From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. From 1953 to 1960, the late Finnish artist Jansson drew a comic strip about her creation Moomin for the London Evening News. Though the strip was an enormous success around the world, this is the first North American edition of an expressive and endearing classic. Moomin's stories begin simply (he needs to rid his home of freeloaders, or goes on a family vacation) and snowball into a series of amusing, whimsical misadventures, which can involve elements of the fantastic, like magic, monsters and ghosts. Although Moomin, his parents and his girlfriend, Snorkmaiden, are trolls, they look like friendly hippopotamuses. Moomin is reminiscent of a big, chubby baby; there is something of Charlie Brown in him: Moomin is like a child beset by life's troubles and usually (but not always) too passive to get angry and fight back. Adults should appreciate Jansson's satire—although she always provides happy endings, dark undercurrents are at play: one episode opens with Moomin attempting suicide; reunited with his missing parents, he's abandoned by them again. Jansson's deceptively childlike style masterfully conveys her characters' personalities. Moomin's mouth rarely appears, but his eyes, his brows and his gestures are expressive and endearing. (Oct.)
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From School Library Journal
Grade 10 Up–Beloved around the world, the Moomins are fanciful creatures that look quite a lot like upright hippopotami. They are peaceful, dreamy sorts who occasionally yearn for adventure, but always come back to their home. This is the first collection of the comic strips, which were begun by Jansson in 1954 and carried by the London Evening News. Adventures in this volume include sophisticated issues, such as dealing with houseguests who have overstayed their welcome, a trip to the French Riviera, pirate attacks, and critiques on modern art. Whimsical, yet deep, they will appeal to fans of Charles Schultz's Peanuts strip. Black-and-white illustrations are simple, but stylistically unique and charming. Appeal may be mixed due to the slightly dated language and philosophical tendencies of the characters, which, in this incarnation, were written for adults, but teens with a taste for the absurd will find this offering quite adorable.–Dawn Rutherford, King County Library System, Bellevue, WA
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From Booklist
In the 1950s Jansson (1914-2001) was world famous for her children's books about Moomin when the Associated Press contracted with her for an all-ages Moomin comic strip. Wide-eyed, sweetly thick-headed Moomin has the body of a hippo, the soul of a puppy. Unlike his friend Sniff, a sort of kangaroo-rat hybrid, Moomin cares naught for fame or fortune, though he isn't averse to mild adventure. The strip's story arcs are lengthy and complex but not confusing, develop the characters well, and hold up nicely after 50 years. In the first, "Brigands," Moomin is the only creature of his kind, but in the later "Family Life" and "Moomin on the Riviera," he has parents and a partner, Snorkel Maiden. Jansson's black-and-white images are most expressive; the characters arch brows and roll eyes tellingly, and settings glow with sunshine, glower with storm. The gentle ribbing Jannson gives midcentury Western culture--Moomin makes modern art, deals with a banker, is bested by a picnic pig's widow--delighted sophisticates then and should charm their progeny now. Francisca Goldsmith
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About the Author
Tove Jansson (1914–2001) was born in Helsinki and spent much of her life in Finland. She is the author of the Moomin books, including Comet in Moominland and Finn Family Moomintroll. Born into an artistic family―her father was a sculptor and her mother was a graphic designer and illustrator―Jansson studied at the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, and L'Ãcole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. In addition to her Moomin books, she also wrote several novels, drew comic strips and worked as a painter and illustrator. In 1966, she was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for her body of work. Jansson had a studio in Helsinki but spent most of her time at her home on a small island called Klovharu.
