Finland Moomins Fans celebrate the 80th anniversary of the publication of the Finnish children's classic, "The Moomins and The Great Flood," and the birthday of the author Tove Jansson, in Tampere, Finland, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Tommi Ojala)

TAMPERE, Finland (AP) — The Moomins, Finland’s most lovable literary cartoon family, are celebrating their 80th birthday this year.

The chubby, white, hippopotamus-like characters have captivated readers worldwide since author and illustrator Tove Jansson published “The Moomins and the Great Flood” in 1945. The children’s book features Moomintroll and Moominmamma in their search for the missing Moominpappa.

Jansson, a Swedish-speaking Finn who died in 2001, went on to write eight more books, multiple picture books and a comic strip about

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