The Moomin books by Tove Jansson

[DuchessofMalfi]

I need a bit of advice here, please. I've just bought a set of Moomin books for DD from The Book People. There's six in the set - Comet in Moominland, The Exploits of Moominpappa, Moominsummer Madness, Moominland Midwinter, Tales from Moominvalley, Moominvalley in November.

Looking them up on Goodreads, there seem to be at least two other books which I don't have - The Moomins and the Great Flood and Finn Family Moomintroll. The Great Flood is the first one I think, so we'll need to get that asap. How many are there in the series?

Can someone list the books in the correct order for me, please, as I'm confused :o.

And, also can they be read out of order and does it matter if we start with one of the ones we already have and then come back to the ones we haven't got? Or do they need to be read in order?

[FireOverBabylon]

The order of the books is:

The books in the series, in order, are:

1.The Moomins and the Great Flood (Originally: Småtrollen och den stora översvämningen) ? 1945.
2.Comet in Moominland, Some editions: The Happy Moomins - (Originally: Kometjakten/Kometen kommer) ? 1946.
3.Finn Family Moomintroll (Originally: Trollkarlens hatt) ? 1948.
4.The Exploits of Moominpappa, Some editions: Moominpappa's Memoirs (Originally: Muminpappans bravader/Muminpappans memoarer) ? 1950.
5.Moominsummer Madness (Originally: Farlig midsommar) ? 1954.
6.Moominland Midwinter (Originally: Trollvinter) ? 1957.
7.Tales from Moominvalley (Originally: Det osynliga barnet) ? 1962 (Short stories).
8.Moominpappa at Sea (Originally: Pappan och havet) ? 1965.
9.Moominvalley in November (Originally: Sent i november) ? 1970 (In which the Moomin family is absent).

I think I've read odd ones of them, so they don't need to be read in order.

[DuchessofMalfi]

Thank you Fire :). That means we've got three books missing from our collection because we haven't got Moominpappa at Sea either.

I think we'll just dive in with Comet in Moominland (the first one from your list that we have) and enjoy. I don't remember reading them when I was a child, but DH says he did but couldn't remember which ones. They look wonderful. Can't wait to get started :)

[taypottick]

What a coincidence I have just bought my first ever Moomin book for my 8 year old dd today. It is 'Finn Family Moomintroll' didn't realise there was an order. I also can't wait to read it with her.

[DamnDeDoubtance]

Moomin books are amazing. DH has been reading them to DD for 5 years. One chapter a night and they keep going through the books, It`s kinda their thing.

[littlenikki]

Moomins are fabulous and the stories are wonderful! Very 'quirky' - adults will read a lot into them; plenty of deeper meanings and moving comments about family and relationships. Children will love them for being such colourful, free-thinking characters. I adored Moomins as a child and am now re-living their world through my daughter's enjoyment of the books. The author and artist, Tove Jansson, was a genius - excellent documentary about her life on TV over Christmas. catch it if you can. Enjoy the Moomin magic :-)

[cazzybabs]

having read a few of them - Finn Family Moonintroll is the easist to follow. We/I have read Moominsummer Madness and Moominland Midwinter and they are a little odd and harder to follow.

I do love them though and her adult books are fab too.

[DuchessofMalfi]

That's interesting what you said about Moominland Midwinter cazzybabs. I thought it was just my reading of it, but I thought Moominland Midwinter was a little hard to follow and DD said she didn't understand a lot of it. So, on reflection, not the best one to start with then :o.

We'll give Finn Family Moomintroll a go and see if that's more enjoyable. I'm reading Tove Jansson's A Winter Book at the moment and enjoying that much more.

[determinedma]

Oh I love the moomins. The character s are great. Snufkin, and the Snork Maiden and Little My and the sad, cold Groke

[beanandspud]

I love the Moomins. I frequently read the Moomintroll's birthday picture book to DS (5) and can't wait until we can read the mre 'grown up' ones!

[Thewhingingdefective]

I love moomins! Very special books.

I also love Tove Jansson's books for adults - The Summer Book is stunning.

[DuchessofMalfi]

I loved reading A Winter Book recently and picked up a copy of The Summer Book this afternoon during a charity shop browse. Very much looking forward to reading it :o I hadn't realised Tove Jansson had written so many books for adults too until recently. She's definitely becoming a favourite author for me.

[vesela]

I didn't like the Moomins as a child, but I love The Summer Book! I read it a while ago, but recently bought A Winter Book and am looking forward to that. I actually wish she'd written more for children in the same vein as The Summer Book.

[midnightexpress]

We love the Moomins, but I wouldn't read Moominpapa at Sea or the November one to my kids at the moment - they are quite dark and adult in their themes. We've read all the others several times though. There's a good CD version of Finn Family Moomintroll too with Hugh Laurie reading. Great for a long car journey!

[BaconAndAvocado]

The Moomins are utterly insane but completely lovely.

Little My has to be the best children's book character name ever