In the “Moomins” creator Tove Jansson’s THE DANGEROUS JOURNEY… [Susanna] finds a pair of glasses that reveal the nightmare under the surface of things...unlike 99 percent of children’s books, we are left without the reassurance that all is right in the end... Normal is perhaps a thing of the past.
The New York Times
The Dangerous Journey
The Dangerous Journey
By Tove Jansson. Published by Drawn & Quarterly (Sort of Books in the UK)
Hardcover, 32 pages, 4-Colour, 2010 (originally published 1977)
GET SWEPT AWAY IN THIS OTHERWORLDLY ADVENTURE TO MOOMINVALLEY THROUGH TREACHEROUS YET BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES.
Tove Jansson takes us on a beautifully illustrated and delightfully quirky journey through Moominvalley, perfectly capturing the experience and its emotional impact as seen through the innocent eyes of Susanna, our main character. Susanna is bored with her life: her cat is too content; her surroundings—too gentle. She craves adventure when there is none to be had. But when a new pair of glasses appears in front of her, she gets an opportunity to live the bold life that she has always longed for as her surroundings are transformed into a dark and sinister landscape. At first afraid, but then her daring side takes over and she moves forward to an unknown destination, meeting some familiar faces along the way. Combatting everything from an exploding volcano to a fierce winter storm, from mysterious monsters to stormy seas, Susanna and her newfound friends are given the adventure of a lifetime.
With subtle existential themes, a lyrical rhythm, and delicate watercolour illustrations, The Dangerous Journey will capture the curiosity of children and adults alike. Published for the first time in North America, and the last picture book completed by world-renowned Tove Jansson, The Dangerous Journey pushes the emotions that underlie our nostalgia out into the open but with an unparalleled viewpoint that always brings forth a new perspective. Take this fantastical journey to Moominvalley and never look back.