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Tales from Moominvalley

(Mumintrollen #7)

Tove Jansson,

Thomas Warburton (Translator)

4.31 · Rating details · 6,634 ratings · 410 reviews

If you found a tiny golden dragon with green paws, would you know what to do with it? And suppose Too-ticky brought you an invisible child, would you know how to make her visible again?

Meet new and delightful characters and re-encounter old freinds, such as Snufkin and Little My, in this collection of stories – not to mention dear Moominpappa, Moominmamma and Mommintroll.

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Hardcover, 176 pages

Published April 4th 2011 by Puffin (first published 1962)

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Start your review of Tales from Moominvalley (The Moomins, #7)

Jul 24, 2014 Jordan West rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library, read-in-2014

One of the most rewarding pieces of juvenile fiction I've read in a while, possessing a surprising maturity that is distinctly nordic in tone: combines poetry, understated whimsy, and dry wit with a note of gentle melancholy running through it all. ...more

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Dec 12, 2010 Courtney Johnston rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: short-stories, borrowed, fiction

What a bunch of strange, opaque, elliptical little stories.

This is my first entry into the Moomin world, Jansson's books having passed me by as a child. I was dubious - the pastelly coloured covers of the editions I keep weighing in my hands then returning to the shelves in Unity have put me off - but this was lent to me by a close friend whose taste I trust.

I flipped the book over and read the blurb first:

If you found a tiny golden dragon with green paws, would you know what to do it it?

Well

...more

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Feb 09, 2021 Spencer Orey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: kid-chapter-books

Whoa now, these are some heavy hitting stories. My kid thought they were fun (and liked the ones where the Moomins show up), but they're all surprisingly deep.

My only critique is that you need to be familiar with the Moomins in general before reading these stories. Otherwise they won't make any sense.

But wow, this book is such a testament to what you can do with an already established world of characters and ideas. The stories here can get pretty soul rattling.

I'll definitely be reading more of ...more

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Jan 24, 2021 Paul E. Morph rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2021

This is a collection of short stories set in Moomin Valley and it’s really quite good. Not all the stories feature the Moomins themselves but it’s none the worse for that. A highlight for me was the tale in which Moomintroll discovers a dragon.

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Jul 15, 2020 ¸¸.•*¨*•♫ Mrs. Buttercup •*¨*•♫♪ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

What a pleasant surprise this book was! A collection of stories featuring different characters, their backstories, and with different atmospheres: cute, wholesome, creepy and melancholic, this was so much fun! ...more

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Jul 10, 2016 Mariel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: a large and lonely moon

Recommended to Mariel by: I'm coming when it suits me

Somewhere under his hat the tune began to move, one part expectation, and two parts spring sadness, and for the rest just a colossal delight at being alone.
‘The Spring Tune’

I took one of those “which Moominvalley” character are you personality quizzes. It would be great to be one of them and live amongst all of the others. Well, except for the Witch (not in these stories). She recalls a certain type of much older woman I’m afraid I’ll age into if I am around them too much. The kind that seem to Somewhere under his hat the tune began to move, one part expectation, and two parts spring sadness, and for the rest just a colossal delight at being alone.
‘The Spring Tune’

