In the UK, booksellers Waterstones and Oxfam have teamed up to bring you a charity book this festive season. Here are five very good reasons why you should consider buying The Invisible Child. (If short of time skip straight to number 4.)
- It’s written by Tove Jansson. She of Moomins fame. The book features two stories from Jansson’s Moomin stories. If you’ve never read these books, they’re wonderful gentle fables for children from around 6 and upwards.
- It contains Moomins. Ok, this isn’t that different from reason 1. The Moomins are some of the finest children’s characters ever created. They live on the page thanks not only to Jansson’s prose but her gorgeous pen and line drawings too. It’s hard not to love a series of books that includes a character called “Edward the Booble.”
- It’s festive! As well as “The Invisible Child Story” the book contains a second story, “The Fir Tree,” to bring a touch of festive Moomin magic to your holiday season.
- It’s for charity! The reason this book exists is to support Oxfam projects “empowering women and girls worldwide with job opportunities, a stronger voice in society, and freedom from violence. “ It’s hard to imagine a better cause. The cover note and the back of the book add “in 2017 when you’re still more likely to be poor if you’re a woman, Jansson’s themes of tolerance, inclusiveness, and respect are more important than ever.”
- £4 out of the £4.99 cover price goes directly to Oxfam, which is a great percentage. Buying this book is a no-brainer. You get two great stories for a quid (that’s a £1, US readers!) and give £4 to a great cause in the process. You’re unlikely to find a better deal over the holidays.
The Invisible Child is being promoted throughout Waterstone’s stores. It can be picked up online here. Don’t forget to pick one up for a friend.
