Little Troll

I love this story of the tranformative power of friendship. It gives hope for the "troll" in each of us. It may be a book for young children, but it moved me as an adult. I also saw another adult change in his thinking and feeling after reading this aloud to his child. A great story!

This is a special little treasure. It reflects the essence of many religious teachings without preaching or being overtly Christian or sectarian. It has been a family favorite in our house for over a decade.

Warm and inspirational, this story shows how helping others will bring out the best in one's self. (I can't believe this book has no other glowing reviews here!) The illustrations alone are captivating, and the author's writing flows beautifully. The story line has an "ugly" little troll wishing he were human, as he admires their upright walk, clear eyes, and fine voices. In contrast, the other trolls hiss and howl and hate anything sunny, light and good, and they speak roughly and coarsly. Wishing to better himself, the little troll heeds advice he overhears at a cottage window as a father tells his son, "If you want to be a real man, you must learn to think of others more than yourself. If you don't help and serve others, you're nothing better than a troll." The little troll follows this new path in spite of jeers and roughness endured from the other trolls. Woven into the story is the importance of community (and church, but in a light, non-denominational way). I rarely can read the story clear through without getting a little teary-eyed at the fine ending.