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Tuula Pere (b. 1958) holds a Ph.D. in Law and is an award-winning children’s author from Helsinki, Finland. Her doctoral dissertation, published in 2015, examines the limits of freedom of speech in the Finnish mass media amidst the social and cultural shifts of the 1960s and 1970s. Prior to her doctoral research, Tuula Pere had a career spanning over two decades as a lawyer and held various expert and executive positions in large industrial companies.
Since 2010, Tuula Pere has published over sixty children's books, many of which have been translated into multiple languages. She has also authored poetry and aphorisms for children, as well as short stories and non-fiction for adults. Tuula Pere is an avid music and sports enthusiast and a keen baker. She is married and the mother of three.
Reviewed by Doreen Chombu for Readers' Favorite
Stone Garden, written by Tuula Pere and illustrated by Andrea Alemanno, tells the story of siblings Lina and Nico as they embark on a picnic in an enchanted garden. Despite feeling skeptical about entering the garden due to its spooky appearance, Nico is persuaded by his sister to explore the eerie landscape filled with peculiar stone statues and enjoy their meal in the garden's gazebo. As they explore, Lina shares the story of the mysterious and abandoned Stone Garden, a tale passed down from their grandmother. She recounts the legend of a large statue of an angry man, depicting him as a grumpy old man who was rude to his guests and relatives. Despite his unkind demeanor, he longed for visitors to celebrate his birthday in his garden, ultimately experiencing deep loneliness when no one came.
Stone Garden is a thought-provoking story that imparts important lessons about compassion, kindness, and redemption. Through Lina’s narrative, young readers learn about the consequences of meanness and rudeness, while being encouraged to find joy in sharing and showing love. The tale also emphasizes themes of change and transformation, illustrating how a single act of kindness can heal a lonely heart and positively impact others. Tuula Pere presents this tale in a folkloric style that highlights the significance of storytelling in connecting families and preserving wisdom across generations. The beautiful illustrations by Andrea Alemanno enrich the narrative, bringing the Stone Garden to life and creating a stunning backdrop for the story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend adding it to your children's book collection, as it delivers meaningful life lessons about kindness and repentance.
