The Moomins and the Great Flood was the first ever Moomin book, written by Finnish author Tove Jansson and published in 1945. Tove Jansson later said: The story is quite influenced by the childhood books I had read and loved” She also mad a point out of deliberately avoiding princes and princesses in her fairytale and rather create a story around a troll.
The Moomintroll travel through a dark and scary forest together with his mother in the search for his father and also to find a safe home. Along their adventurous way they meet a host of characters and faced with various of challenges.
“What sort of thing are you?” asked the little creature.
“I’m a Mommintroll,” answered Moomintroll, who had time to feel brave again. “And this is my mother…”
The story is taking place in the fantasy world of the Moomins and it very much evolves around bravery. Will they ever find the Moomin father? And will they find a nice place to stay?
Told simply yet magically in just 60 pages, the book features beautiful illustrations in sepia watercolours as well as pen and ink drawings. This is an delightful book, perfect as a bedtime story for your child. It also makes an excellent present.
It has only been translated into English since 2005 and now, lovingly, by Sort Of Books in 2012. We bought it in hardcover at our local book shop, Daunt Books for £9.99.