Comet in Moominland (Moomins, 1) Paperback – Illustrated, April 27, 2010

I recently got into the Moomin Book Series because I needed a break from all the doom and gloom of the usual suspense and horror novels I've read since I was a child. So naturally I picked up a book about a comet hurtling towards Moominland. Of course, it was a lot more than that. It's also about going on adventures, meeting new friends, encountering foes, and more!The story starts with Moomintroll and his friend Sniff going on a pearl-diving adventure and coming across a secret cave where they store the pearls. They come back the next day to find said pearls arranged in the shape of a star with a tail. The ominous patterns start to appear everywhere, from the trails of ants and birds to pears arranged into the very same shape. Moomintroll goes to the Philosopher Muskrat to find out what these symbols mean, to which the Muskrat informs him that a star with a tail is a comet and for all they knew, it could be heading towards them. Or not, as it's "all the same to someone who knows everything is unnecessary".This leads Moomintroll out on an adventure to see the Observatory on the Lonely Mountains and learn when the comet is destined to hit the Earth. Along the way they meet the careless wanderer Snuffkin and encounter crocodiles, a giant lizard guarding treasure, perilous underground rivers, an enormous eagle before they even get to the observatory! There, they found out the exact date and time when the comet will hit the Earth and from then on it's a rush back to Moominvalley to warn their family and friends.What surprised me the most about this book wasn't the rather grim topic of apocalyptic destruction but rather how the characters reacted to the knowledge of it. There never seems to be any outright panic like you see in movies. At least not from the main characters. There is a scene of characters moving their belongings and even whole homes out of the path of the comet. Moomintroll, Snuffkin, Sniff, and the Snorks do try to get back home quickly but they still make time to attend a party in the forest and visit a store!The air grows hotter, the flowers and leaves shrivel and the sea almost completely dries up. The morale of the characters doesn't seem to waver much, even under the menacing heat of the approaching comet and the changing landscape, as they still try to have fun when they can along their journey.I read this during the height of a certain global event, when I was feeling especially cut off from friends and family. When Moomintroll thinks about how much he'll miss things like the forest and the sea and tries not to worry, telling himself that his Momma will know what to do, I shed a few tears. There is strength in community and power in empathy. The goodnatured Moomintroll meets all new friends with humble openness, whether its the cantankerous, nihilistic Muskrat or the obsessive and uptight Hemulens.I would recommend this book for adults as much as I would children as the themes and lessons one can gain from a book like this spans generations. To treat other's with kindness and humanity, even in frightening and divisive times. The importance of remaining calm and helping those in need. And the love and support of family and friends. The writing is timeless and the illustrations are fantastic and silly and even gorgeous!And that's why I'm giving this story Five Stars with Tails out of Five!

Oh, where to begin?! This book, and the others in the Moomin series (though I haven't read ALL of them, I can only surmise that the ones I haven't read are similar in greatness) are just wonderful. I am the mother of a bright six-year-old who has enjoyed having chapter books read to her since she was two. It has at times been difficult to find chapter books that meet my exacting discrimination. There are a few things that I look for (or look to make sure they aren't there) in these types of books, to wit:1) Well-written. I want there to be good sentence structure, good grammar, and VOCABULARY. Many writers of young people's fiction tend to write down to the child's level; I believe that the child can rise to the level of the book's writing (obviously, to an extent - I wouldn't expect my kindergartner to understand Crime and Punishment). And leave the slang, out please.2) Timelessness. I am not interested in books that refer to pop culture, technology, current events, etc. Even books that were written eighty years ago, such as Swallows and Amazons (Godine Storyteller), can be utterly relevant, if they are focused on character and adventure instead of iPads and Justin Beiber (whoever he is).3) Gentleness, Respect. I wouldn't want my child to hang out with an ill-behaved, discourteous, mean-spirited little brat, would you? So why spend time with them in books? For the life of me, I can't understand why anyone would want to read (or let their children read) something like Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus (Junie B. Jones, No. 1), in which this utterly obnoxious child uses the word "stupid" about forty times on each page and is so rude and disrespectful to everyone around her that I couldn't get further than ten pages in before I threw the book away. Gag! Hey, writers - this is not funny! If you want to portray "real" children (who are by no means always walking around with their little halos saying "Yes, ma'am") and you want to be funny about it, take a lesson from Beverly Cleary in The Ramona Collection, Vol. 1: Beezus and Ramona / Ramona the Pest / Ramona the Brave / Ramona and Her Father [4 Book Box set]. She manages to convey the reality of being (and parenting) a spirited child without making her character into an antagonist into the bargain.4)Adventure, Excitement. Not much to add here. The plot has to keep moving. Often, this is best accomplished in books for younger children by making the book into a series of adventures, each one getting resolved as the book goes on.Well, "Comet in Moominland" has all of that and more (as does Finn Family Moomintroll (Moomintrolls), book 2 in the series. The characters are all individual, unique "people" (imaginary creatures) with very distinct, yet believeable personalities. The main characters (Moomintroll, Sniff, the Snork and the Snork Maiden, possibly Snufkin) are all "children", and there are "adult" figures that come and go throughout the book as well, and they have a high degree of freedom. For example, when Moomintroll and Sniff (a small, treasure-obsessed animal reminding me somewhat of a rather feistier version of Piglet in The World of Pooh: The Complete Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner (Pooh Original Edition)) decide to go out on an adventure to the tallest mountain in the world, Moominmamma simply packs them a lunch and their "woolly trousers" and bids them farewell.It's fantasy fiction at its best, but for the 4-to-8 set. (Of course, adult lovers of juvenile fiction will adore the Moomins and the world Tove Janssen has created here.)This book has mystery, dangerous creatures, daring rescues, treasure, peril, friendship and delight by the bucketload. The dialog is superlative, the humor is wry and witty (and yet fully accessibly to children), and the meanness is kept to a minimum: the Snork can get a little snarky, and characters do occasionally tell one another to "shut up", which is unpleasant, but for this reader, those things were a small part of it, and served as "teachable moments" ("Gee, the Snork isn't acting very nice, is he?" and so forth).I highly recommend this book, and the next one in the series, and probably the rest of them as well, although I haven't read those yet. If Amazon had SIX stars, Comet in Moominland would get them all from me! (And my kid loves it too! She even ASKS to go to bed earlier so that we have more time to read!)

After years of eyeing the Moomins, I finally bit the bullet and bought Book One. And Im glad I did, because it was a delightful book. In fact I liked it so much I bought the Flood prequel and a full set of the eight books soon after. I will keep this one for lending.The prose itself is superb and at times very funny. The little girls story at the bonfire made me genuinely laugh out loud and it was a magical moment. Cant recommend enough!Also, no damage at all, arrived promptly 👍