{{short description|1953 children's book by Oiva Paloheimo}} {{Infobox book | name = Tirlittan | title_orig = {{langx|fi|Tirlittan – Orpotyttö Ihmisten Ihmemaassa}} | translator = | image = | caption = | author = Oiva Paloheimo | illustrator = {{ill|Rolf Sandqvist|fi}} | cover_artist = | country = Finland | language = Finnish | series = | genre = Children's literature | publisher = WSOY | release_date = 1953 | english_release_date = | media_type = | pages = 117 | isbn = 951-0-04113-0 | oclc = 37030301 | preceded_by = | followed_by = }}

'''Tirlittan''' ({{langx|fi|Tirlittan – Orpotyttö Ihmisten Ihmemaassa}}) is a Finnish children's book from 1953 by Oiva Paloheimo. It’s the story of a little girl named Tirlittan who ends up separated from her family after a thunderstorm destroys their home and takes the family past, leading Tirlittan with an ocarina to embark on an eventful quest to find her parents and siblings. The author himself had been an orphan as a child and dealt with the theme of orphanhood in several of his works.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kansallisbiografia.fi/kansallisbiografia/henkilo/4983 |title=Paloheimo, Oiva (1910–1973) |website=Kansallisbiografia |language=fi |access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref>

The book is considered to be the most well-known work of Paloheimo's literary production.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kirjasampo.fi/fi/kulsa/kauno%253Aperson_123175935814321 |title=Paloheimo, Oiva |website=Kirjasampo |language=fi |access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref> Based on the book, several theater plays, a film and television adaptations have been made.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naytelmat.fi/index.php?view=writer&id=677&pid=965 |title=Tirlittan |website=Näytelmät |language=fi |access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://yle.fi/elavaarkisto/?s=s&g=6&ag=105&t=&a=5593 |title=Tirlittan |website=Elävä arkisto |publisher=Yle |language=fi |access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref> However, the film adaptation ''Tweet, Tweet'' directed by Maunu Kurkvaara in 1958 was poorly received, and the author was not satisfied with the result either.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.elonet.fi/fi/elokuva/117327 |title=Tirlittan (1958) |website=Elonet |language=fi |access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref>

Since 1993, the Union of Finnish Writers has awarded the Tirlittan Prize, named after the work, to Finnish-language children's and young people's literature.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lastenkirjainstituutti.fi/muut-palvelut/tietoa-ja-tilastoja/palkintoluettelot/tirlittan-palkinto |title=Tirlittan-Palkinto |website=Lastenkirjainstituutti |language=fi |access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:1953 children's books Category:Finnish children's literature Category:Children's books adapted into films Category:Children's books adapted into plays Category:Children's books adapted into television shows {{child-book-stub}}