What: Tove Jansson wrote nine books as part of her Moomin series for children. Moominvalley in November is the final entry in the series, and its elegiac tone is appropriate for both its title and its position as a farewell to Moominland. It's almost winter, and various characters travel to visit the happy and comforting Moomin family, only to find that they have left for the season. The visitors settle down to wait, personalities clash, and some quiet epiphanies occur.
Comparable to: Although the book is ostensibly for children, Jansson handles psychological subtleties with the grace, humor, and complexity of George Eliot. (Plus, how many other children's books can you name that use the word "putrefaction" in a passing bit of dialogue?)
Representative quote: "Don't fuss, there's nothing here that's worse than we are ourselves."
You might not like it if: You're clinging to the hope of summer and don't want to be distracted by thoughts of late fall. (Personally, I find this contrast delicious.)
How to get it: Definitely worth reading on your own as an adult, but it's also an undeniable pleasure to read names like Mymble, Toft, Fillyjonk, and Snufkin out loud to a kid. Happily, all of the Moomin books are currently in print in the U.S.
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