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Title: Moominsummer Madness (Moomintrolls)
ISBN: 0374453101
Author:
Publicate Date: 1992-03-01
Publish: 1992-03-01
List Price: $6.95
Average Customer Rating: 5.0
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $3.70
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $1.78
Amazon Merchant Price: $6.95
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1: Lovely lovely moomins!
Tove Jansson, Moominsummer Madness (FSG, 1955)
What happens in valleys in the rainy season? They flood, of course. The Moomins wake up one morning and find the lower floor of their house underwater. Time to find a new house! Off in the boat they go, and a strange house they do find, they do, replete with ghosts, thousands of dresses, and changeable scenery. The party gets split up, and many adventures are had by all. Another wonderful Moomin book; if you didn't read this series as a kid, read it now and see what you missed. ****
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2: Other Books
Natural disasters are a bit annoying.
Not being happywith dropping a comet on the little troll guys, Jansson decides to try and get them with a volcano, whether blowing them up or toasting them with lava I guess it doesn't matter. Getting out of that has them suffer a flood, on top of everything else. Hijinks in a floating theatre as raft of choice is what you get here.
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3: A truly magical world
Tove Jansson was a Swedish-speaking Finnish writer and illustrator who wrote many childrens books including the famous Moomin series. Here, the setting is Moominvalley which is basically the natural beauty and pristineness of Finland, populated by Moomins (who look like little hippos which stand upright and are fluffy) and a host of other weird and wonderful creatures. The action is mainly centred around the family with Moominpappa, Moominmamma and Moomintroll the kid. They set a tone for the whole series as Tove infused them and their whole universe with experiences of her own family which seem to have been a very bohemian, artistic, tolerant and warm lot. This makes the books great reading for kids from an early age as they invoke a wonderful sense of fun and silliness as well as acceptance and openmindedness.
One thing I remember from reading these as a kid is that the plot didn't really matter. In some books, it's hard to say exactly what happens. Rather, it is the atmosphere that I found the most important. This book is one of the more upbeat ones in the series in terms of craziness and slapstick. In it, the Moomins find themselves caught in the midst of the production of a pompous play (which is a great satire on theatre in general) and they and their friends encounter minds less tolerant than theirs (such as the garden with the prohibition signs - No Smoking, No Sitting on the Grass, No Singing, No Jumping! etc).
A great series overall, filled with imagination, surrealism, fun and warmth.
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4: Moominsummer Madness
It's midsummer--or should I say, Moominsummer--in Moominvalley, and the time for all sorts of madness! This story is so fun, refreshing, and hilarious! The Moomins remain as steady as ever.
It's a hot summer day when the volcano near Moominvalley starts acting up--spitting soot all over everyone and everything. Suddenly, the ground starts to shake--and then Moominvalley floods! With their classic imperturbability, the Moomins hop on a house that's floating downstream along with some friends. But this is no ordinary house, the Moomins soon find out--it is a theatre. And there are some rules about living in a theatre--especially one with a hidden occupant--the Moomins didn't know about. This book details their journey, the play they attempt to put on, the adventures Moomintroll and the Snork Maiden have while separated from the group, and, finally, a large bit of madness and the return home.
So very funny and adorable! I really love this series, for all it's too young for me.
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5: Simply a Classic.
The Moomin books are extremely unique in the realm of children's literature. They are clean, endearing, thoughtful, a little dark, and always utterly enchanting. I am in high school now, and I still love to read these books. I first recieved a copy of Finn Family Moomintroll from an aunt who read and loved them in HER childhood, spent in Japan. I devoured it, and promptly begged my mother to find more. Now, several years later, I am still held spellbound by these books. They are quirky, charming, full of clever witticisms and simple, wonderful turns of phrase, and are among the many hidden gems which so many cynical youngsters will scorn for lack of blood. This book, though contains plenty of fun and even a little revenge (provided by Snufkin, of course,) but of course the characters are forever polite. Better yet, they set a good example for kids without shoving sticky-sweet morals down their throats. In addition, by setting the story around a theatre - which the Moomin family knows absolutely nothing about - Jansson gives the reader a humorous edge over the characters, which helps keep the story moving and the reader amused. These books should be introduced to young, thoughtful children, older, shy children, college students, people going through mid-life crises, and/or those in rest homes. They are to be read in a comfy chair before a fire on a gray, rainy day, or with the snow coming down and a mug of cocoa. These books are only for those who have open, quiet minds, and for people ready to be enchanted and amazed.
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