I took one of those “which Moominvalley” character are you personality quizzes. It would be great to be one of them and live amongst all of the others. Well, except for the Witch (not in these stories). She recalls a certain type of much older woman I’m afraid I’ll age into if I am around them too much. The kind that seem to have no life except for being obsessed with babies, new babies cast aside when they are also the too old babies. Jansson shines a light under the bed and into all of my hiding places of my sadness roots. Moominvalley is my happy place and my happy place must remind me that I purposely make myself feel sad when I am happy or I could never truly fit in there. Like, the Moominvalley denizens are terrified of The Groke in other stories (she’s not in this collection), their floating talisman of hunger that cannot be fed. I guess, after all, I don’t fear that kind of loneliness. The Groke knows what she is and I wanted to sit with her. Helplessly mute to be understood, yes, but there are no forgotten babies. So it was supposed to work out that I’d briefly feel if things had worked out differently I’d be listening to Moominpapa’s memoirs right now. I got Snufkin. There was something wronger than most with this quiz (still not lovably quirky like Gonzo, still waiting for the fuzzy blue transformation) because I’ll never be as cool as Snufkin. Snufkin himself would kindly help me understand that I’m not supposed to want to be as cool as him…. Half wishing he was chasing a mental tune into the real.... I adore Snufkin. He loves Moomintroll who would go into hibernation just so he wouldn’t have to miss his friend so badly. I want to be Moomintroll. Don’t want to wait for Christmas lights? Go to sleep. I think Jansson would cherish the waiting, though. One of my favorite stories in this set is about the Hemulen desiring his retirement so he can do nothing but love the empty rooms in his dollhouse. Of course I want to tell him you can just get a new dream and love the one that came true (okay, so Snufkin would do that). The children won’t understand that he can’t stop punching their amusement park tickets. His family “knew”, in the way that families think they know what is best for you, that he had to punch tickets to be happy. How it works out with their silent amusement park is a dream to me. I love watching children be happy and simultaneously revert to my own fetal position over shrieking. Kids begging for watermelon in grocery stores is my personal nightmare. I’m probably too fragile. Hemulen had it made with this. I want what he got that wasn’t his dream. Snufkin isn’t a shut-out I want to be alone with my savoring aloneness. When Sniff expects he’s going to be bullied into giving up his beloved toy because it’s the “Right thing to do”, the sacrifice isn’t the point of Snufkin’s story at all. The Fillyjonk (LOVED the wet and dark sea beating her carpet and too much inherited family junk staring down the judgement of what she thinks a snotty neighbor could improve if she’d just let Fillyjonk confess her fears) is similar. It isn’t the end of everything if the magic whatever can happen inside you to accept it happens. It isn’t about not wanting to be away from Moomintroll for Snufkin. I totally get it too. I pretty much always miss wherever I am not. I could miss that looked forward to time because I’m squeezing myself for a glimpse of how much I’m going to want it when it’s over. Snufkin is so comfortable with himself. I want to be envious of how comfortable with himself he is. It must be great to be Moomintroll and have this cool friend who can chase away the suspicious twinges things aren’t as they should be. It doesn’t matter if there isn’t anyone who can give you permission to switch on the right mood, though. Fillyjonk didn’t have it and the old lady he tells Sniff about discovers on her own when the laughter happens to shake the bone out of her gut and saves her life (thank god Sniff got to keep his Cedric. I hate it when anyone grows up too fast and Velveteen Rabbit sadness for no good reason).

I love Moominpapa the best. I bought myself a small plush of Moominpapa to sit on my favorite bookcase (there’s a wonderful instagram where someone takes him on adventures. I do this with a shark toy already but I’m still envious of the fun they must be having with Moominpapa). His story about the Hattenfatters is my very favorite. Moominpapa is haunted by their unspeakable mystery. Those long white figures look like they could start from the ground or start from the sky they are reaching. They never say a word and Moominpapa lets himself dismiss the veranda happiness of swimsuits on rocks and juice glasses in the sand (I wouldn’t want it anymore if it were everyday, either, I suppose. I love envying Moominpapa this life). I hope I never forget the quiet feeling inside I got looking at the illustrations of the electrifying gathering of all the Hattenfatters in their meeting boats. Moominpapa tries to stick with “his” three but he isn’t sure if he’s right about who they are. I wanted him to stop mind-reading them wrong that he was wrong and live his life as he wanted but it was also so right that sometimes you want to be like the Hattenfatters and just be quiet. Snufkin would have understood.

All of the pictures were great. Little My sitting like a cat on top of the wardrobe in her grandmother’s house when the Whomper from next door comes crying because the stories he frightened his little brother with came to frighten him instead. I don’t know if Little My was having him on or was she afraid too. Whomper’s dad is understanding about the Whomper’s whoppers. They go eat all of the dessert. I wish that would really happen that you could make yourself scared so you could feel all safe afterwards with desserts. (As a very little kid I was more like Little My then the rest of them. Mouthy and fearless except to make it more adventurous. I’m SHOCKED the personality quiz didn’t know this.)

