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Ellie's Voice or Trööömmmpffff
A touching and profound tale of friendship, differences, and acceptance from renowned Estonian children’s author and illustrator Piret Raud.
On the sandy shore of a big sea lived a bird named Ellie who had no voice.
“Everything else has a voice,” Ellie thought sadly. “The trees rustle. The waves crash.
Even the rain sings when it falls.”
“I’m the only one who can’t make a sound.”
Ellie felt tears well up in her eyes—that’s how sad she was to be voiceless.
Ellie’s life is turned upside down when she finds a curious instrument on the shore that makes the most amazing sound when she blows into it: Trööömmmpffff! Creatures come from near and far to hear Ellie’s magnificent new voice. But when Ellie learns that the horn actually belongs to Duke Junior who is desperately unhappy without it, she goes on an adventure to return the horn to its rightful owner. After days and nights of searching, she finds Duke Junior on an island in the middle of the water. To her surprise and delight, Duke Junior doesn’t just toot Tröömmmpfff on the horn… he plays the most beautiful music! Ellie is so happy that Duke Junior has his horn back and can produce such lovely sounds that she’s content listening to his tunes and being herself.
On the sandy shore of a big sea lived a bird named Ellie who had no voice.
“Everything else has a voice,” Ellie thought sadly. “The trees rustle. The waves crash.
Even the rain sings when it falls.”
“I’m the only one who can’t make a sound.”
Ellie felt tears well up in her eyes—that’s how sad she was to be voiceless.
Ellie’s life is turned upside down when she finds a curious instrument on the shore that makes the most amazing sound when she blows into it: Trööömmmpffff! Creatures come from near and far to hear Ellie’s magnificent new voice. But when Ellie learns that the horn actually belongs to Duke Junior who is desperately unhappy without it, she goes on an adventure to return the horn to its rightful owner. After days and nights of searching, she finds Duke Junior on an island in the middle of the water. To her surprise and delight, Duke Junior doesn’t just toot Tröömmmpfff on the horn… he plays the most beautiful music! Ellie is so happy that Duke Junior has his horn back and can produce such lovely sounds that she’s content listening to his tunes and being herself.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
40 pages, Hardcover
First published November 23, 2016
22 people want to read
About the author
Piret Raud
82 books44 followersPIRET RAUD was born in 1971 in Tallinn, Estonia. She has studied printmaking at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Since graduating in 1995 she has been living and working in Tallinn as a graphic artist, book illustrator and author. She has illustrated over 50 books, written 21 books for children and 3 novels and 2 short story collection for adults. Her books have been translated into French, English, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Slovenian, Croatian, Albanian, Hungarian, Korean, Chinese and Occitan (Gascon, Languedocien and Limousin dialects).
Piret Raud has received the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s Award on multiple occasions, most recently for her prose in 2023.
Piret Raud has received the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s Award on multiple occasions, most recently for her prose in 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 24, 2020
Lovely Story with Intricate Illustrations
Review of the Restless Books hardcover edition (August 2020) translated from the Estonian original Trööömmmpffff ehk Eli hääl (November 2016)
Piret Raud's Ellie's Voice... is a lovely children's picture book translated from its original Estonian by the versatile Adam Cullen. Cullen now has over 20 translations from Estonian to his credit, making him the world's most published Estonian translator*.
Ellie's Voice... is a parable that touches on themes of loneliness, wishing to belong, communication, sharing, generosity, giving, friendship, the love of music and more. It is simply and effectively told in very exotic, intricate drawings by the author/writer Piret Raud.
Bonus points for the title word sound Trööömmmpffff, which adults reading aloud to their kids will surely have a lot of fun pronouncing ;)
Trivia and Link
From the copyright page, I discovered that the French language edition Trööömmmpffff ou la voix d'Elie (April 2016) was published before the original Estonian one.
* The world's 2nd most published Estonian translator is probably Ilmar Lehtpere with at least 15 translations of Estonian poetry.
Review of the Restless Books hardcover edition (August 2020) translated from the Estonian original Trööömmmpffff ehk Eli hääl (November 2016)
Piret Raud's Ellie's Voice... is a lovely children's picture book translated from its original Estonian by the versatile Adam Cullen. Cullen now has over 20 translations from Estonian to his credit, making him the world's most published Estonian translator*.
