Tove Jansson's short story The Invisible Child is an important reminder of the power of caring, and it works beautifully as a vehicle for helping children learn about empathy and about how important it is to see and to be seen. Listen to the story read by Tove Jansson's niece Sophia Jansson, and reflect upon it with the help of a set of pedagogic questions.
In Tove Jansson’s much loved short story, The Invisible Child, part of the collection Tales from Moominvalley by Tove Jansson, first published in 1962, the isolated Ninny is helped to regain her voice and take her rightful place in the world using a simple Moomin recipe. She is welcomed into the Moomin family and treated with equality and respect. Because of their consideration, Ninny gets her confidence back and turns visible, bit by bit.
Listen to the story read by Sophia Jansson:
Reflect on the story with children with the help of these questions:
For the youngest:
Why did Ninny turn invisible?
Which of Ninny’s body parts became visible first?
Why did this part become visible?
The Moomin family tried many different things to make Ninny visible again. Do you remember any of these methods?
Why did Ninny become visible again?
Have you ever felt invisible?
Why have you felt invisible?
How can you help someone who feels invisible to become visible?
For the older ones:
What is the story about (motif, theme etc.)?
Why did Ninny become invisible?
Why did she become visible again?
Why can it be a positive thing to get angry sometimes?
What does it mean when you dare to get angry and show your anger?
What is irony? Can you give an example?
Is irony always mean?
Have you ever felt invisible?
Why have you felt invisible?
How can you help someone who feels invisible to become visible again?