Who will comfort Toffle? is written by Tove Jansson (1914 – 2001), Scandinavia’s best-known and best-loved children’s author. The Finn wrote the first Moomin book in 1945. The Moomin story books, created for children but with an appeal beyond age, have been printed in 35 languages, and turned into an internationally popular children’s TV series. Sophie Hannah, one of Britain’s best-selling poets, created this English version of Tove Jansson’s original poem with the help of a literal translation by Silvester Mazzarella.
The Moomins are a family of Scandinavian trolls who are white and round in appearance, with large snouts that make them resemble hippopotamuses or capybara. The carefree and adventurous family live in their house in Moomin Valley with their many friends.