Tove Jansson

Tove Marika Jansson was born on August 9, 1914, in Helsinki into an artistic Finland-Swedish family. After art studies in Stockholm and Paris, she drew biting anti-fascist satirical covers for the political magazine Garm during World War II.

To escape the grim realities of wartime Europe, Jansson created the round, gentle creature Moomintroll. Beginning with The Moomins and the Great Flood in 1945, her nine Moomin books, comic strips, and illustrations captivated millions across the globe with their gentle blend of adventure, warmth, tolerance, and existential wisdom. In her later years, she wrote exquisite autobiographical adult fiction, including Sommarboken (The Summer Book, 1972), set on her beloved rocky islet of Klovharun.