Who Will Comfort Toffle: A Tale of Moomin Valley

By Tove Jansson

Book Overview

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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1770460179
• ISBN13: 9781770460171
• Release Date: November 2010
• Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
• Length: 24 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.0" x 11.2"
• Age Range: 5 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 4

Customer Reviews

Miniature Magic

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.

One of my earliest memories

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: (...)

My favourite story

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.

Wistfully beautiful story of adversity overcome

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.