I picked up another release copy of this moody, delightful book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, with its mix of joyful, quiet, and sometimes creepy moods. The opening scene of little Moomintroll awakening in midwinter while the rest of his family is deep in hibernation is marvelously atmospheric, reminding me of that otherworldly feel of being awake at an unusual time. "The silence was deep and expectant."

As Moomintroll explores this strange new world - having become used to the eeriness of the sleeping forms of his family - he comes across others who are awake during the wintertime, from a confused squirrel to "whatever lives under the sink". And then Too-ticky turns up, and he has someone to talk to (and get in trouble with!).

The story covers the beauty of winter as well as its terror; the scenes involving the Lady of the Cold are especially (pardon the expression) chilling. [Though I was amused at the footnote: "In case the reader feels like having a cry, pleases take a quick look at page 125." {grin}]

Lovely, eerie, funny, heartwarming... delightful!

[There's a TV Tropes page on the Moomin books, with some entertaining tidbits.]

I left this book in the Little Free Library on this bitterly cold and windy day; hope someone enjoys the book!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]