Books by Tove Jansson

Book SynopsisAn elderly artist and her six-year-old grand-daughter are away on a summer together on a tiny island in the gulf of Finland. As the two learn to adjust to each other's fears, whims and yearnings, a fierce yet understated love emerges - one that encompasses not only the summer inhabitants but the very island itself.Trade ReviewThis slim, wise masterpiece... is both unsentimental and heart-melting, and I read it every year. -- Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love * Guardian *It is like looking through clear water and seeing, suddenly, the depth ... Jansson was a writer who knew the proper magnitudes of our small worlds. -- Ali SmithThe Summer Book's limpid style belies a deep psychological subtlety...Rereading it now, it feels like a survival guide. -- Melissa HarrisonTove Jansson was a genius. This is a marvellous, beautiful, wise novel, which is also very funny. -- Philip PullmanThis is a wonderful, life-affirming, spirited book. Reading it was a tonic. -- Chris Stewart (author, Driving Over Lemons)It's hard to describe the astonishing achievement of Jansson's artistry . . . a perfection of the small, quiet read. -- Ali Smith * Guardian, Book of the Week *The Summer Book is a marvellously uplifting read, full of gentle humour and wisdom. -- Justine Picardie * Daily Telegraph *Eccentric, funny, wise, full of joys and small adventures. This is a book for life. -- Esther FreudA marvellous book.... The prose is sublime: plain, but not oppressively so. * Independent on Sunday *Few books since Robinson Crusoe have evoked the joys of island living so powerfully as this Finnish novella. -- Jonathan Heawood * Observer *A wonderful novel to devour in the sunshine . . . full of charm and character. -- Benedicte Page * the Independent *An odd but beautiful novel which blends humour and poetry with detailed observation of tiny things. -- Georgia Metcalfe * Daily Mail *Every so often, a book is published that captures something in us. . . . The Summer Book is one of those. -- Rachel Simhon * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisSo what can happen when Tove Jansson turns her attention to her own favourite subjects, love and work, in the form of this novel about two women, lifelong partners and friends? Expect something philosophically calm - and discreetly radical. Its publication is cause for huge celebration.(Ali Smith, from her Introduction to Fair Play) What mattered most to Tove Jansson, she explained in her eighties, was work and love, a sentiment she echoes in this tender and original novel. Translated for the first time into English, Fair Play portrays a love between two older women, a writer and artist, as they work side-by-side in their Helsinki studios, travel together and share summers on a remote island. In the generosity and respect they show each other and the many small shifts they make to accommodate each other''s creativity we are shown a relationship both heartening and truly progressive.Trade ReviewI absolutely loved FAIR PLAY. Tove Jansson has that magical gift of communicating directly with her reader through seemingly effortless prose. Writing of this calibre is a rare thing, to be treasured. -- Philip ArdaghA book about love - tender, eccentric and fiercely independent. It feels a privilege to read it. -- Esther FreudJansson's prose is wondrous: it is clean, deliberate; an aesthetic so certain of itself it's breathtaking. * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisColour your way through the year with this stunning, diary edition of the bestselling The Moomin Colouring Book.Perfect for recording your thoughts and activities, with inspiring quotes and moments of Moomin wisdom to guide you through even the bleakest months. The Moomin Colouring Diary is full of beautiful illustrations of Tove Jansson's beloved characters to colour in. This is a stylish and portable diary, featuring artwork from the coveted archive of Moomin creator, Tove Jansson.

