author tove jansson, of the moomin books, is revered around the world as one of the foremost children's authors of the twentieth century for her illustrated chapter books regarding the magical worlds of her creation, the moomins. the moomins are a tight-knit family, hippo-shaped creatures with easygoing and adventurous outlooks. the comic strip reaches out to the adults with its gentle and droll sense of humor. whimsical but with biting undertones, jansson's observations of everyday life, including guests who overstay their welcome, modern art, movie stars, and high society, easily caught the attention of an international audience and still resonate today.