Author(s)
Tiina Nopola
Illustrator(s)
Mervi Lindman
Publication date
2011
Publisher
Tammi
Format info
32 pages

Siiri Scores a Goal

Siiri tekee maalin

Little Otto, Middle Otto, and Big Otto have started playing football.

Siri would also like to kick the ball, but the Ottos think Siri is a terrible player. Siri decides to prove them wrong by joining the girls’ league. She is the youngest and smallest person on the team and ends up under foot on the playing field. Middle Otto and Big Otto think that Siri should focus on something more sensible, like paper dolls. But Siri continues playing, even though the star player on the team, Caroline, thinks that Siri’s arrival is a serious setback to the team’s skill level. “Who’s the little girl?” Caroline asks.

When Little Otto hears about Siri’s difficulties, he tries to encourage her. “Little people are nimble,” Little Otto tells Siri. When Siri’s team comes up against the Flash Girls, a team that hasn’t lost a single match, Little Otto teaches Siri a few tricks that surprise her opponents…

The characters found in the Siiri books are among the most loved in Finnish children’s literature. Siiri is an energetic little girl, and Little Otto, Middle Otto, and Big Otto are her best friends. The Siiri books, created by author Tiina Nopola (b. 1955) and illustrator Mervi Lindman (b. 1971), bring the everyday moments that mean so much to pre-school children to life. 

Series

Siiri and her New Friends, 2002
Siiri and the Upstairs Neighbour, 2003
Siiri and Messy Gretel, 2004
Siiri and the Horrid Pig, 2005
Siiri and the Little Flea, 2006
Siiri and the Perky Puppy, 2008
Siiri’s Christmas Surprise, 2009
Siiri and the Scary Ghost, 2010
Siiri Scores a Goal, 2011
Siiri and the Yeti, 2012
Siiri and the Wild Toddler, 2013
Siiri and the Star, 2014
Siiri Finds a Seashell, 2015
Siiri and the Lucky Horse, 2016
Siiri and Curious Casper, 2017
Siiri and the Bold Rabbit, 2018
Siiri and the Big Climb, 2020

Format

32pp
Age: 3+

Material

Finnish PDF
Series synopsis
English translation, set in layout

Series rights sold

Arab World (ICHI/Ink)
China (Graphic Communications Press)
Denmark (Carlsen, Turbine)
Estonia (Võru Instituut)
Germany (Ellermann)
Hungary (Kolibri Kiadó)
Korea (Chackgama)
Latvia (Zvaigzne ABC)
Lithuania (Nieko Rimto)
Poland (Wilga/Foksal)
Sweden (Bonnier Carlsen)
Slovakia (Verbarium)
Turkey (Marti)
Ukraine (BAT)
Vietnam (Kim Dong)

Reviews

“Mervi Lindman’s gentle and funny illustrations complement Tiina Nopola’s fast and flowing narration wonderfully.” Helsingin Sanomat newspaper