Ellie's Voice... is a parable that touches on themes of loneliness, wishing to belong, communication, sharing, generosity, giving, friendship, the love of music and more. It is simply and effectively told in very exotic, intricate drawings by the author/writer Piret Raud.
Bonus points for the title word sound Trööömmmpffff, which adults reading aloud to their kids will surely have a lot of fun pronouncing ;)
Trivia and Link
From the copyright page, I discovered that the French language edition Trööömmmpffff ou la voix d'Elie (April 2016) was published before the original Estonian one.
* The world's 2nd most published Estonian translator is probably Ilmar Lehtpere with at least 15 translations of Estonian poetry.
October 27, 2018
Küll see oli tore!
February 6, 2023
raisatud potentsiaal…
June 3, 2020
I have a soft spot in my heart for well-translated books. Not only is it a treat to be able to dive into stories although they were written in a different language, but these types of books give a better view into a different culture than a book written about a different culture (in my opinion.)
With interesting and unique illustrations, this is a tale about jealousy, fitting in, and finding a way to accept ones self in even unexpected ways.
Ellie is a bird, who can't peep. Everything else around her has its own voice; even rain pitter-patters. She's very sad and doesn't know what to do until she runs across a very strange object. One blow and a noise comes out. Finally, she has her own voice and everyone wants to listen to her...but it may not be as wonderful as she thinks.
It's easy to sympathize with Ellie as she watches the world around her express itself through noise, while she has none. Her discovery of a fitting 'voice' is a bit different than what one might expect, but it works. Young listeners will not only identify with her problem, but be drawn in by the originality and imagination. This is also a story that pulls at the heart-strings, switching from sadness to happiness to excitement to disappointment and ending with a twist, which is filled with warmth and thought. The idea in this one drives deep (especially after the ending), which opens up to discussions and draws warm emotions. It's one of those tales, which ends on just the right note, making it a book not to be ignored.
The illustrations in this book are lovely. Done in black and white, the tiny details are exquisite and really shine with their whimsical, imaginative flair. And all of that while still drawing the reader in with clear understanding of what is happening. It's a treat to flip through again and again, and earns a special spot on the bookshelf.
I received an ARC and am planning on adding this one to my shelf.
With interesting and unique illustrations, this is a tale about jealousy, fitting in, and finding a way to accept ones self in even unexpected ways.
Ellie is a bird, who can't peep. Everything else around her has its own voice; even rain pitter-patters. She's very sad and doesn't know what to do until she runs across a very strange object. One blow and a noise comes out. Finally, she has her own voice and everyone wants to listen to her...but it may not be as wonderful as she thinks.
It's easy to sympathize with Ellie as she watches the world around her express itself through noise, while she has none. Her discovery of a fitting 'voice' is a bit different than what one might expect, but it works. Young listeners will not only identify with her problem, but be drawn in by the originality and imagination. This is also a story that pulls at the heart-strings, switching from sadness to happiness to excitement to disappointment and ending with a twist, which is filled with warmth and thought. The idea in this one drives deep (especially after the ending), which opens up to discussions and draws warm emotions. It's one of those tales, which ends on just the right note, making it a book not to be ignored.
The illustrations in this book are lovely. Done in black and white, the tiny details are exquisite and really shine with their whimsical, imaginative flair. And all of that while still drawing the reader in with clear understanding of what is happening. It's a treat to flip through again and again, and earns a special spot on the bookshelf.
I received an ARC and am planning on adding this one to my shelf.
May 16, 2024
Ellie’s Voice: or Tro o o mmmpfffff
Is an adorable tale of finding your voice, being happy to be who you are, and friendship.
I loved the juxtaposition of the sadness of the beginning of Ellie’s story and the whimsy of the illustrations. It was like a black and white Dr. Seuss book without the silliness. Ellie’s voice is not silly, it’s a special story. A story that helps children learn that everyone contributes to the world in unique ways and that it’s okay to be who you were born to be.
What a great story from Estonia. I’m glad this book was translated into English by Adam Cullen.
Thank you, Yonder & Restless Books, and also author, Piret Raud for sharing this book with me in lieu of my honest review.