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Book SynopsisSpecial collectors' hardback editions lovingly restored to original designs 'I love these editions - so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved.' Philip Pullman A beautiful collectors' edition of this classic Moomin story, using original 50s and 60s cover artwork, newly scanned images and gorgeous endpapers. When signs appear that a comet is heading towards their beloved Moominvalley, Moomin and his friend Sniff set sail to consult with the professors in the distant Lonely Mountains. Their journey is full of adventures and narrow escapes; from crocodiles, giant lizards, eagles and the like, but new friends - soon to become firm friends - help lighten the way. In this first and most exciting Moomin novel, we meet the wandering Snufkin, the fascinating Snork Maiden and her brother the Snork as they join Moomin in his race to get home to Moominmamma before the comet crashes. From the publisher of The Invisible Child and The Fir Tree (all proceeds to Oxfam) here's the Moomin gift editions.Trade ReviewTove Jansson is one of the greatest children's writers there has ever been -- Sir Terry PratchettI love these editions - so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved -- Philip Pullman(These editions) are simply stunning, and an absolute must-read. The Moomin novels are timeless stories full of adventure and heartwarming values - perfect for Christmas. * The Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisWhen a grumbling volcano causes Moominvalley to flood, the Moomins escape by boat, finding refuge on a floating theatre. Adventures abound when the theatre casts adrift leaving Moomin,The Snorkmaiden and Little My marooned. Will they all be reunited before the final curtain?Trade ReviewI love these editions - so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved -- Philip PullmanTove Jansson is one of the greatest children's writers there has ever been -- Sir Terry Pratchett[These editions] are simply stunning, and an absolute must-read. The Moomin novels are timeless stories full of adventure and heartwarming values - perfect for Christmas. * The Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisIn the bitter winds of autumn 1963, Tove Jansson, helped by Brunström, a maverick fisherman, raced to build a cabin on a treeless skerry in the Gulf of Finland. The island was Klovharun, and for thirty summers Tove and her beloved partner, the graphic artist, Tuulikki Pietilä, retreated there to live, paint and write, energised by the solitude and shifting seascapes. Notes from an Island, published in English for the first time, is both a chronicle of this period and a homage to the mature love that Tove and 'Tooti' shared for their island and for each other. Tove's spare prose, and Tuulikki's subtle washes and aquatints combine to form a work of meditative beauty. '... Tooti wandered aimlessly around the island and stood stock still for long periods. I thought I knew what she was doing. She was working again. Copperplate etchings and wash drawings. Mostly the lagoon, the lagoon as a consummate mirror for clouds and birds, the lagoon in a storm, in fog. And the granite, first and foremost, the granite, the cliff, the rocks. It's all peace and quiet now.'Trade ReviewIt's hard to describe the astonishing achievement of Tove Jansson's artistry -- Ali SmithThe Summer Book's limpid style belies a deep psychological subtlety. It's about how people can live close together for months with tact and grace, and about how rich and rewarding even a small world can be. -- Melissa Harrison * Guardian *Both a memoir and a love letter to all things wild and weathered * New Statesman *These wry and winsome autobiographical sketches demonstrate the couple's virtuosity in the art of living...as evocative as a long-lost coastline glimpsed through mist. -- Nancy Campbell * TLS *

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Book SynopsisTove Jansson (1914 - 2001) was born in Helsinki to artist parents. She was to become a celebrated artist, political cartoonist and author, but she is best known as the creator of the Moomins, one of the most successful and beloved children's book series ever written. Inspired by summers spent on the islands off Finland and Sweden, Tove created the unique world of Moominvalley and all its inhabitants. The Moomins and The Great Flood, her first book to feature the Moomins, published in 1945. Tove went on to publish twelve Moomin books between 1945 and 1977, which have sold in their millions and been translated into over forty languages. In the 1950s the Moomins became a successful cartoon strip, which was to feature in newspapers all over the world. As the Moomins' fame grew, they began to appear in television series, plays, films and a varied merchandise program soon followed. Tove also painted throughout her life and wrote novels and short stories, including the acclaimed

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Book SynopsisSpecial collectors' hardback editions lovingly restored to original designs 'I love these editions-so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved.' Philip Pullman A beautiful collectors' edition of this classic Moomin story, using original 50s and 60s cover artwork, a fold out map and gorgeous endpapers. Moomins always sleep through the winter while the snow settles all around them, waking up in time for spring and the arrival of Snufkin and other friends. Or they did until one year when Moomintroll happened to wake up and find himself all alone in a sleepy, dusty house in a silent, snow-covered valley. In this moving story of a small, brave Moomin finding his way in the mysterious world of winter we discover that there are always new friends to be found - like the calm and wise Too-ticky and the irrepressible Little My - and new ways to play and be kind. From the publisher of The Invisible Child and The Fir Tree (all proceeds to Oxfam) here's the Moomin gift editions.Trade ReviewTove Jansson is one of the greatest children's writers there has ever been. -- Sir Terry PratchettI was utterly blown away by this as a child. It transported me to an icy, magical world. -- Maggie O'FarrellI love these editions - so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved -- Philip Pullman(These editions) are simply stunning, and an absolute must-read. The Moomin novels are timeless stories full of adventure and heartwarming values - perfect for Christmas. * The Bookseller *I love Moominland Midwinter for its evocation of winter as both heady and sinister ... Read as a child for wonder and laughter, read as an adult for perception-changing clarity of insight. -- Stef Penney, for the Guardian's best books on life outdoors

