Children's book series

Ella tells all about snow and avalanches

Author and dad Markus reads to daughter Ella from "her" book.(Bild: prefact – Markus Rainer)

Alpine police officer and mountain rescuer Markus Rainer from Tux in Tyrol has written a series of children's books that teach young mountain enthusiasts their first safety tips in an age-appropriate way. The third part will be published in a few days.

"There is literature for children on all topics, but I haven't found any books on snow and avalanche awareness anywhere," says the 34-year-old Tyrolean neo-author and father of Simon (4) and Ella (6). Markus Rainer's main job is as an alpine police officer and air rescuer, as well as head of the mountain rescue service in the Schwaz district.

Simon is interested in his sister's adventures.(Bild: prefact – Markus Rainer)

So it made sense to pass on his specialist knowledge to the very young in book form. "I've always been interested in writing, so I sat down at the computer," says Rainer. That's how the basis for the first little book "Ella, the snowman and the avalanche" came about.

My books are intended to be read aloud. After the fourth part is published, I would like to publish a summer theme as part of the series.

Markus Rainer, Kinderbuchautor

He didn't have to "invent" the protagonist Ella, it's his six-year-old daughter of the same name. As a partner, he has the Swiss company Girsberger on board, which develops mountain rescue techniques. Together they looked for an illustrator, who was found in London. The result: the book was published a year ago.

Complex knowledge in simple language
"I try to convey complex knowledge in simple language to children between the ages of four and seven without scaring them," explains the Tux native. He pre-financed the first edition himself, but now he has a partner in the form of the state of Tyrol and the avalanche warning service to support him with a grant and specialist knowledge. Avalanche warner Christoph Mitterer works with Rainer on the content of the texts.

(Bild: prefact – Markus Rainer)

Cable cars and tourism associations purchased the enchantingly illustrated booklet to read aloud, and it is also available online at www.ellas-abenteuer.com.

The third part is coming soon
And Ella's adventures continued. "Ella's first ski tour" was published at Easter 2024. In it, Ella learns everything that is important in this context in a child-friendly way. So that no avalanche accident happens, as in the third part of the series, which will be launched in a few days.

Ella's feel for snow
In spring 2025, Ella finally tells her readers about her feel for snow. According to Rainer, this fourth part will also be available in retail stores.