Is an adorable tale of finding your voice, being happy to be who you are, and friendship.
I loved the juxtaposition of the sadness of the beginning of Ellie’s story and the whimsy of the illustrations. It was like a black and white Dr. Seuss book without the silliness. Ellie’s voice is not silly, it’s a special story. A story that helps children learn that everyone contributes to the world in unique ways and that it’s okay to be who you were born to be.
What a great story from Estonia. I’m glad this book was translated into English by Adam Cullen.
Thank you, Yonder & Restless Books, and also author, Piret Raud for sharing this book with me in lieu of my honest review.
Read
September 20, 2021Ellie’s Voice or Trööömmmpffff,* an adorably whimsical Estonian picture book for ages 3-6, is about a seabird named Ellie, who has no voice.
“Everything else has a voice,” Ellie thought sadly. “The trees rustle.
The waves crash. Even the rain sings when it falls.”
I’m the only one who can’t make a sound.”
Ellie felt tears well up in her eyes—that’s how sad she was to be voiceless.
One day Ellie found a horn and blew it. The sound wasn’t necessarily beautiful, but at least she could make some kind of noise. She was ecstastic… until Albert the fish told her that the horn actually belonged to Duke Junior, who had lost it. Without it, he was “completely incomplete!”...
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To read the full review, visit our website:
https://glli-us.org/2021/06/05/worldk...
“Everything else has a voice,” Ellie thought sadly. “The trees rustle.
The waves crash. Even the rain sings when it falls.”
I’m the only one who can’t make a sound.”
Ellie felt tears well up in her eyes—that’s how sad she was to be voiceless.
One day Ellie found a horn and blew it. The sound wasn’t necessarily beautiful, but at least she could make some kind of noise. She was ecstastic… until Albert the fish told her that the horn actually belonged to Duke Junior, who had lost it. Without it, he was “completely incomplete!”...
-------------------------------------
To read the full review, visit our website:
https://glli-us.org/2021/06/05/worldk...
February 16, 2026
Translated from the Estonian (and apparently before that from the French), this is a simple story of a bird-like creature Ellie who feels bad because she is the only creature that doesn't have a voice. Until she discovers a giant horn and when she blows on it, it makes a loud (ergo the title) "trööööööpffff" noise. She's fine with this loud noise until Albert the Fist explains that the horn belongs to Duke Junior and should be returned. Which Ellie does and upon returning it, discovers it makes far more beautiful sounds than her original "trööööööpffff".
The illustrations are strangely mechanical. Ellie looks more like a mechanical bird than an abstract one. The author's choice of red ink for the text partnered with black-and-white drawings for the illustration make great use of white space. I am curious how children would respond to this story.
The illustrations are strangely mechanical. Ellie looks more like a mechanical bird than an abstract one. The author's choice of red ink for the text partnered with black-and-white drawings for the illustration make great use of white space. I am curious how children would respond to this story.
September 1, 2020
Ellie is a little bird without a voice. Everything around her—even the trees—make a sound. But not Ellie. Then one day, while walking along the shore, she discovers a curious object, which turns out to be a horn, and which allows Ellie to make a sound. The sound is more curious than pleasant, but it gets her attention and allows her to feel as if she fits in.
No ray of sunshine is without its cloud, and it turns out that the horn Ellie found belongs to a boy who lives on an island far away, a boy now very sad at his loss. Although Ellie is upset to find that the horn is not hers, she knows she must return it to its true owner. This is a story of joy in self-acceptance and appreciation of others.
No ray of sunshine is without its cloud, and it turns out that the horn Ellie found belongs to a boy who lives on an island far away, a boy now very sad at his loss. Although Ellie is upset to find that the horn is not hers, she knows she must return it to its true owner. This is a story of joy in self-acceptance and appreciation of others.
May 16, 2024
Not my type of book. Un personatge no té veu, troba un instruments que li dona veu, pro descobreix que pertany a algú altre, el busca per tornar-li, i (en comptes de sentir-se frustrat per la pèrdua) es queda satisfet amb el so que sap treure-li el seu propietari
October 2, 2019
Väga õhuke raamat.
Want to read
June 7, 2020Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews