Moomins
White, round trolls from Moominvalley created by Tove Jansson.
The Moomins (Swedish: Mumintrollen) are the central characters in a series of novels, short stories, picture books, and a comic strip by the Finnish writer and illustrator Tove Jansson, originally published in Swedish by the Finnish publisher Schildts. They are a family of white, round fairy-tale characters with large snouts that make them resemble the hippopotamus, though they are trolls who live in a house in Moominvalley. Between 1945 and 1993, Jansson wrote nine books, created five picture books, and a long-running comic strip; the Moomins have inspired numerous television series, films, music, theatre, video games, and theme parks.
- creator
- Tove Jansson
- first appearance
- 1945 (The Moomins and the Great Flood)
- field
- Children's literature, comic strips
- nationality
- Finnish (Swedish-speaking)
- known_for
- Moomin family, Moominvalley, themes of tolerance and family
- medium
- Novels, picture books, comic strips
Lore & Background
Critics have interpreted Moomin characters as inspired by real people. Jansson's life partner Tuulikki Pietilä inspired Too-Ticky; the names Tofslan and Vifslan were pet names for Jansson and Vivica Bandler; Mymlan echoes the slang verb 'mymla' (to have sex). Moomintroll and Little My are seen as psychological self-portraits. The Moomins relate strongly to Jansson's own bohemian, nature-loving, tolerant family. Jansson created Moominvalley as an escape from the horrors of the Winter War, and the characters express a wide diversity of species and gender preferences, with dress-wearing Hemulens possibly male or female.
Reader's Guide
The Moomins first appeared in 1945 with The Moomins and the Great Flood, but initial reception was lukewarm; the third book, Finn Family Moomintroll, became the first international bestseller. The comic strip began in 1947 in Ny Tid and was introduced to English readers in 1954 in The Evening News. Tove Jansson drew and wrote the strips alone until 1959, then shared work with her brother Lars until 1961, when Lars took over until 1975. The Moomins have appeared on merchandise worldwide and as livery on Finnair aircraft. Jansson's biographer Tuula Karjalainen notes that Moominvalley was created as an escape from war horrors. The series' themes of acceptance and freedom have resonated with queer readers, and the works have been translated into many languages, with reprints by Drawn & Quarterly beginning in 2006.
Did You Know?
- The term 'moomintroll' was originally coined by Tove Jansson's uncle to deter her from stealing food from his pantry.
- Jansson wrote in a 1973 letter that she created the word 'moomintroll' to express softness, using the 'm' sound.
- The character Too-Ticky was inspired by Jansson's life partner, graphic artist Tuulikki Pietilä.
- The first two Moomin books were influenced by the upheavals of war and Jansson's depression during the war years.
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