Product Description

Finnish artist Tove Jansson's Moomin stories have been continually in print for more than half a century, in 35 languages. They are among Europe's best loved and enduring children's classics, and through the current TV animation (BBC2), the warm-hearted, whimsical creatures of Moomin valley have been brought to a new younger British audience. This book introduces the first Sort Of Children's Classic in a new English version by Sophie Hannah. Sort of Books proudly presents the original full colour Moomin picture book with its irresistible cut-out page designs and playful rhyming text in a new version by one of Britain's star poets.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #707512 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-04
• Original language: Swedish
• Binding: Hardcover
• 28 pages

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

About the Author
The writer and artist Tove Jansson (1914-2001) is a Scandinavian national treasure: she has a museum dedicated to her work in her native Finland, and the Moomin characters adorn everything from mugs to schoolbags. Elsewhere, Moomin stories have been published in 35 languages. Sophie Hannah is that rare thing: an acclaimed and best-selling poet. Her first book was greeted with amazement. The Poetry Review declared, 'Shall I put it in capitals? SOPHIE HANNAH IS A GENIUS.' Each subsequent collection has been informally more inventive, thematically more complex, yet each has met with a similar welcome. Her latest book, 'First of the Last Chances', was published in 2003.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Moomintroll from the milk-shop ran with milk for Mother in his can, up through the forest dark and wide, wind in the tall trees moaned and sighed. The road was eeire, long and drear, 'twas six o'clock and dusk was near. How tired he was feeling-when-what do you think happened then?

Customer Reviews

Essential reading for any Moomin fan
I ordered 'The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My' from Amazon.com in 1997 since the book wasn't (and still isn't) available over here in England. I own (and treasure) all eight of Tove Jansson's Moomin novels, and I was curious to see this picture book. 'The Book about Moomin...' was an early work, and is targetted at children far more than Tove's later, more complicated work. It's a colorful picture book, telling a simple story of Moomintroll, Little My and her sister the Mymble. The artwork is all by Jansson and is in the same style as 'Comet in Moominland' and 'Finn Family Moomintroll', but is brought vividly to life here with a palette of psychedelically bright colors. Every Moomin fan will enjoy this book!

It's a crying shame...
...these books are not known in this country. I, for one, brought my Moomin book with me from the former Soviet Union, and I fully intend to indoctrinate my future children into the Moomin Religion (even if they will have to learn Russian just for that). Tove Jahsson (who passed away last year, sadly) created a wonderful world, full of adorable and memorable characters.

The Moomins are...well, G-d knows what they are. They are little hyppopotamus-looking cute things that walk on their hind legs, live in the picturesquee little valley (and in houses, of course), do all the things that humans do (or that humans do in children's imagination) and wear hats. Sometimes. In fact, there is even a story about a magic hat somewhere. But I digress.

Muumi-Troll, the protagonist, is your average kid. Or a teenager. He has a Muumi-Mother, and Muumi-Father, and two best friends: Sniff (who looks like a rat and is a terrible coward--but always manages to overcome it at the last possible moment) and Snusmumrik (who looks like a duck and is a Traveler). He has a love interest, Froeken (Miss) Snork (Snorks are similar to Moomins, except that their color changes together with their mood), who has an obnoxious brother, you guessed it, Snork. There are also Hemul, who, like all Hemulen, wears his aunt's old dress (don't ask), and the Muskrat (I think that's what it is). There are predicaments and dangers and wonerful adventures.

The Moomins are known--and beloved--in all of teh world, from their native Finland, to Russia to Japan. Hopefully, the States will come around at some point--and Harry Potter (no offense, I love HP) will tremble in his shoes.

It's a children's book for an adult audience!
Having grown up in Scandinavia this was one of the first books I ever read, and I have read it many times since. It is a poetic wonderfully bizarre book, and when you read it along with the rest of Tove Jansson's books you realize that her magical world of mumins isn't really all that different from the one we live in. Best of all, Tove Jansson opens a window to the reader's soul in her writing, and you recognize yourself in her books.