Mauri Kunnas (b. 1950) is an illustrator, comic book artist, and Finland’s all-time best-selling children’s author. Napa Agency licenses Mauri Kunnas’s illustrations. 

Kunnas’s unique style is familiar to Finns of all ages from comics and especially children’s books. Kunnas has created beloved characters, such as sleepwalker Mr. Clutterbuck, the children of Doghill, and the ghosts of Pippendorf. Santa Claus (1981) and other Christmas-themed books by Kunnas have influenced the perception of Santa and his elves among Finnish children for over forty years. Similarly, his interpretations of Finnish history in Doghill, the Canine Kalevala, and the Seven Canine Brothers have brought Finnish cultural history within reach of new generations. 

Kunnas’s books have sold over 10 million copies and have been translated into 37 languages.

Photo: Otava / Niclas Mäkelä