Happy Times in Finland – written by Libushka Bartusek, illustrated by Warren ChappellAlfred A. Knopf, 1941 Everyone knows that Finland is allegedly the happiest country in the world. You certainly can’t take these simplistic measures too seriously, and comparing Finland to other countries with entirely different histories, economies, and demographics is useless. I recently reread … Continue reading The Happiest Country, a Long Time Ago
Tag: finland
Tove Jansson and the Gold Spine
Wild Guests (Moomin) – written and illustrated by Riina and Sami Kaarla, based on characters created by Tove JanssonGolden Books, 2025 Golden Books have become a big tent, in both the range of their subjects and artistic quality. When I learned that a Little Golden Book based on Tove Jansson’s beloved Moomin characters would be … Continue reading Tove Jansson and the Gold Spine
No Creator of Moomins is an Island
Tove and the Island with No Address – written and illustrated by Lauren SoloyTundra Books, 2024 First, if a devoted reader of Tove Jansson were to imagine the ideal author and illustrator of a book about Jansson’s childhood, Lauren Soloy would be a likely choice. (see my earlier reviews here and here and here). Tove … Continue reading No Creator of Moomins is an Island