Hilda and the Troll by Luke Pearson Review

Reviewed by Emma Johnston

This edition is a rework of the 1st outing of Luke Pearson’s award winning Hildafolk series. Based on the Icelandic Huldfolk (elves) in Icelandic mythology who are said to live in the rocky landscapes.

Hilda is a young girl who lives in the mountains with her mother and pet fox (who has antlers) called Twig. This story introduces Hilda. She is an adventurous, inquisitive and fearless girl who loves to draw. The story has that rare quality of being non-gender specific, appealing to all. The comic book style is beautifully illustrated by Pearson, the colours are simple and subtle but effective in setting the scene and drawing you into the story. The artwork is superb.

My 7 year old daughter loved this book but it will appeal to comic fans of all ages.

Hilda and her cute companion Twig set out for an adventure camping out in a storm. Her adventure leads her to the home of the woodman and onto discovering a mountain rock troll. She reads in a book that you should tie a bell onto a rock troll so that you can hear if it is coming to find you in the night. However, she didn’t read to the end of the book and soon discovers that this is in fact a cruel and outdated method that upsets the trolls.

The story is cute and colourful but also teaches tolerance, acceptance and kindness. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series and can’t wait to see what the adventurous Hilda gets up to next!

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £7.99 (paperback)

Available to buy from Flying Eye Books here.