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Book Synopsis''Beautifully crafted and deceptively simple-seeming, these stories are like pieces of scattered light.''Ali SmithFollowing the widely acclaimed and bestselling The Summer Book, here is A Winter Book collection of some of Tove Jansson''s best loved and most famous stories. Drawn from youth and older age, and spanning most of the twentieth century, this newly translated selection provides a thrilling showcase of the great Finnish writer''s prose, scattered with insights and home truths. It has been selected and is introduced by Ali Smith.A Winter Book features 13 stories from Tove Jansson''s first book for adults, The Sculptor''s Daughter (1968) plus seven of her most cherished later stories (from 1971 to 1996), translated into English and published here for the first time.Trade ReviewBeautifully crafted and deceptively simple-seeming, these stories are like pieces of scattered light. -- Ali SmithThese stories show a side of (Tove Jansson) that may be new to some British readers, who perhaps think of her, if at all, as a writer of charming stories for children. They are as tough as good rope, these stories, as smooth and odd and beautiful as sea-worn driftwood, as full of light and air and wind as the Nordic summer. We are lucky to have them collected at last. -- Philip PullmanThese stories are infused with such a strong sense of Tove Jansson's character that by the last page you feel on almost intimate terms with her. Determined, indignant, fearless as a child, we see how she develops - have the luxury of glimpsing her as an old lady too, still determined, still indignant. -- Esther FreudMeeting the real Tove in these stories has been a an exciting and unnerving experience - a bit like meeting my own guardian angel. -- Frank Cottrell Boyce

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Book Synopsis"I find myself talking to you about all the great joys, all the agonies, all my thoughts..." Letter to Eva Konikova, 1946 Out of the thousands of letters Tove Jansson wrote a cache remains that she addressed to her family, her dearest confidantes, and her lovers, male and female. Into these she spilled her innermost thoughts, defended her ideals and revealed her heart. To read these letters is both an act of startling intimacy and a rare privilege. Penned with grace and humour, Letters from Tove offers an almost seamless commentary on Tove Jansson's life as it unfolds within Helsinki's bohemian circles and her island home. Spanning fifty years between her art studies and the height of Moomin fame, we share with her the bleakness of war; the hopes for love that were dashed and renewed, and her determined attempts to establish herself as an artist. Vivid, inspiring and shining with integrity, Letters from Tove shows precisely how an aspiring and courageous young artist can evolve into a very great one.Trade ReviewTove Jansson was a genius, a woman of profound wisdom and great artistry -- Philip PullmanHer tales of Mominvalley are really only half the story of Jansson's quiet creative genius...her novels, short story collections and memoir writing form an equally shining achievement. -- Ali SmithA unique and authentic voice that speaks to the reader across time and culture, heart to heart -- Boyd Tonkin * The Independent *Tove Jansson is one of the greatest children's writers there has ever been -- Sir Terry PratchettLetters from Tove offers readers the privilege of spending time inside an intelligent, creative, curious, generous, funny, unsentimental mind. Few books have given me as much pure pleasure this year. -- Anna Carey * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisA tale of Moomin Valley sees Toffle driven from his home by the frightening noises of the forest. Too shy, at first, to approach the many colourful Moomin characters he passes along the way, he gains confidence by discovering a scared and lonely Miffle who needs his help. Toffle's quest to save Miffle from the dreadful Groke is an inspiring tale that every child (and many adults) are sure to identify with. In Scandinavia, this story by Tove Jansson is even more popular than her Moomin books; in over 40 years since it was published it has never once been out of print.Trade Review"In a children's book there must be a path where the author stands still and the child walks on. A threat or a wonder that is never explained. A face that never shows itself entire." (Tove Jansson)

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Book SynopsisSpecial collectors' hardback editions lovingly restored to original designs 'I love these editions - so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved.' Philip Pullman A beautiful collectors' edition of this classic Moomin story, using original 50s and 60s cover artwork, gorgeous endpapers and including for the first time a special prologue written by Tove but never before published in the UK. 'One cold and windy autumn evening many years ago a newspaper parcel was found on the doorstep of the Home for Moomin Foundlings. In that parcel I lay, quite small and shivering with cold.' So begins the remarkable Memoirs of Moominpappa, a book written to delight his dear son Moomintroll and friends. What follows is a story about storytelling itself. Moominpappa weaves one fabulous tale after another, writing at night to read aloud by day and featuring not only the fearless, adventurous author but also the fathers of Sniff and Snufkin - the rather muddled Muddler and the carefree Joxter. Add to this mix the genius inventor Hodgkins and a grand finale in which Moominpappa rescues a shipwrecked Moominmamma from the waves and the fun becomes irresistible. The Memoirs of Moominpappa, was first published in the UK in 1950 under the title The Exploits of Moominpapa. In the early 1960s Tove Jansson substantially revised this text, redrawing pictures and reinstating her preferred title. This is the very first time the revised edition has become available in the UK. From the publisher of The Invisible Child and The Fir Tree (all proceeds to Oxfam) here's the Moomin gift editions.Trade ReviewI love these editions - so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved -- Philip PullmanTove Jansson is one of the greatest children's writers there has ever been. -- Sir Terry Pratchett(These editions) are simply stunning, and an absolute must-read. The Moomin novels are timeless stories full of adventure and heartwarming values - perfect for Christmas. * The Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisTove Jansson (1914 - 2001) was born in Helsinki to artist parents. She was to become a celebrated artist, political cartoonist and author, but she is best known as the creator of the Moomins, one of the most successful and beloved children's book series ever written. Inspired by summers spent on the islands off Finland and Sweden, Tove created the unique world of Moominvalley and all its inhabitants. The Moomins and The Great Flood, her first book to feature the Moomins, published in 1945. Tove went on to publish twelve Moomin books between 1945 and 1977, which have sold in their millions and been translated into over forty languages. In the 1950s the Moomins became a successful cartoon strip, which was to feature in newspapers all over the world. As the Moomins' fame grew, they began to appear in television series, plays, films and a varied merchandise program soon followed. Tove also painted throughout her life and wrote novels and short stories, including the ac

