Trolls

This book is filled with faerieworld treasure, and it is sure to delight fans of the Frouds. It is tied together by the story of a young troll seeking his first four stories - of the 4 trollish elements: stone, bone, earth, and wind - but it reminds me of the Eyewitness science/history/anthropology books that I was so fond of as a child due to the discussion of troll living habits and scattered illustrative style. This format might not appeal to all readers, but I found it absolutely engaging because it was like discovering a lost civilization - and all good lost civilizations are steeped in myth, mystery, and wonder (I'm thinking of Greece, Egypt, and Mesopotamia, which are chalk full of legends as well as humanity's roots).

One of the most important things a troll possesses is his, or her, tail. It is where they store their tales, the stories that tell of the nature of things, their world, their history, themselves. It is in the remembering, the telling and the sharing of these tales that trolls are able to pass on the knowledge and wisdom that has been learnt over the long, long years. But not all trolls are born to carry these tails, some are hunters, some are fighters, some live under bridges and others on very rare occasions have been known to eat small children.

Trolls leads us into a world where few humans have been before. The Otherworld is a place where every stone, every bone, every feather and every twig tells a story. Trolls are everywhere if you show more would only open your eyes to see. Although not all trolls are wise or intelligent, all are ancient beings of nature and time, majestic and complex, they are diverse as they are elusive. This beautiful and breathtaking tail reveals soulful and delicate beings who are greatly misunderstood. A stunning and skilfully illustrated guide into the land of Trolls. show less

I love this book because it's so imaginative. It's a combination of fiction and non-fiction. Non-fiction because it's one of the many books of artist Brian Froud, who worked so closely with famous Jim Henson when he was alive, and fiction because it includes whimsical stories here and there. For those out there who long for similar creativity to that of Jim Henson, it's like a breath of fresh air.