Epp Petrone

Epp Petrone (Saluveer until 1995, Väljaots from 1995-2003; born 20.07.1974) is known as a blogger, publisher and the author of children’s and travel books.

She was born in Viljandi and graduated from Karksi-Nuia secondary school. She studied journalism at the University of Tartu. She has worked for different publications and has been the editor of television shows. In 2007, she founded the publishing house Petrone Print which is known for its travel-related ‘My-series’ that describe different parts of the world. She was married to the American writer and journalist Justin Petrone.

She has written children’s and travel books both in Estonian and English. She usually writes about her personal experiences. For example, the first novel of the successful My-series is her Minu Ameerika (‘My America’, 2007) which details her experiences living in America (later, Minu Ameerika 2 and 3 were also published, in 2007 and 2011, respectively). As is common with the books from that series, a personal story is intertwined with a social one, i.e. the novel provides insight both into the author’s experiences and the culture and everyday life of a country. The book Kas süda on ümmargune? (‘Is the Heart Round?’, 2010) also tells of her travels.

Petrone’s writings have a recurring theme of environmental concern and green living, e.g. Roheliseks kasvamine (‘Growing Green’, 2008). From 2006-2010, she was also a member of the Estonian Green Party.

Her children’s books are often inspired by personal experience as well, as many of her writings tell stories that have happened to her daughters – for example, Marta varbad (‘Marta’s Toes’, 2009), Anna hambad (‘Anna’s Teeth’, 2012) – or include memoirs of the author’s childhood, like Hiir püksis (‘Mouse in the Pants’, 2016).

Petrone’s writings mark the new trends in 21st century literature: democratized literature (anyone can be a writer), vague genre distinctions and writing based on personal experience

Some of Petrone’s works of recent years, however, do break away from this trend, following more traditional genre boundaries. For example, her first novel Linnutee koodid (‘The Codes of the Milky Way’, 2022) tells the story of the meeting of an advertising genius and a shaman and also deals with environmental problems, including the topic of nuclear power plants and radioactive waste. The protagonist of the adventure novel for children, Riks ja neli kuningat (‘Riks and the Four Kings’, 2022), receives the task of going back to the time before the St. George’s Night Uprising in Estonia in 1343, warning the four legendary Estonian kings and preventing their assassination. Estonian historian and former prime minister Mart Laar was among the novel’s consultants. The novel won recognition in the 2021 children’s story competition of the publishing house Tänapäev, the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre and the magazine Täheke.

A. K. (Translated by A. S.)

Books in Estonian

Novels
Linnutee koodid. Tallinn: Rahva Raamat, 2022, 303 lk.

Travelogues
Minu Ameerika. 1. Reportaaže ja pihtimusi 2003-2006. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2007, 238 lk. [Järgnevad trükid: 2009, 2010.]
Minu Ameerika. 2. Ülestähendusi unelmatemaalt 2003-2007. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2007, 287 lk. [2. trükk: 2010.]
Kas süda on ümmargune?. Reisiromaan. 1. osa. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2010, 288 lk.
Minu Ameerika. 3. Kriis. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2011, 400 lk.
Kas süda on ümmargune?. 2 osa. Telesarja “Robinson” tagatoast. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2013, 272 lk.
Kas süda on ümmargune? 3. osa, Jumala juurde. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2020, 216 lk

Children’s stories
Kust tuli pilv?. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2008, 28 lk. [2. trükk: 2015.]
Marta varbad. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2009, 90 lk. [Järgnevad trükid: 2015, 2022.]
Siis, kui seened veel rääkisid. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2009, 32 lk.
Muinasjutud armastusest. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2011, 96 lk.
Anna hambad. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2012, 90 lk. [Järgnevad trükid: 2015, 2022.]
Jassi pass. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2013, 90 lk.
Arva ära. Tallinn: Päike ja Pilv, 2014, 41 lk.
Kurru-nurru vurrud. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2015, 72 lk.
Leena peenar. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2015, 82 lk. [2. trükk: 2025.]
Ma kingin sulle jõe. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2015, 32 lk.
Hiir püksis. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2016, 142 lk.
Lennukiga lõunamaale. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2017, 70 lk.
Võlusõnad. Ühe minuti muinasjutud. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2017, 71 lk.
Kiire hiir. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2018, 36 lk. [2. trükk: 2025.]
Meie Eesti. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2018, 63 lk. [Järgnevad trükid: 2018, 2025.]
Paharet ja unistaja. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2018, 52 lk.
Tere, meie Eesti!. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2019, 32 lk.
Elas kord…. Kahe minuti muinasjutud. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2019, 64 lk.
Marta kargab. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2021, 69 lk.
Lood loodusest. Tartu: Maxima Eesti : Petrone Print, 2022, 63 lk.
Epp Petrone, Marko Pikkat. Roosi moos. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2022, 38 lk.
Riks ja neli kuningat. Tallinn: Tänapäev, 2022, 187 lk.
Suure inimese tunne : lugu Jessest, emmest, memmest, taadust. Ja issist ka. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2022, 82 lk.
Mamma köök. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2023, 58 lk.
Eestisse rändama! Tallinn: Maxima Eesti : Petrone Print, 2023, 63 lk
Kust tulid muinasjutud? Tartu: Petrone Print, 2024, 60 lk.
Laps ja lumi. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2024, 23 lk.
Epp Petrone, Remo Savisaar. Paharet ja unistaja. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2024, 49 lk.
Leena läheb lasteaeda. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2025, 43 lk.
Maal mamma juures. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2025, 72 lk.

Stories
Epp Petrone, Dagmar Lamp. Meestest, lihtsalt. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2007, 205 lk. [2. trükk: 2011.]
Epp Petrone, Dagmar Reintam, Õun ära süüa?. SL Õhtulehe populaarne suvejutt koos epiloogidega ja lisadega. Tallinn: Pegasus, 2007, 213 lk.

Other non-fiction
Roheliseks kasvamine. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2007, 223 lk. [Järgnevad trükid: 2009, 2011.]
Elust kirju. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2014, 351 lk.
Inspireerivad armastuslood läbi aegade. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2017, 158 lk.
Epp Petrone, Kristi Uudeväli, Kalliskiviraamat. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2017, 96 lk.
Lastekirju. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2017, 232 lk.
Epp Petrone, Väike Myy. Meie taluelu : memme nõuanded. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2021, 304 lk.
Epp Petrone, Väike Myy. Meie maaelu : jääme ellu! Tartu: Petrone Print, 2023, 222 lk.