Not too sure about the little invisible girl that lets herself disappear because she’s afraid of her judgmental aunt. The mood at just the right time saves her life, she laughs herself visible, as laughter has saved them all, but I missed the doing it on purpose that Snufkin and Moominpapa had. Fillyjonk and this girl let go and won't get their sadness back. That is more my speed so you can feel invisible and make it all go away by laughing at the same time. Stories never have to end if you can make it all happen at the same time. ...more

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May 21, 2009 Laura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: finnish, tove-jansson, short-stories, childhood-and-youth

I loved this book. There were several little stories about small, even nameless creatures trying to find happiness and their own strength in the big world full of norms that try to restrict life by telling people how to behave or what to do. Jansson half-secretly encourages to rebel against the society and do as you please, as long as you don't harm anyone, and the attitude of the characters and the stories generally is wonderfully liberating.

I was completely absorbed in some of the stories, lik ...more

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Oct 18, 2020 Tom rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I never thought I'd happily say that I love the Moomin's (a Finnish/swedish children's book series from the 1950's) but oh my God are these stories endearing! Yet dark! Yet strangely Optimistic!
My personal favourite was the moomin family being woken up from hibernation in December and being made to prepare for Christmas, to which they end up believing they must sate the whims of some dark and powerful winter spirit called "Christmas" by chopping down a fir tree, lighting candles and giving it of ...more

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Jan 18, 2018 Maija rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: children-or-mg

A collection of Moomin short stories about quite dark/deep topics, actually.

For me, the shining star of this collection was "The Secret of the Hattifatteners", where Moominpappa has a midlife crisis and leaves to travel with the hattifatteners. He has seen them sailing by in silence, and thought them so free and mysterious, but are they really? It's so well-written and so atmospheric, and the descriptions are beautiful. Very eerie.

"The Fillyjonk Who Believed in Disasters" was a much more complex A collection of Moomin short stories about quite dark/deep topics, actually.

For me, the shining star of this collection was "The Secret of the Hattifatteners", where Moominpappa has a midlife crisis and leaves to travel with the hattifatteners. He has seen them sailing by in silence, and thought them so free and mysterious, but are they really? It's so well-written and so atmospheric, and the descriptions are beautiful. Very eerie.

"The Fillyjonk Who Believed in Disasters" was a much more complex story than I remembered from my childhood. It's about a fillyjonk who is not happy with her current life and who continuously feels like a disaster is looming just beyond the horizon. As a kid, I thought she was just unbelievably nervous and sort of silly. As an adult, I recognize that fillyjonk has some sort of an anxiety disorder. I was able to find this quote in English:

"You were talking about wind,’ the fillyjonk said suddenly. ‘A wind that carries off your washing. But I’m speaking about cyclones. Typhoons, Gaffsie dear. Tornadoes, whirlwinds, sand-storms… Flood waves that carry houses away… But most of all I’m talking about myself and my fears, even if I know that’s not done. I know everything will turn out badly. I think about that all the time. Even while I’m washing my carpet. Do you understand that? Do you feel the same way?’

And later on in the story, when Gaffsie has satisfied her curiosity that nothing disastrous has ever "actually happened" to her friend, Fillyjonk's thoughts about this are put perfectly:
Now she’s sitting at home thinking that I haven’t ever experienced anything. I, who see the end of the world every day, and still I’m going on putting on my clothes, and taking them off again, and eating and washing-up the dishes and receiving visits, just as if nothing ever happened!

This is a great collection, although I also enjoy the whimsy & adventure of the earlier Moomin books (which do have their share of deep topics, don't get me wrong). ...more

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Jul 24, 2019 Booklepuff rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This short story collection is delightful. I really enjoyed how each short story focused on a different type of creature and goes very in depth about their characters. Although some of these creatures may have silly names, they have very real problems and tackle real issues which is nice to read.

My particular favourites were: ‘The Fillyjonk who believed in Disasters’ and ‘The Last dragon in the world’.

