Children’s Book Bash

Mark your calendar for Sunday, 23 November — a bright spot in the dark season! At WeeGee, we’ll celebrate children’s literature with art workshops, performances, and more. Events happening in the museum spaces are included in the museum ticket price.

Schedule 23.11. Read program descriptions below!

11–17 Children’s book bazaar / Lobby

11–17 Book swapping point / Lobby

11–17 Library bus Välkky / Yard

11:15 Performance: Musical Circus Avain hukassa / Aitio, 2nd floor

11–13 and 14–16 Workshop: My Favourite Book Button Badge / Paja, K floor

11–14 Come make your own bookmark! / Ruusuvuori, K floor

12, 14, 16 Meet Miina and Manu at various places at WeeGee

13:15 Performance: Sirkukseen! / Aitio, 2nd floor

14:30, 15, 15:30 Storytime in easy Finnish / Ruusuvuori, K floor

15 Panel discussion about the importance of children's literature

Program details:

11–17 Children’s book bazaar / Lobby

Laughter and fun or emotional skills and sensitivity? You will surely find all this in these wonderful books. Accompanied by Etana Editions and Aurinkokustannus, which will also bring books from other publishers. A great opportunity for Christmas shopping!

11–17 Book swapping point / Lobby

Bring the children’s books you have already read and replace them with new ones from the swapping case. You can also find weeded books from the Tapiola Library.

11–17 Library bus Välkky / Yard

Does your little one already have a library card? If not, the Välkky staff will help you! Of course, the bus is loaded with the most wonderful new and classic children's book. Selkokulttuuri ry has created a list of recommended easy language books, and the library bus also carries easy language books.

11:15 Musical Circus Avain hukassa / Aitio, 2nd floor

The Avain hukassa performance combines music and modern circus. They will look for a lost key, visit different homes and meet the neighbours. Each home is different and looks and sounds like its residents.

During the performance, you will meet Kosmo, his brother and a cat living among houseplants, minimalist Tim, who does not want to own anything extra, and a jazz-loving pair of gentlemen, Ossi and Ray. Did they leave the key with Maija and her seven little dads? Or can it be found in Harri's candy collection?

Acoustic and electronic music is intensified by spinning hoops, bouncing balls and enchanting soap bubbles. At times, you will have the chance to slow down and listen and watch a balancing act on glass bottles. Book illustrations come to life on the backdrop.

Duration 45 min

11–13 and 14–16 Workshop: My Favourite Book Button Badge / Paja, K floor

Join KAMU’s workshop and craft a button badge that shows what kinds of books you like!

To make your button badge, you can use old picture books, stickers, coloured paper and drawing supplies. What’s your favourite book?

11–14 Workshop: Come make your own bookmark! / Ruusuvuori, K floor

In this open art workshop, you can design and create a bookmark in the shape of a house. Draw inspiration from the joyful atmosphere, playful houses and lively residents of Mauri Kunnas’s books.

Together, we will study shapes, colours and details that make a unique world. What kind of façade looks inviting? And in what kind of house do ghosts live?

How does it feel when a small resident of your own creation peeks from behind a door or peers through a window?

You can visit the non-stop workshop at any time. The workshop is intended for people of all ages. Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult. The event does not require Finnish language skills.

12, 14, 16 Miina and Manu / Around the building

The wonderful cat siblings Miina and Manu have been adventuring in fast-paced children’s books and in the hearts of Finns for 40 years already. Come and say hello and take a picture with the cats, if you wish!

13–15 Workshop From Words to Wonder / EMMA exhibition space, 2nd floor

At EMMA's workshop, together with an adult, we will create fairytales inspired by artworks of the Saastamoinen Foundation Collection exhibition. We will look, listen and step into the worlds the artworks open up, guided by our imagination. The stories will take shape with the help of visual and literary clues.

You can visit the non-stop workshop at any time. For all ages. Children must be attended by a familiar adult. Adults can also participate without a child. The event does not require Finnish language skills.

13:15 Sirkukseen! / Aitio, 2nd floor

Sirkukseen! is a theatrical concert inspired by Kirsi Kunnas’s wonderful circus poems. It invites you to step into the magical world of circus, where everyone is welcome.

See a busy clown, wildly spinning hoops, the graceful flight of a trapeze artist and a tap-dancing horse that gets very excited about being on stage. The strongest man in the circus might need your help, and the magician might make your head spin.

Kunnas’s texts come to life accompanied by the magical melodies of Silja Palomäki, and the atmosphere changes with singing and the sounds of kantele, ukulele and clarinet.

Duration 35 min

14:30, 15, 15:30 Storytimes in easy Finnish / Ruusuvuori, K floor

Actor Youssef Asad Alkathib will read an easy adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved book The Little Prince in easy language story times organised by Selkokulttuuri ry.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince is a landmark of children’s literature featuring delicate illustrations by the author. After an emergency landing, a pilot meets a little prince who makes touching observations about humans.

15 Panel discussion about the importance of children's literature

Why should adults read children's books too? Why is it important that children are introduced to the joy of books and reading from a young age? Moderated by Jenni Erkintalo, Etana Editions publisher and Finlandia prize candidate. The panellists include Mikko Toiviainen, culture and book influencer, Maria Vilja, children’s author and illustrator, and Inari Koskimies, library professional and book lover active on social media.

The event is part of the City of Espoo’s Children’s Weekend, with the full programme available here.