Hilda and the Troll, by Luke Pearson

Hilda and the Troll, by Luke Pearson, is a hardcover reprint from Flying Eye Books (Sept. 2013) of the first graphic novel about an adventurous Scandinavian girl named Hilda (originally titled Hildafolk).  Hilda lives up in the mountains, with all sorts of magical persons for neighbors.  This particular installment of her adventures (there are two others--Hilda and the Midnight Giant, and Hilda and the Bird Parade) is my favorite, quite possibly because it has the thinnest plot of the three, and one can enjoy the magical world free of any particular anxiety as to outcome!

Hilda and her blue, horned, fox friend (so adorable!) are having a peaceful time of it--sleeping out in a tent when it rains (so as to appreciate the snugness of it more), exploring the hills and sketching interesting things.  But then Hilda comes across a troll rock--will it come alive at night and come down the hill, with ravenous intent?  So she hangs a bell on its long stone nose, to give warning.   And then falls asleep at its feet, and is woken much later by the bell as the troll starts to move!  Dark  is falling fast...can she make it home through the snowfall?

It all works out in a very satisfying way, and though I liked the other two Hilda books just fine, I loved this one.

Like I said, this is the lightest of the series in terms of plot, and in terms of illustration too--literally, as there is more color and more daylight and warm interior firelight!  It's also the most amusing and most charming.  I loved the map-reading giant, the wood person who keeps coming to Hilda's house, and all the interior details of Hilda's house that we get to see.  I am also biased in favor of characters who have meaningful hobbies, so I loved to see independent observer of the world Hilda set off with her sketchbook. 

Hilda and the Troll is the best book in which to meet Hilda, though it is the most recent hardcover of the three.   Seven year olds (or even kids a bit younger) and kids on up as far as you want to go should enjoy it very much indeed.