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Oct 31, 2019 Sophie Crane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This was the first Moomin book by Tove Jansson to be a collection of short stories, instead of a novel. Here then we have The Spring Tune, A Tale of Horror, The Fillyjonk who Believed in Disasters, The Last Dragon in the World, The Hemulen who Loved Silence, The Invisible Child, The Secret of the Hattifatteners, Cedric, and The Fir Tree.

Although the Moomin family, Snuffkin and other regular characters do appear here a number of these tales do not actually feature them. Thus we have a varied sele ...more

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Aug 30, 2014 Karl Orbell rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Unlike the majority of the Moomins books, which, already quite short, tell a single story - this is a compendium of very small tales indeed, mostly about people with very small tails.

The stories all center around the theme of people not fitting in with society, usually they want to get away from others and be left in peace, or they want rid of their worldly possessions that are weighing them down. Often they find great contentment in ridding themselves of their earthly baggage, and acquire great ...more

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Nov 19, 2019 Helen rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: adults who are interested in Finland

Actually, I don't think this is a children's book, at all. It is too depressing. Only "The Fir Tree," about the Moomins coming out of hibernation for their first Christmas, should be read to kids! ...more

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Jan 29, 2019 Nicholas Whyte rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3155346.html

These are really superb little chunks of Moominland, not at all whimsical, but dark and thoughtful pieces that speak to adults trying to make sense of an imperfect world. The funniest perhaps is the last one, "The Fir Tree" ("Granen"), in which the Moomins, who normally hibernate, are woken up for Christmas and try to make sense of it. But my favourite is "The Secret of the Hattifatteners" ("Hatifnattarnas hemlighet"), in which Moominpappa abandons home ...more

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Dec 31, 2016 Nick rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-young-adult, authors-jansson

A great collection of short stories ... mysterious, lonely and a Hemulen with anxiety disorder. Children's? Maybe not. ...more

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Oct 02, 2020 Patrik Hallberg rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Sometimes it's lovely to return back to your childhood. Mumintrollen is an integral part of the Nordic heritage. This lovely book contains 9 short stories and for me the best ones are The Spring Tune, The Invisible Child and The Fir Tree. Spring Tune is about Snufkin (Snusmumriken) and a little being named Ti-ti-oo. It's about how some people are introverts and some are more open. A lovely little story. In the Invisible Child we meet a girl that at first is completely invisible but with love she ...more

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Jul 24, 2020 Carol rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, short-stories

I felt it like a transition book. We get to see a day in the life of several characters from Moominvalley, in no particular order of timeframe. It's great to explore more about these creatures, but it can also get slow and I had troubles keeping the pace in my reading. I like it more when we see Moomintroll out on an adventure, or Moominpappa and mamma figuring things out. ...more

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Nov 04, 2019 Juushika rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-fantasy, genre-short-fiction, status-borrowed, genre-childrens

Nine stories. Short fiction provides an opportunity to view lesser-seen aspects of characters (Snufkin's hidden depths are always a delight, particularly the view into his relationship with Moomintroll in "The Spring Tune") and build one-off arcs and characters. Most stories have distinct lessons, but the moralizing is lampshaded (as in "Cedric") and has new and mollifying tone: a cynicism that caveats the hopeful endings but also makes them more valuable. The Moomin cast are frequently at odds ...more

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Mar 10, 2014 Deborah O'Carroll rated it it was amazing

Shelves: short-stories, fantasy, own, collection, juv-fiction, 5-stars-awesome, epic-character-i-love, 2016-reads

Aaahh, I loved this! *huggles book* As with most short story collections, there were some I liked more than others, but I enjoyed them all. :) Nine tales in all, they're each unique but come together as a fun peek into the Moomin world. ^_^

The Spring Tune was awesome -- Snufkin! A Tale of Horror turned out quite fun -- Little My! XD The Fillyjonk who Believed in Disasters, The Secret of the Hattifattiners, and Cedric were all cool. The Hemulen who Loved Silence was awesome! I LOVED The Invisible ...more

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Jan 22, 2009 Lisa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Love, love, loved this book. It is one of those books that you read and wonder how on earth you had missed it for all the previous years of your life. I felt like my very soul was being analyzed and explained; makes me wonder if the author happens to be a psychiatrist in her spare time. Beautiful, hilarious, heartwarming insight into human nature. I think it would be much more appreciated by adults, but I'm sure that children would also enjoy these stories. This was the first book by the author ...more

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Dec 07, 2013 Qt rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: drama-general-fiction

3.5 stars. Beautifully written, though I thought many of the stories in this collection had a rather melancholy touch. I liked some of the other Moomin books better.

