Tomi Kontio

Tomi Kontio (1966) is one of the most awarded contemporary Finnish writers. His first collection of poems, Tanssisalitaivaan alla published in 1993, won the J.H. Erkko Debut Prize. In 1999, the critics of Finland’s largest daily Helsingin Sanomat named this collection The Debut of All Debuts. In addition to poetry, Tomi Kontio has also written novels, short stories and articles. However, he is appearing at the HeadRead festival as a children’s author. His book Koira nimeltään Kissa (A Dog Named Cat) was recently published in Estonian. It is a story about a deserted dog who, roaming the streets of Helsinki, finds a friend called Marten, a drunkard who takes Cat under his wing. Kontio addresses the topic of social exclusion with bold warmth by choosing outcasts as the heroes of his story. The result is equally melancholy and uplifting.