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Book SynopsisTove Jansson's Moomin stories made her one of the most be--loved Scandinavian authors of the twentieth century. Jansson's whimsical tales of Moominvalley resonate with children for their light-hearted spirit, and with adults for their incisive com-mentary on the banality of everyday life. 2014 marks the cente--nary of her birth, and Jansson is being honoured with events in England, Scandinavia, Germany, Russia, Japan, Australia, Italy, Spain, and France. Drawn and Quarterly is joining the festivities by releasing Moomin: The deluxe anniversary edition, a slipcased, hardcover collection of the complete Tove Jansson-penned Moomin comic strip, replete with all of her most popular story--lines and original pencil sketches. It has been more than sixty years since the Moomin comic strip debuted in the London Eve--ning News. By the end of its run in 1975, Moomin was syndicated in more than forty newspapers around the world, and hailed for its light-handed, charming stories. The comics were revived in 2005 by Drawn and Quarterly and published to widespread acclaim, sparking a new genera--tion of devoted Moomin fans with international editions around the world. Moomin: The deluxe anniversary edition celebrates the classic comics the world adores, and will feature an essay about Tove's work on the Moomin strip.Trade Review"Tove Janssoncreated a quirky, original comic strip masterpiece Moomins are the vehicles through which Jansson explores everything that's laughable, charming, laudable, and suspect about being human."- Myla Goldberg, NPR

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Book SynopsisA gorgeous and gifty fold-out concertina board book that is perfect for tummy time.Tummy time helps to strengthen a baby''s back, neck and shoulders. The bold patterns and high-contrast colours throughout are designed to help stimulate a baby''s developing eyesight. In this beautiful new range of baby books, Tove Jansson''s much-loved world of the Moomins is brought to life for the very tiniest of bookworms.

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Book SynopsisSpecial Collectors' Hardback Editions Lovingly Restored to Original Designs 'I love these editions-so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved.' Philip Pullman A beautiful collectors' edition of this classic Moomin story, using original 50s and 60s cover artwork, a fold out map and gorgeous endpapers In case you didn't know, the Moomins are kind, loyal and welcoming creatures with smooth round snouts, who live in a tall blue house shaped like an old stove in a valley in the forests of Finland. They love sunshine and sleep right through the winter, when the snow turns their house into a great snowball. In spring they wake up, clamber down the rope ladders hanging from their windows ready for fresh new adventures. And so this classic story begins, full of fun and excitement and the most unexpected happenings. Such as when Moomin and his friends Snufkin and Sniff find a Hobgoblin's hat that casts a spell over the whole of Moominvalley... From the publisher of The Invisible Child and The Fir Tree (all proceeds to Oxfam) here's the Moomin gift editions.Trade ReviewI love these editions - so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved -- Philip PullmanTove Jansson is one of the greatest children's writers there has ever been -- Sir Terry Pratchett(These editions) are simply stunning, and an absolute must-read. The Moomin novels are timeless stories full of adventure and heartwarming values - perfect for Christmas. * The Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisTove Jansson was born in Finland in 1914. She began her career as a cartoonist and went on to write and illustrate many books for adults and children. She drew her first Moomin in the 1930s, just for fun, and in 1945 he became a character in a children's story. Tove became world-famous for her Moomin books, which began with The Moomins and the Great Flood in 1945, closely followed by Comet in Moominland in 1946, Finn Family Moomintroll in 1948 and six more Moomin adventures. During the winter months Tove lived and worked in Helsinki, but in the summertime she stayed on a beautiful remote island in the Gulf of Finland with her long-term partner, the artist Tuulikki Pietilä. Tove Jansson received many prestigious awards during her lifetime, including the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal. She died in 2001, aged eighty-seven.