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May 12, 2018 Matthew Hunter rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: children-juvenile, fantasy, finnish-literature

Amanda and I - and the kids to a lesser extent - have become infatuated with Tove Jansson’s Moomin universe. Shelley Jackson’s obituary for Tove helped me better understand why the heck I’m so hooked on a series targeted (at least initially) toward the younger set.

With Tales from Moominvalley, Jansson continues moving in a heavier, more melancholic direction. My personal favorites among the nine short stories? “The Fillyjonk Who Believed in Disasters”, “The Hemulen Who Loved Silence”, “The Invis ...more

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Jan 07, 2020 Nils Odlund rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I don't have kids, and I don't have much experience with them, but I have a feeling a lot of the stories in this collection are better suited for adults than for children. Just because a story features a cute little troll as its main character doesn't mean it's a children's story.
Then again, what do I really know? Kids are probably smarter than I give them credit for, and they'll probably get the point of these stories if they read them – or perhaps if their parents read the stories to them out ...more

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Feb 21, 2021 유유가 rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

delightful, and surprisingly meaningful.

this book follows nine tales of several creatures from Moominvalley, each one having its own levels of chaotic energy, humour, brightness and depth.

it's refreshing to see some tales which don't include any of the moomins, and i am amazed by the versatility of all these short stories and the little life lessons i can take from them.

loved this, and will definitely read again. ...more

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Nov 18, 2017 Kellie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, 2017-read-books, favorite-books-2017

"Ni vet ju att folk lätt blir osynliga om man skrämmer dem tillräckligt ofta."
A rough translation:
"You know that people easily get invisible if you scare them often enough."

I loved this book! It had such a beautiful meaning and this world and story is a part of my childhood. It was such a blast to read this book when I am older and to analyze it! ...more

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Dec 21, 2019 Krzysztof Szkutnik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

To be honest I've started to read this in order to finish everything from my bookshelf, but in the end I really enjoyed it. These stories are, despite simplicity and being for kids, drives a message about life, which is refreshing. ...more

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Sep 01, 2020 Sara Young rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a beautifully written book, with beautiful illustrations to match. I highly recommend the moomins, not just to children but to adults. Each of the stories in this book are the perfect blend of charming, melancholy and comforting. Another wonderful book by Tove Jansson.

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Apr 19, 2018 Sofie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A lovely collection of short stories about Moomin and his friends from Moominvalley. A must-read for anyone who loves the adventures of the Moomin family.

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Aug 29, 2019 Ine Gundersveen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Deeply psychological, this is the tale of how a child, made invisible through the cruelty of others, has her confidence (and thus her visibility) restored through love and care - and patience.

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Jan 29, 2020 Nora rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Absolutely adorable. I already miss reading the stories of the Moomins and their neighbours.
I read one or two stories a day, for a few cozy and whimsical minutes. Recommended for all big and small. ❤

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About Tove Jansson

Tove Jansson

2,490 followers

Tove Jansson was born and died in Helsinki, Finland. As a Finnish citizen whose mother tongue was Swedish, she was part of the Swedish-speaking Finns minority. Thus, all her books were originally written in Swedish.

Although known first and foremost as an author, Tove Jansson considered her careers as author and painter to be of equal importance.

Tove Jansson wrote and illustrated her first Moomin ...more

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Quotes from Tales from Moomin...

“You can't ever be really free if you admire somebody too much.” — 283 likes

“He was the owner of the moonlight on the ground, he fell in love with the most beautiful of the trees, he made wreaths of leaves and strung them around his neck.” — 30 likes

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