Anni Swan

Anni Emilia Swan (married name Anni Manninen; 4 January 1875 in Helsinki – 24 March 1958 in Helsinki) was a Finnish writer. Swan wrote many books for children and young adults, was a journalist for children's magazines and worked as a translator. She is considered the creator of Finnish literature for girls.

Overview Swan's father was Carl Gustaf Swan, a well-known figure of culture of his time, who founded the first newspaper of Lappeenranta. Anni Swan's mother Emilia Malin was a literature enthusiast and taught all of her nine daughters to read fairy tales and narratives at an early age.

Swan's first collection of fairy tales, simply called Satuja ("Fairy Tales"), was published in 1901. Her first book for young adults, which was partly based on her father's recollections, was Tottisalmen perillinen ("The Heir of Tottisalmi"), published in 1917. This book is about an orphan farm-hand, Yrjö, who turns out to be an heir to a large fortune. Her other well-known books are Iris rukka ("Poor Iris"), Ollin oppivuodet ("Olli's Apprentenceship") and Sara ja Sarri ("Sara and Sarri").

Swan was a journalist for the children's magazines Pääskynen (1907–1918) and Nuorten toveri/Sirkka (1919–1945).

Books Children Satuja I–III (1901–1905). Pieniä satuja I–V (1906). Lasten-näytelmiä (1910). Tarinoita lapsille (1912). Satuja ja tarinoita (1917). Satuja (1920). Satuja VI (1923). Lastennäytelmiä II (1923). Kotavuoren satuja ja tarinoita (1957).

Young adults Tottisalmen perillinen (1914). Iiris rukka (1916). Kaarinan kesäloma (1918). Ollin oppivuodet (1919). Pikkupappilassa (1922). Ulla ja Mark (1924). Sara ja Sarri (1927). Sara ja Sarri matkustavat (1930). Me kolme ja Ritvan suojatit (1937). Pauli on koditon (1946). Arnellin perhe (1949).