News Summary

• The chubby, white, hippopotamus-like characters have captivated readers worldwide.
• Author and illustrator Tove Jansson published "The Moomins and the Great Flood" in 1945.
• The series, set in the fictional Moominvalley, has been translated into more than 60 languages.
• Fans flocked to Tampere, Finland, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the book's publication and Jansson's birthday, Aug. 9, 1914.
• "Moomins have been such a special thing in my life, my whole life," said Rosa Senn of the United Kingdom.