Sometimes, spoken wishes can come true in unexpected ways. Zuzanna, the heroine of a short story for children by Tove Jansson, found out about it.
Moomin Moomins do not need any introduction. Tove Jansson is known not only for nine volumes of literary descriptions of the adventures of white and slightly squat trolls, but also for their graphic representations. Our Bookstore, the Polish publisher of the author’s works, has just released a book that, on the one hand, draws from the world of Moomins, and on the other – uses an ordinary girl looking for entertainment in the plot.
Hellish powers and other weirdness
A dangerous journey It begins when Susanna states that she is bored, and the world around her changes beyond recognition by the touch of a wand. An old and calm cat turns into a wild animal, the friendly forest known to the protagonist becomes ominous, full of swamps and mysterious creatures. Along with the successive stages of her journey, Susanna discovers that there is no water in the sea and that something unusual has happened to the sun in the sky. On the one hand, the girl is scared, and on the other, she is interested in the news that surrounds her. On the route, she also gets to know new friends, who turn out to be well-known heroes, such as Paszczak, Topik and Topka or Ryjek. The creatures described in the Moomin books appear either in passing or to accompany Zuza on her journey, which of course ends happily.
Dream or waking?
What I liked the most about the content of the book is the fact that in the extraordinary world created by Jansson, the main character overcomes quite unobvious obstacles. Here the birds fly upside down, the sea dries up, and in the height of summer a snowstorm breaks off. The text stylized as a poem (without rhymes) has a slightly unusual rhythm, but it does not disturb the reading (you just have to get used to it). I am sure that when you read this story to a child, it will evoke a lot of emotions. There are scenes here that are slightly scary (like a volcanic eruption) and a bit comical (most often when Topik and Topka speak).
Even though it’s dark, it’s still pretty
Undoubtedly, the greatest strength of this book is its illustrations, as the plot itself is short and, frankly, not very original. It is the images that take up most of the pages and emphasize this magical, non-standard world created by Jansson. A volcanic eruption or a snowstorm with a camouflaged Buka in the background (my favorite scene!) Are very aesthetic, and at the same time full of emotions (scared face of Ryjka – you have to see it). In turn, the very ending in the Moomin Valley beautifully emphasizes the happy end with its positive and joyful colors. These illustrations are beautiful and even only for them it is worth getting acquainted with this item.
