The Magickal Land of Moomin Valley
Created by Tove Jansson, the Moomins are a family of
small creatures consisting of Moominpapa, Moominmama and Moomintroll, although
everyone is welcome in their tall blue Moominhouse in the Finnish countryside!
I have been reading the Moomin books since I can remember, and they have always
kept a special place in my heart. Full to the brim with charming characters
such as the adventurous Moomintroll, the fiercely independent Snufkin, the
mischievous Little My and the bashful Snork Maiden, these books have a unique
innocence to them that any person, young or old, could only find delightful!
Although the characters are utterly wonderful, the
setting of these books is what makes them so extraordinary to me! Positioned in
a small valley surrounded by sea on one side and the Lonely Mountains on the
other, Moominhouse is tall and blue and red-roofed, with rope ladders hanging
from each window. The valley itself is a beautiful place with green sloping
fields, rushing streams, fruit trees and hollows that are homes for all kinds
of creatures. The Moomins have a boathouse at the small beach and a cave that
is excellent for sleeping in on hot nights. There are several nearby islands
where Lighthouses, ghosts and the Hattifatteners, whose sole goal in life is to
reach the horizon, are waiting to be discovered.
Sounds pretty magickal, huh?
Whenever I feel melancholy I can pick up one of these
books and it will ALWAYS put me in a happy mood. They make me notice the simple
things in life, and leave me more determined to make some time for those
things, like walking and reading and laughing. I have read these books again
and again, and each time I find myself wandering back to Moomin Valley with its
charming creatures and wondrous places.
By Maya
