Lift

Rights sold: German, Italian, Lithuanian

Lift is a simple story about a six-storey house and its inhabitants. The lift connects everyone in the building without them necessarily knowing or seeing one other. Still, by riding along, the reader gets to know the narcissistic octopus on the first floor, who loves her pool and gazing at herself; the sophisticated, electronics-addict hedgehog journalist; the madly-in-love pigeon couple who live in the top-floor penthouse; and others.

Kätlin Vainola depicts the anthropomorphic characters using very short episodes and simple sentences, while the outstanding illustrator Ulla Saar adds a bit of fun and quirkiness. Take for example Mrs Octopus’ fancy wardrobe – naturally, all her clothes have eight arms or legs!