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Book SynopsisMeet the Moomins - all 8 magical adventures relaunched in a stunning new package. Celebrating 80 years since the first Moomin book was published! Rediscover the A Puffin Book series and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this magical edition of Moominsummer Madness complete with a charming new cover design.It all begins on a hot day in June, and a volcano dropping black ash on Moominmamma''s washing. A crack appears in the ground, and Moomintroll''s toothbrush slips straight down into it! When a great flood wave comes crashing through Moomin Valley, the Moomins find themselves in a brand new home . . .They seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them - Philip PullmanTrade ReviewThey seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them... a perfect marriage of word and picture. -- Philip PullmanBeautiful words. Anarchic illustrations. Tove Jansson is a genius. -- Jenny DownhamIt's not just Tove Jansson's wonderfully strange fairytale world that so appeals but also her beautiful line work and exquisite sense of design. -- Lauren Child

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Book SynopsisFor thirty summers Tove and her partner, the graphic artist, Tuulikki Pietilä, retreated to the tiny island of Klovharun, a rocky outcrop in the gulf of Finland, where they would live, paint and write, energised by the shifting seascapes and the island''s austere charms. Notes from an Island, offers both a memoir of, and homage to, this beloved island home. Tove''s spare prose, and Tuulikki''s subtle washes and aquatints, combine to form a work of meditative beauty.This edition includes the first UK publication of Tove''s acclaimed 1961 essay/prose poem, The Island.

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Book SynopsisIn the run-up to Moomins eightieth anniversary (2025) the spotlight is on The Moomins and The Great Flood and the first glimpse it offers of Moomin Valley. Tove Jansson wrote this first ever Moomin story in 1945, in the wake of World War II, and although a children's tale, it vividly evokes the displacement of refugees throughout Europe at the time. A global Moomin.com campaign will celebrate the eighty years of the Moomins with the slogan 'the door is always open', emphasising Jansson's timely message of kindness and inclusiveness towards those forced to flee to safety.This new format edition includes an introduction by much loved author Frank Cottrell-Boyce and a full colour fold-out 'Moomin history' poster.

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Book SynopsisIn the deep winter snows of a Swedish hamlet, a strange young woman fakes a break-in at the house of an elderly artist in order to persuade her that she needs companionship. But what does she hope to gain by doing this? And who ultimately is deceiving whom? In this portrayal of two women grappling with truth and lies, nothing can be taken for granted. By the time the snow thaws, both their lives will have changed irrevocably.Trade ReviewI loved this book. It's cool in both senses of the word, understated yet exciting. When I finished it I read it all over again. The characters still haunt me. -- Ruth RendellThe True Deceiver glitters with the kind of sharpness that might just cut you... It is one of Jansson's most deceptively quiet, most astonishing compositions. -- Ali SmithTove Jansson was a genius -- Philip PulmanThe True Deceiver is a quiet masterpiece...the novel is haunting, complex and mysterious * The Age, Melbourne *

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Book SynopsisMoominpappa yearns to make a fresh start, to find a rocky island and lighthouse where he'll feel alert and important again. And so the Moomins set sail for a new home. Moominpappa's longed-for-island proves as mysterious and wild and he'd hoped. It even has a deserted lighthouse. But how is Moominmamma to grow her flowers and what could have happened to the last keeper of the lighthouse?Trade ReviewI love these editions - so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved -- Philip PullmanTove Jansson is one of the greatest children's writers there has ever been -- Sir Terry Pratchett[These editions] are simply stunning, and an absolute must-read. The Moomin novels are timeless stories full of adventure and heartwarming values - perfect for Christmas. * The Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisMeet the Moomins - all 8 magical adventures relaunched in a stunning new package. Celebrating 80 years since the first Moomin book was published!Rediscover the A Puffin Book series and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this magical edition of The Exploits of Moominpappa complete with a charming new cover design.Here is Moominpappa''s promised life story - from the days when he was abandoned in a newspaper parcel on the doorstep of a Moomin orphanage, to when he ran away to see the world and met Moominmamma.They seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them - Philip PullmanTrade ReviewThey seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them... a perfect marriage of word and picture -- Philip PullmanIt's not just Tove Jansson's wonderfully strange fairytale world that so appeals but also her beautiful line work and exquisite sense of design -- Lauren ChildBeautiful words. Anarchic illustrations. Tove Jansson is a genius. -- Jenny Downham

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThey seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them... a perfect marriage of word and picture. -- Philip PullmanIt's not just Tove Jansson's wonderfully strange fairytale world that so appeals but also her beautiful line work and exquisite sense of design. -- Lauren ChildBeautiful words. Anarchic illustrations. Tove Jansson is a genius. -- Jenny Downham

