The Moomins: The World of Moominvalley

A showstopping luxury gift book to cherish for years to come, The Moomins: The World of Moominvalley is the ultimate guide for any Moomin fan, old and new. Step into the magical world of Moominvalley with this beautiful one of a kind book; a fun, fascinating, behind the scenes look at the wonderful world of the Moomins and their creator, Tove Jansson. Filled with illustrated maps and family trees, facts about Moomintroll behaviour and habits, this gorgeous book contains all you could wish to know about the beloved characters from the original Moomin stories and the world in which they live. Find out all about Moomintroll's adventures, Moominmamma's handbag and Moominpappa's diary and discover all the favourite Moomin characters, including Snork Maiden, Snufkin, Sniff and Little My. Get a glimpse behind the studio door of the uniquely talented Tove Jansson. Featuring original Moomin drawings, colour studies and stunning sketches of her iconic characters, as well as family photographs and Tove's childhood drawings. With a luxuriously designed die-cut cover featuring gold foil, this breathtaking hardback is the perfect addition to the collection of any Moomin fan. Written by the winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Philip Ardagh, with contributions from bestselling children's author, screenwriter and Moomin devotee, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, The Moomins: The World of Moominvalley is a highly illustrated, beautifully designed gift book for all Moomin fans to treasure.

Tove 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 Summer Book. But the Moomin world was never far away. As Tove said, "You feel a cold wind on your legs when you step outside Moomin Valley," In 1966, Tove received the Hans Christian Andersen Award for her lasting contribution to children's literature.

Section - i: Foreword by Frank Cottrell-Boyce Introduction - ii: Introduction by Philip Ardagh Chapter - 1: In Search of the Moomins . . . Chapter - 2: Meet the Moomins and Friends Chapter - 3: The Darker Side of Moominvalley Chapter - 4: Music in Moominvalley Chapter - 5: Less Familiar Faces Chapter - 6: Moominvalley Magic Chapter - 7: A Year in Moominvalley Chapter - 8: Catastrophes Chapter - 9: Mysterious Creatures Chapter - 10: Moomin-isms Chapter - 11: The World of Tove Jansson Chapter - 12: Behind the Studio Door Chapter - 13: Inspiration and Imagination Chapter - 14: Beyond the Books Index - iii: Character Index Acknowledgements - iv: Acknowledgements Section - v: Picture Credits