Why I’m Smitten With This Swedish Series

A little whimsy for when you're tired of adulting.

Unsure whether or not I’d ever have kids, I decided one thing a few years ago: I needed more whimsy in my life either way. Life was feeling a bit serious—and having a small, new-to-this-world person around seemed to be a recipe for more wonder and imagination. But what if I remained child-free?

I found myself pausing at our neighborhood Little Free Library, my dog waiting patiently beside me while I examined children’s books instead of the adult nonfiction and thrillers. Selecting a weathered 1970s edition of Julie of the Wolves, I started peppering my reading list with books meant for kids. Not exactly revolutionary, I know, but it filled a growing craving for mischief, adventure and imagination as more and more of my life felt dedicated to "adulting." And thanks to my friend Anna Brones, I found—and quickly fell for—Tove Jansson’s Moomin “children’s” books.

Jansson’s characters charm with their adult-quality wit, vulnerability and bravery and the stories lilt along with subtle wisdom and humor. They’re complex, never predictable, always leaving me feeling better than when I started. And I recently put my finger on one of my very favorite things about the Moomin tales:

I used to think there were basically two ways of being in the world. You were either adventurous, free and full of wanderlust—or quiet, home-loving and domestic. You couldn’t have one kind of life without sacrificing the other. (And you can imagine which way I thought you had to live if you had kids.) Of course I eventually learned there are never just two ways to do or be anything. And one thing I particularly love about the Moomin stories is that each one paints the beauty of both the windblown unknown and the cozy warmth of home. They seem to say there’s a season for adventuring in the wild and a season for curling up at home. Both are necessary for a satisfying life, and each is special in its own way. Now that I do have a little hand pulling me along through life, it’s a comforting reminder that each season of life can hold its own whimsy and joy.

If you’re Moomin-curious, I recommend starting with the volume Anna gave to me, Moominland Midwinter, or Moominpapa’s Memoirs.

“You must not ever stop being whimsical. And you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your life.” - Mary Oliver