author
Immi Hellén
1861–1937
Best known for warm, memorable poems for children, this Finnish writer helped shape early Finnish-language children’s verse. Her work has stayed alive through beloved songs and nursery rhymes that generations have continued to sing.
3 Audiobooks
About the author
Born Ingeborg "Immi" Hellén in Kuorevesi in 1861 and later dying in Helsinki in 1937, she was a Finnish poet, teacher, and writer remembered above all for poems and songs for children.
Sources consistently describe her as one of the early writers of children’s poetry in Finnish. Alongside her teaching work, she also wrote more broadly: biographies note that she published extensively in newspapers and magazines, wrote girls’ novels, and created work shaped in part by her Christian convictions.
Many readers know her through lyrics that became especially enduring in Finland, including songs such as "Suojelusenkeli" and "Joulukirkkoon." Her writing is often associated with a gentle, moral, and musical style, which helps explain why it has remained familiar long after her lifetime.