BooksOfTheMoon

After having escaped from the troll mountain at the end of the last book, Hilda wakes up back inside the mountain, to find herself in the body of a troll, with the troll baby having replaced her. Despite her wish to be free, she really does love her mum and wants to go back home, so when a large troll trapped in a cave behind a wall of bells says he can help her, she agrees without stopping to think who trapped him there or why? Meanwhile, her mother is searching for her lost daughter non-stop, and when Hilda and her mother both put their minds to the same thing, the world had better watch out!

This was a lot of fun. It was another story of mother-daughter love and what a mother will do for her child, whether that’s Hilda’s mum, the troll mum or, er, the other mum, with a side dose of mutual respect for others as well. It’s packed with adventure, (mild) peril and the humour that the Hilda books are known for. Not where you should start with the Hilda books, but very definitely a great place to end the series.

The penultimate Hilda graphic novel kicks off with a chase after a walking piece of turf with an elf home on its back, followed by a montage showing the young adventurer enjoying all that Trolberg’s weird and wonderful magic scene has to offer. And then it all comes crashing down as she takes one too many risks and gets grounded. Now a book about Hilda cooped up in her room would be quite dull, so it’s not long before Hilda, and her mum, get pulled through a magic portal and end up somewhere unknown but surrounded by trolls. What follows is a story of adventure, trust and running away from trolls. Lots of running away from trolls.

Like the other graphic novels, this focusses pretty much exclusively on Hilda and her family, with the other characters from the TV show (primarily David and Frida) getting very little to do, except in the montage, where we see them getting up to Shenanigans. This makes the world a little narrower, but allows us to focus on the title character, which is always fun.

Having Hilda’s mother around makes for a different dynamic too, as the two end up worrying about each other and trying to keep each other safe. And, in the end, strengthening their relationship. It’s a great story, even if it does end on a cliffhanger! The art remains adorable and suits the story perfectly. Thoroughly enjoyable.

In another delightful slice of whimsy, this time Hilda befriends Tontu, a house spirit who’s down on his luck and she has to find out what’s causing havoc in the town of Trolberg and if it’s related to the sightings of the mysterious creature stalking the streets.

This volume does have David and Frida from the animated TV series in it, but more in passing than as characters in their own right, which is a bit of a shame, but that does allow the spotlight to remain on our favourite blue-haired adventurer herself. With her trademark sense of adventure, and moral compass pointing firmly at ‘kindness’, Hilda is a wonderful character and Pearson tells a delightful and heart-warming tale. Sure to delight children of all ages (including this forty-something).

The third volume of Hilda’s adventures sees her and her mother move from the wilderness to the city of Trolberg, where her mother freaks out a bit and keeps her from the outdoor explorations and freedom that she’s used to. She does get out, with kids from her new school, but doesn’t find their games to her taste. So she befriends a talking raven, runs away from a rat king and gets lost.

This is just as sweet and fun as the previous volumes with some great visual gags. Recommended for all ages (along with the Netflix animated TV series of the same name).

The second Hilda comic (it’s really too short to be called a graphic novel) sees Hilda encounter the Elves that live around her home in the wilderness (once she signs the paperwork, at least) and a giant giant who’s waiting for someone.

Beautifully drawn, in a simple but engaging style, and very sweet, this is an adorable comic. Suitable for children of all ages, including ones in their forties.

I really enjoyed the Netflix TV show of the same name that is based on this comic series, so went looking for the original material. This first volume is very short and introduces us to the irrepressible Hilda and her adorable deerfox, Twig, as they encounter a troll in the wilderness where they live. The story is pretty simple but does a good job of introducing the characters and the world they live in. The art is very close the animation style of the TV show, which isn’t unexpected since the creator of the comics was very closely involved with the animated series too.

It’s a lovely little comic and well-suited to younger readers, with plenty of (gentle) action and lots of humour, and very quick to read for not-so-young readers.