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Book SynopsisA Fabulous Find from the Moomin Archives A classic Moomin Book with COLOUR ILLUSTRATIONS And a beautiful FOLD-OUT PANORAMA In 1961, at the request of her Italian publishers, Tove Jansson created a unique new edition of Moominland Midwinter, the tale in which Moomin wakes from hibernation to contend alone with the mysterious world of winter. The text and internal line drawings of this much loved story were unchanged, but Tove added a beautiful new cover illustration and seven glorious full-page colour illustrations. This was the only Moomin title that she illustrated in colour and it has long been a prized item for collectors. For the first time, it is available in English. For this new Sort Of edition, Tove's nephew James Zambra restored the original cover and colour illustrations, along with a glorious fold-out panorama of characters from the book, which Tove Jansson painted for the first French edition. Sort Of Books have also added a back cover designed for the first Swedish edition of Moominland Midwinter, an image used on the first Puffin book, and a playful bookplate 'wreath' from the first German book. We believe this is the most beautiful Moomin book ever published!Trade ReviewThis book had a huge influence on me as a child; Jansson's words still hold their magic to this day. -- Maggie O’FarrellMore than any other book I read as a child, Moominland Midwinter has kept company with me through my adulthood. -- Tom Holland * Guardian *I love Moominland Midwinter for its evocation of winter ... Read as a child for wonder and laughter, read as an adult for perception-changing clarity of insight. -- Stef Penney * Observer *

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Book SynopsisFeaturing the much loved stories in Waterstone's Oxfam bestseller, The Invisible Child and The Fir Tree - the Moomins' gloriously funny and generous take on Christmas - Tales from Moominvalley collects together nine delightful Moomin short stories. Highlights include The Spring Tune (which Jarvis Cocker described as the best story about composing music) and The Last Dragon in the World, revealing the true essence of friendship. A perfect Christmas gift to complete the set of Moomin classics.Trade ReviewI love these editions - so beautifully produced, so solid and permanent, just as Tove Jansson deserved -- Philip PullmanTove Jansson is one of the greatest children's writers there has ever been -- Sir Terry Pratchett[These editions] are simply stunning, and an absolute must-read. The Moomin novels are timeless stories full of adventure and heartwarming values - perfect for Christmas. * The Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisJoin the Moomins in their very first adventure, crossing a huge flood to search for missing Moominpappa!Moominmamma and Moomintroll need to find a home for the winter, someplace where sun is plentiful and safe from the dangers of the unknown. But before they can settle down, they must cross a dark and sinister forest and find their way through a flood of epic proportions, all the while hoping that they will find Moominpappa again. Their journey seems daunting but they forge ahead, with Moominmamma's kindness and patience giving Moomin the courage he needs to face the strange, unexplored path that lies ahead of them.Written during the 1939-40 Finnish-Soviet Union conflict, or The Winter War, Jansson uses the unusual setting of a natural catastrophe to provide the background of her first children's book and the first appearance of her beloved Moomin characters. She wrote this as her escape from the horrors of war and its many consequences, but rather than avoiding the problems that war raises, she uses these as a basis for the many obstacles that the characters face, from separated families to forced displacement. With beautiful black and white artwork interspersed throughout the text and curious, playful prose, you find yourself rooting for the Moomins and their quest to find Moominpappa and a place to call home.

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Book SynopsisTove Jansson's first book for adults drew on her childhood memories to capture afresh the enchantments and fears of growing up in Helsinki in the nineteen tens and twenties. Described as both a memoir and 'a book of superb stories' by Ali Smith, her startlingly evocative prose offers a glimpse of the mysteries of winter ice, the bonhomie of balalaika parties, and the vastness of Christmas viewed from beneath the tree. With rare images from the Jansson family archive, it makes a perfect gift.Trade ReviewAs an artefact, it's a jewel with evocative black and white photographs throughout ... Jansson's narrator is wise but not precocious and has an authentic way of parroting adult observations. It's easy to see how this child, full of love and wonder, became the woman who gave us the philosophical Moomintrolls. * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisPenguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content.The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers'' story comprehension and develop vocabulary.Penguin Readers Level 2: Moomin Shorts, a Level 2 Reader, is A1+ in the CEFR framework. Sentences contain a maximum of two clauses, introducing the future tenses will

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Book SynopsisThe author''s comic strip is published for the first time in North America in the first volume of a proposed multi-volume series designed to reprint the entire strip of the magical world of the author''s creation, the Moomins.

