Review by Woodrow Phoenix

The ‘Hildafolk’ series of books are written and drawn by Luke Pearson. They are all-ages adventures that feature a small blue-haired little girl called Hilda, who lives in a small cottage in the middle of the Scandinavian countryside with her mother. Hilda is a curious, adventurous girl who likes nothing better than to be out wandering the hills and forests accompanied by her pet, Twig the ‘deerfox’: a doglike creature who has tiny antlers. Together, they’ve encountered a range of mythical beings and animals over the six books of Hilda’s adventures in large-format albums.

Hilda and Twig: Hide from the Rain is the first of a new series of books designed for younger readers. These books are smaller than the large albums, and feature panels laid out on a simple grid. The text is also simplified to make it easier for children to read themselves, or be read to. They’re called ‘Hilda and Twig’ because these stories are told from Twig’s perspective. He’s an equal partner in these stories, with readers able to read his thoughts about everything, including the points when he goes off by himself without Hilda. They are also flashback adventures, takimg place before Hilda and her mother moved to the city of Trolberg in Hilda and the Bird Parade. This story begins with Hilda and Twig trying to decide where they’re going to spend their day when it begins raining. To get away from the rain they take shelter in a big, grass-covered mound where many other animals are already sheltering. Of course, Hilda can’t speak to them or understand the noises they make. But Twig can.

What unfolds from here is a fun parallel narrative, where Hilda has one kind of experience based on what she sees and what she thinks that means, and Twig has a very different experience because he can see and understand a world Hilda can’t access. Luke Pearson’s skillful presentation of a story in two halves has events weave in and out of each other as Twig encounters a very powerful forest creature and has an adventure by himself, while Hilda has a much smaller-scale exchange of her own. There is some mildly escalating scariness which very young readers may need some hand-holding to get through, but all’s well that ends well and this cleverly told story will delight Hilda fans whatever age they are. There’s more in Wake the Ice Man.