Product Description

Everyone knows that the Moomins sleep through the winter, but this year Moomintroll has woken up in January. After his initial shock at seeing his familiar haunts under the snow, Moomintroll discovers that winter is worth waking up for after all.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34500 in Books
• Brand: MPS Books
• Published on: 1992-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780374453039
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"Will hook readers of all ages." --Publishers Weekly
-- Review

Review

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Finnish

Customer Reviews

Brave New World
Moomintroll did what no other Moomin in the history of the world has ever done. He woke up in the middle of his Winter Sleep. He sees a world he never saw before. He is by turns frightened, lonely, persevering, and at times just a mite irritated. Thus begins this charming tale told with subtlety and grace by the talented Tove Jansson.

The creatures may be strange and wondrous, but somehow we feel as if we might have met them before someplace. Haven't we all known someone like the Hemulen: large, cheerful, energetic without a mean bone in his body who always wants us to enjoy the cold brisk air and strenuous sports with him-and why is it we don't exactly like him very well?

The descriptions of Moomin world are lovely and fanciful. Early spring clouds are "scatterbrained" rushing along. The Great Cold is beautiful, but ominous. This is a book for all ages. It saddens me my children are not young enough to be read to anymore. The Moomins, like Winnie the Pooh, are perfect read-alouds with assured discussions afterward.

A lovely book. Highly recommended.

Truly good
An imcomporable masterpiece of quiet, subtle children's literature, perhaps only equalled by other books in the series such as "Moominpappa at Sea" or the inexplicably out of print "Moominvalley in November." A perfect read for winter, embodying both its beauty and loneliness, and the way in which good souls can muddle through it, flaws and all. Sophisticated, sensitive children will most appreciate this unique world.

Great Book--Clumsy Translation
This translation is very difficult to read out loud--and would be almost impossible for children to read on their own. Syntax is convoluted, diction is oddly stiff and formal, and the grammar isn't even always correct.

Even worse (and more confusing) this translator can't seem to keep his personal pronouns straight or even write in complete sentences. Take these two consecutive sentences, for example:

"I'm growing angry," said little My. "When, for once, one could've had some use for a sister." "Once, one" reads terribly--and the whole chunk is a fragment that messes up the rhythm of a would-be sentence. (The above quote was an entire paragraph, by the way. I haven't mislead by a partial quote.)

The Moomintroll books translated by Elizabeth Portch are delightful reads. I won't buy another Warburton translation again, though, no matter how badly I want another Moomintroll adventure.