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Book SynopsisFinnish 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 TV animation (BBC2), the warm-hearted, whimsical creatures of Moomin valley have been brought to a new younger British audience.Introducing 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.Trade ReviewBrilliant new edition . . . Sophie Hannah's text teases and beguiles at every turn. -- Kate Kellaway * Observer *Full of the particular magic that only Tove Jansson can evoke. -- Philip Pullman * Financial Times *An effective page-turner . . . loaded with appealing psychedelic characters and exciting, eerrie locations. * Times Educational Supplement *Thanks to Sophie Hannah's wonderful verse adaptation . . . appeals to children and adults alike. * Daily Telegraph *Delightful, and has an oddness to which modern illustrators might aspire. * Sunday Times *A most welcome new edition of this brilliant picture book. A real classic. * Financial Times Pick of the Month *

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Book SynopsisMeet the Moomins - all 8 magical adventures relaunched with a charming new cover design. Celebrating 80 years since the first Moomin book was published!Rediscover the A Puffin Book series and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this magical edition of Moominpappa at Sea complete with a charming new cover design.Moominpappa is feeling at a loss. He has no idea what to do with himself - it seems everything has already been done! So he takes his family off to start a new life in a lighthouse on a tiny, rocky island far out to sea. It''s rather lonely at first, but it isn''t long before the Moomins discover some funny and surprising new things about themselves.They seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them - Philip PullmanTrade ReviewThey seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them...a perfect marriage of word and picture. -- Philip PullmanIt's not just Tove Jansson's wonderfully strange fairytale world that so appeals but also her beautiful line work and exquisite sense of design. -- Lauren Child

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Book SynopsisThe Moomin family and their friends are the delightful creation of Tove Jansson, and are full of a particular humour and magic that has enchanted generations of children and adults alike. Using the author''s original characters and artwork, Moomin and the Birthday Button is part of a stunning new range of children''s titles launching in the year of the Moomins'' 65th anniversary celebrations.In this, the first of a new series of picture books, Moomintroll wakes up full of excitement. It''s his birthday! But when it appears that his friends have forgotten all about his special day, Moomintroll is very upset. Even Moominmamma finds it hard to comfort him! Then there''s a knock at the door . . . Who can it be, and what will happen next?

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Book SynopsisTove Jansson was born in Finland in 1914. She began her career as a cartoonist and went on to write and illustrate many books for adults and children. She drew her first Moomin in the 1930s, just for fun, and in 1945 he became a character in a children's story. Tove became world-famous for her Moomin books, which began with The Moomins and the Great Flood in 1945, closely followed by Comet in Moominland in 1946, Finn Family Moomintroll in 1948 and six more Moomin adventures. During the winter months Tove lived and worked in Helsinki, but in the summertime she stayed on a beautiful remote island in the Gulf of Finland with her long-term partner, the artist Tuulikki Pietilä. Tove Jansson received many prestigious awards during her lifetime, including the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal. She died in 2001, aged eighty-seven.

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Book SynopsisEscape to Moominvalley with The Pocket Moomin Colouring Book!In a perfectly pocket-sized format this relaxing colouring book is filled with original artwork from the coveted archive of Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins; one of the most cherished children's book series ever written. This smaller edition, perfect for colouring on-the-go, features striking patterns and scenes as well as all your favourite Moomin characters and their most memorable quotes. Including all your favourite scenes from The Moomin Colouring Book.

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Book SynopsisAn elderly caretaker at a large outdoor exhibition, called Art in Nature, finds that a couple have lingered on to bicker about the value of a picture; he has a surprising suggestion that will resolve both their row and his own ambivalence about the art market. A draughtsman''s obsession with drawing locomotives provides a dark twist to a love story. A cartoonist takes over the work of a colleague who has suffered a nervous breakdown only to discover that his own sanity is in danger.In these witty, sharp, often disquieting stories, Tove Jansson reveals the fault-lines in our relationship with art, both as artists and as consumers. Obsession, ambition, and the discouragement of critics are all brought into focus in these wise and cautionary tales.Trade ReviewThat there can still be as-yet untranslated fiction by Jansson is simultaneously an aberration and a delight, like finding buried treasure. -- Ali SmithTove Jansson was a genius -- Philip Pullman

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Book SynopsisThe second book in a brand-new read-aloud board book series for the youngest Moomin fans!Moomin is feeling glum - his best friend Snufkin has gone away for the winter, and nothing is any fun without him. Luckily Moomin''s other friends are there to help him feel less lonely until Snufkin returns.With gorgeous illustrations and a soothing story, this is the perfect book to celebrate friendship.More beautiful Moomin books:My First Moomin: Goodnight MoominMoomin and the Wishing StarMoomin and the Birthday ButtonMoomin: The Very BIG Moominhouse Lift-the-Flap Book

