Comet in Moominland

Story

One day, Sniff and Moomintroll go exploring in Moominvalley and meet the mischievous Silk Monkey. Together, they find a cave and hide Moomintroll’s pearls there, but when they find later that they have been mysteriously rearranged into a comet shape, they seek help from the professors at the observatory, who tell them when and where they expect the comet to strike. Just in time, they hide in a cave, but what will they find when they emerge?

Why we chose it

The Moomins are among the best loved characters in children’s books, gentle, hippo like characters, each with their own personality and style, sharing their stories with a number of eccentric and unusual friends. Everyone has their own favourite Moomin.

Where it came from

Tove Jansson (1914-2001) was a Finnish writer and illustrator. She studied art in Paris, Stockholm, and Helsinki, and in 1943 she had her first solo exhibition. She wrote and illustrated her first book, Sarah and Pelle and Neptune’s Children, when she was 14, and it was published in 1933. The first drawing of a Moomin was inspired by philosopher Immanuel Kant and was thinner and less pleasant, but soon developed into the friendly, rounded shape we know today. The Moomins characters were inspired by her family, particularly her parents, and her uncle, who first gave her the idea for the Moomins.

Where it went next

The Moomin stories are as immensely popular now as they were when they were published. They have been translated into 45 languages and adapted into plays, films, ballet, and opera, and most recently a 2019 animated series with Kate Winslet and Rosamund Pike providing voices. Among her many awards are the Hans Christian Anderson in 1966, the Order of the Smile in 1975, and the Swedish Academy award in 1994. She and her Moomins have appeared on many sets of stamps in Finland, she has a park in Helsinki named after her, and in Finland there is a Moomin World theme park. A film of her life is due for release in late 2020.

Associated stories

The Moomins have appeared in a number of picture books and novels. The first, The Moomins and the Great Flood, was published in 1945, and the last, a songbook called Songs from the Moominvalley, was published in 1993.

There were nine novels in the original series, including Finn Family Moomintroll, Memoirs of Moominpapa, Moominsummer Madness, Moominland Midwinter and a book of short Stories, Tales from Moominvalley. In addition to the novels from 1954 Jansson wrote and illustrated a number of comic strips which have been collected into books.

Jansson also wrote novels and short stories for adults, including The Summer Book (1972) and Travelling Light (1987).