Who Will Comfort Toffle?: A Tale of Moomin Valley [Hardcover]

Tove Jansson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 9, 2010 | Age Range: 9 and up

A SCANDINAVIAN MIDCENTURY CLASSIC BACK IN PRINT

Who Will Comfort Toffle? is the timeless, magical tale of the wistful wallflower, Toffle–too shy to speak to anyone and too fearful of the world he is watching from afar. Lonely and sad, Toffle runs away from home and watches the magical cast of Moomin Valley—Mymble, My, Snufkin, the merry whompses and the Fillyjonk—celebrate and enjoy life. His insecurity continues to only serve his isolation until he has the courage to overcome his fears by reaching out to another frightened introvert, the mesmerizing Miffle. Who Will Comfort Toffle? is an endearing, introspective story that will speak to readers of all ages—anyone who has ever needed a friend to pull them out of their shell.

Joining Drawn & Quarterly’s archival series of Moomin The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip, Moomin, Mymble & Little My, and the Moomintroll chapter books is the glorious reprinting of the Tove Jansson classic children’s book Who Will Comfort Toffle? with a loving translation by British poet Sophie Hannah.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This book has everything that makes Jansson’s work so extraordinary: whimsy, joy, economy and complexity.” —The Independent (U.K.)

“A warm and immensely re-readable story of loneliness and of friendship. The Moomin stories have a timeless quality, and speak to every new generation.” —The Bookseller (U.K.)

“Who Will Comfort Toffle? is classic Jansson, the flat, matte expanses of colour on the pages broken up with psychedelic detail.” —Sunday Telegraph (U.K.)

Language Notes

Text: English, Swedish (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 24 pages
• Publisher: Enfant; Reprint edition (November 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1770460179
• ISBN-13: 978-1770460171
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 6.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #352,903 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

TOVE JANSSON (1914-2001) is revered around the world as one of the foremost children's authors of the twentieth century for her illustrated Moomin chapter books.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Wistfully beautiful story of adversity overcome June 6, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Tove Jansson's Moomin books are a treasure trove of wistful, slightly introspective fantasy characters for readers 8-14 years old. "Toffle" is an ideal introduction, combining some of the same characters (and Jansson's trademark sense of childhood's strange dislocating tenor) with beautiful, wild fullpage illustrations. The story is told in rhyme that (in translation anyway) sometimes slips into mere singsong.

Toffle runs away from home but finds his own bravery when a bottle washes up on shore with a plea for help from another child, Miffle. There is a happy ending, of course, but what stays with you is Toffle's alienation from the adult world and his overcoming of those fears.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Miniature Magic December 10, 2002

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Toffle is small, he's scared and the world is big. But there is always someone somewhere who is (or feels) smaller and who needs you.
I read this book as a child (in original Swedish) and just thinking of it (I'm 40 by now) brings tears in my eyes and warmth into my heart. This book will be a lifetime companion to any person, adult or child,who has ever felt small, alone and frightened.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Who Will Comfort Toffle December 29, 2010

By P.K. Dyer

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am delighted that this classic Tove Jansson's book so well loved in Scadinavia ( and Japan!)is finally available for distribution in the US.The colorful and precise art work is vintage Tove Jansson, the pages populated with creatures familiar from the Moomin books: Moomins, hemulens, filijonks,Edward the Booble and new acquintances, the whompses. The story of shy little Toffle who musters up his courage to rescue even shyer Miffle sends an encouraging universal message to shy and timid youngsters everywhere. The new translation flows well and to me has retained the essence of the original though some die-hard devotees may object to the differences. I can't recommend this book strongly enough - definitely five stars.