Anti Saar and Alvar Jaakson

Anti Saar (1980) is one of the most versatile literary creators in Estonia, able to, on the one hand, translate large volumes of complicated philosophical texts that some people are unable to even pick up, and on the other hand, write witty, experimental and easy to read stories – both for adults and children. The book Kuidas istuda, kuidas astuda (2023) he co-authored with advertising creative and illustrator Alvar Jaakson is no exception, pitting two almost opposites against each other in an educational and humorous way – the childlike thirst for adventure and the need to acknowledge the rules of society. Every rule is a rule of a game, yet even the freest of games needs at least one rule – if only the lack of any rules. While the title of the book evokes a practical handbook or a self-help book, Saar’s attitude is far too soft and funny for issuing conventional guidelines. Rather, one gets the impression that it is not always possible to find simple answers to simple questions and the act of asking itself is a value in itself. You can ask anything: not only how to sit and walk, how to tie shoelaces or one’s sentences neatly, but also how to find important things like the way home or happiness. Anti Saar and Alvar Jaakson will speak about their book at the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre.