Customer Reviews

Who Will Comfort Toffle?

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The shortest book by Tove Jansson constitutes a minor item in Her bibliography, but as they say, "small is beautiful". This miniature is poetry in its shining best. One of the best love stories I have ever read. Snip: (...)

From all great stories by Finnish author Tove Jansson Who will comfort Toffle? is my all-time favourite. I was given this wonderfully illustrated book as a liitle child and I was immediately surrounded by its magic. It is originally written in Swedish but for me a Finnish version is the true one - making such a big impact on me. Reason is clear: in Finnish language there is not separate words like she and he, and Toffle was mistaken as a woman searching for another woman by me already as a child. Actually the book has been dedicated to another woman, life companion of Tove Jansson, so my interpretation is not far from the truth. I would say that this book is a must in every lesbian's book shelf. It is the present I give to everybody I love anythere in the world. It is translated also into French, but I have a dream of having it translated it into Spanish in my life time. The English version is not out of print. I just recently sent it to a friend in Australia.

Toffle was tough for me...I love children's literature and picture books but this didn't really capture my interest. The art is funky and the font the poem is clever but the story was slow and unremarkable. If this is a book from your youth that you can share your enthusiasm with a child I would get it...if you are like me, a Toffle novice, I would find something else.

Expressive, whimsical drawings and a vibrant color palette make Who Will Comfort Toffle a delightful book. Tove Jansson is a master at capturing complex emotions such as isolation, depression, love, joy and wonder in simple, expressive drawings. Kudos to Sophie Hannah for doing such a great job with the English translation from the original Finnish.Definitely recommended and one to purchase.