Cullen's poetic translation doesn't hurt the appeal of this wonderful story either."

-Nanette McGuinness, Global Literature in Libraries Initiative

Book Information
ISBN 9781632061911
Author Piret Raud
Format Hardback
Page Count 40
Imprint Restless Books
Publisher Restless Books