Hardback

Behind Mumme is Moni

Norwegian title: Bak Mumme bor Moni

Gro Dahle

A strong and beautiful picture book about meeting the dangerous forces that we all have inside us, the way Mumme meets Moni, when he comes riding on The Great Black Horse with sixteen legs. Sometimes Mumme is just Mumme. Then Mumme can sit in the grey chair under the window, or Mumme can rest on the yellow bed in his room. It is good to just be Mumme. It is calm. But behind Mumme is Moni. And Moni has The Great Black Horse with sixteen legs. Sometimes when Moni emerges, Moni rides The Great Black Horse straight through Mumme. Black Horse does not want to be still. The Horse only wants to stomp.Behind Mumme is Moni is a noisy and brave picture book for anyone who has ever been furiously angry and sad. It deals with the strong feelings in a serious way, opening for conversations between the child and the adult, because it is a book they can both relate to. The anger of the little boy Mumme is personified by the violent Moni. It is a poetic story filled with symbolism, a necessary text as it legitimize the dark and challenging forces of the subconscious, without leaving the child alone with these feelings. This is also about courage and the mastering of feelings. What you acknowledge, you can meet in a better way. The scary and dangerous is balanced by a light and hopeful ending. Gro Dahles tight and exciting text emphasized by the expressionistic and powerful illustrations of Svein Nyhus.