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Book SynopsisA brilliant Touch and Feel Playbook, based on Tove Jansson''s Moomins!With plenty for little hands to touch and feel on every page, this brilliant playbook is a perfect introduction to first words, numbers, weather, opposites and colours.Tove Jansson was born in Helsingfors, Finland, in 1914. Her mother was a caricaturist who designed 165 of Finland''s stamps and her father was a sculptor. She studied painting in Finland, Sweden and France, and subsequently became a book illustrator. Her extraordinary illustrative style is seen as a design classic the world over. Originally written in Swedish, the Moomintroll books have been translated into over 40 languages and adapted for television, film, radio and opera. Tove Jansson lived alone on a small island in the gulf of Finland, where most of her books were written. She died in 2001.

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Book SynopsisMeet the Moomins - all 8 magical adventures relaunched in a stunning new package. Celebrating 80 years since the first Moomin book was published!Rediscover the A Puffin Book series and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this magical edition of Moominvalley in November complete with a charming new cover design.''They can''t have moved away without saying a word!'' Winter is coming, and the Fillyjonk, the Hemulen, Toft, and Mymble, are all waiting in Moominvalley to see the Moomins return home. Winter doesn''t seem right without them . . .They seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them - Philip PullmanTrade ReviewThey seem to grow in wisdom and delight every time I read them...a perfect marriage of word and picture. -- Philip PullmanBeautiful words. Anarchic illustrations. Tove Jansson is a genius... -- Jenny Downham, author of Before I Die * Books for Keeps *It's not just Tove Jansson's wonderfully strange fairytale world that so appeals but also her beautiful line work and exquisite sense of design. -- Lauren Child

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Book SynopsisIf you haven''t met a Moomin yet, you''re missing the most magical fun . . .It''s a long, lazy midsummer afternoon in Moominvalley and the whole family are relaxing outdoors. But suddenly Moominpappa''s precious notebook and fountain pen vanish, and the garden starts to feel unseasonably cold. Can Moomintroll and his friends follow the clues and solve this curious mystery?

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Book SynopsisThe Moominhouse is abuzz with activity as everyone is getting ready for a trip to the beach! But where are Moomin''s bucket and spade? And can you spot any delicious treats to pack in the picnic basket?Lift the flaps of this BIG and sturdy board book to help Moomin and his family find everything they need for their special trip. With a different room to explore on every spread, there''s so much to discover!Perfect for introducing little ones to the magical world of Moomin - which is fast becoming a family favourite on Sky!

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Book SynopsisTove Jansson was born in Finland in 1914. She began her career as a cartoonist and went on to write and illustrate many books for adults and children. She drew her first Moomin in the 1930s, just for fun, and in 1945 he became a character in a children's story. Tove became world-famous for her Moomin books, which began with The Moomins and the Great Flood in 1945, closely followed by Comet in Moominland in 1946, Finn Family Moomintroll in 1948 and six more Moomin adventures. During the winter months Tove lived and worked in Helsinki, but in the summertime she stayed on a beautiful remote island in the Gulf of Finland with her long-term partner, the artist Tuulikki Pietilä. Tove Jansson received many prestigious awards during her lifetime, including the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal. She died in 2001, aged eighty-seven.

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Book SynopsisA stunning and classic picture book, with a special textured cover, The Invisible Guest in Moominvalley is the perfect gift for Moomin fans of all ages. In Moominvalley everyone is welcome. So when Too-ticky arrives with an unusually invisible guest, Ninny, the Moomins endeavor to make their guest feel at home, armed with remedies to gently draw their new guest into visibility allowing her to regain her once lost voice.This unique retelling of Tove Jansson's touching short story The Invisible Child captures Jansson's wise, perceptive and original voice and includes delicate, painterly illustrations full of character and detail and based on Jansson's original drawings and colour plates.A new generation of readers will enjoy meeting the lovable Moomin family and friends, with their special values of tolerance, kindness and integrity, as they help feel Ninny feel safe and one of the family.

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Book SynopsisA beautiful picture book with colour illustrations, The Last Dragon in Moominvalley is the perfect gift for Moomin fans of all ages.When Moomintroll finds a tiny dragon, he puts it in a jam jar to keep it as a pet. He's so excited to have found the very last dragon in the world! But Moomintroll soon realizes that the dragon wants to be free. And when the dragon seems to prefer Snufkin, will Moomintroll's heart be broken?This stunning picture book is a newly-illustrated retelling of Tove Jansson's classic Moomin short story The Last Dragon, originally published in Tales from Moominvalley sixty years ago and now reinterpreted for a new generation of Moomin fans.

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