2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Tove Jansson's Moomin stories, and publishers around the globe are pulling out all the stops to celebrate. From limited-edition reprints to charity collaborations, this milestone offers fans new ways to rediscover the enchanting world of Moominvalley.
For the Moomin 80 anniversary, Moomin Characters is teaming up with The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 15 countries to gather funds for those in need. Here’s a look at the anniversary highlights:
Moomin 80 anniversary edition: The Moomins and the Great Flood
The book that started it all in 1945, The Moomins and the Great Flood, has been reimagined in a stunning anniversary edition including a fold-out poster of a cut-out paper Moominhouse and, for the first time ever, Tove Jansson’s complete character descriptions of the beloved residents of Moominvalley. The anniversary edition also includes a foreword by the new Waterstones Children’s Laureate, author and Moomin aficionado Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
In the UK, publisher Sort of Books will donate £2 from every special anniversary edition of The Moomins and the Great Flood book to the British Red Cross.
A Pop-Up Adventure: The Moomins Find a Home
Younger fans can enjoy the anniversary through the dreamy new pop-up book The Moomins Find a Home. Published by Macmillan in English, this edition reimagines the classic story with vibrant illustrations and interactive elements. The book is designed by Lithuanian-born graphic artist, illustrator and paper artist Elena Selena, and features striking paper cuts.
“I really wanted to stay close to the original book The Moomins and the Great Flood, as it was really important for me to be based on Tove Jansson’s work. The most important thing for me was to get the valley feeling and the house right, and the atmosphere to be joyful and full of hope. With the publisher we also wanted to have every page really different in terms of pop-ups and colors”, Elena Selena describes.
The Moomins Find a Home is also available in for example Finnish as Muumipeikon matka kotiin, and in Swedish as Mumin hittar hem. Additional language editions are being planned, making this delightful release accessible to children worldwide.
A Collector’s Dream: The World of Moominvalley
Macmillan is also releasing a dark blue anniversary edition of The World of Moominvalley, a treasure trove for devoted fans. This version includes exclusive additions for the first edition of the book: two new chapters on The Moomin Canon and The Comic Strips, offering fresh insights into the creative universe of Tove Jansson. The authors, Philip Ardagh and Frank Cottrell-Boyce, are popular British writers who have both been keen Moomin fans all their lives.
A Legacy of Imagination and Giving Back
These new publications is a testament Tove Jansson’s timeless storytelling, while the Red Cross collaboration honours the values of kindness and solidarity found in Jansson’s works.
Whether you’re diving back into the pages of Moominvalley or opening them for the very first time, 2025 is the perfect year to join the adventure!
80 years of Moomin stories
2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the Moomin stories. The central theme of the anniversary year is the Moominhouse and what it stands for – a sense of belonging, a place where the door is always open.
Tove Jansson wrote the first Moomin story, The Moomins and the Great Flood, during World War II to comfort herself in dark times, creating a world built on inclusivity and adventure. It is a tale about troubled times and a scattered family. It is also a story about hope, a story about the importance of belonging and having a safe place to call home.
Celebrate Moomin 80 with special edition products
Celebrate the Moomin 80 anniversary with wonderful Moomin prodcuts created to honour where it all began in 1945.
The Moomin 80 campaign supports the Red Cross – find out how you can participate
For the Moomin 80 anniversary, Moomin Characters is teaming up with The Red Cross in 15 countries. Read more about how you can participate!
The Moomins and the Great Flood: The forgotten first story about the Moomins
“The Moomins and the Great Flood” is the first published Moomin story, often seen as a prelude to the eight Moomin novels by Tove Jansson.