Author(s)
Timo Parvela
Illustrator(s)
Mervi Lindman
Publication date
2014
Publisher
Tammi
Format info
142 pages, B&W illustration

Ella & Friends Skip School

Ella ja kaverit karkaavat koulusta

Ella her friends finally make it out of the second grade! But to their surprise, their new class isn’t third grade, it’s only two-and-a-half.

“I like school and our teacher, but I wish we had more homework,” said Tiina. “They don’t teach enogh nuclear physics at school these days,” Tuukka complained. “Children should be able to decide for themselves what they want to do,” said Quarreler. “Breaks should last longer and there should more of them,” said Pate. And so we decided to run away from school and find a new one, where we’d all have fun all the time…

During their flight, the friends meet a mystical and slighlty frightening magician, Papadam, whose schemes threaten both the teacher’s family as well as the future of the entire town.

Timo Parvela (b.1964) is the number one children’s author in Finland and Ella & Friends is his longest standing series. He is a true master of capturing how children think in familiar situations and he always does it with a sense of humour and a touch of magic.

Schedule

Ella & Friends Role Reversal, 2022
Ella & Friends on a Poop Trail, 2021
Ella & Friends Remote Schooling, 2021
Ella & Friends Finally in 3rd Grade, 2020

Ella & Friends Ahoy There!, due 2020
Ella & Friends Save the Earth, 2019

Ella & Friends as Kings, 2019
Ella & Friends in Concert, 2018
Ella & Friends as Master Chefs, 2018
Ella & Friends on their Way to Scout Jamboree, 2017
Ella & Friends – Horseplay, 2017
Ella & Friends in a Pickle, 2015
Ella & Friends in His Majesty’s Secret Service, 2016
Ella & Friends Build a Magic Machine, 2016
Ella & Friends Babysit, 2015
Ella & Friends Skip School, 2014
Ella & Friends in the Woods, 2013
Ella & the Lost Pointer, 2012
Ella & the Great Deeds of Sampo, 2011
Ella & Friends Have a Party, 2010
Ella & the Night Knight,
2010
Ella Hits the Jackpot, 2009
Ella & F1, 2008
Ella & the Seven Sillies, 2007
Ella – Watch Out for the Children!, 2006
Ella at Sea, 2005
Ella & the Superstar, 2004
Ella in Lapland, 2003
Ella at Night School, 2001
Ella & the New Boy in Class, 2000
Ella & Pete, 1999
Ella & the Holiday Camp, 1998
Ella on a School Trip, 1998
Ella in the Theatre, 1996
Ella & the Blackmailer, 1995

Format

142pp
Black and white drawings

Rights sold

The Ella books have been published in Arabic/ME, Belarusian, Czech, Danish, Estonian, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Sámi and Persian

Reading materials

English series synopsis
Finnish edition
German translation

Reviews

“Parvela is in in his element. Gorgeous blundering that keeps you entertained.”– Anita Ruckerbauer, BN-News, Germany

“The Ella books are one of very few book about school that you even want to read during the holidays!”– Die Zeit, Germany

“Guaranteed nonsense and deliusions with Ella and her friends!” – Stéphane Larue, France

“Clever, genuinely funny… with a perfect dose of emotion.”– Savon Sanomat newspaper