Hilda And The Stone Forest

Hilda And The Stone Forest

By Luke Pearson

Published by Flying Eye Books

Hilda is back for her fifth adventure and what a thrilling adventure awaits! Filled with a host of characters from the previous instalments, this is definitely a welcome return for everybody's favourite blue haired adventurer.  

Hilda is spending more time outside than inside and her mother doesn't approve of her constant adventure seeking. The story begins with Hilda chasing a piece of earth that has four legs, on top is the house of a family of invisible tiny elves. Hilda eventually outsmarts the runaway turf and returns the house to its village, with Hilda now feeling responsible for the helpless invisible folk that live there - she's somewhat become a Superhero to them that constantly saves the day.

With Hilda rarely at home, her mother starts to get anxious about where Hilda is spending all her time. Things come to a boiling point when Hilda gets grounded for sneaking out to take a flight on the huge talking raven and after days of being stuck inside, Hilda can't take anymore and decides to use Tontu to slip away to see the fireworks at the Bird Parade. It's only when she's stepping through a crack in the wall that her mother comes in to make amends and they end up in the stone forest. 

Hilda, twig and her mother embark on a way to get back to Trolberg, but instead find trolls and lots of them. They get discovered when a baby troll sniffs them out and mayhem erupts when the other trolls are alerted of their presence. Luckily, by using a pile of food the trolls have stolen, Hilda, Twig and her mother manage to sneak out and see Trolberg in the distance. But their ordeal isn't over yet when Twig is left behind and Hilda's mother returns to save Twig from a two headed troll. 

Inside the trolls world, Hilda's mum quickly gets stuck in what looks like a dead end and its Hilda's impatience that gets her out. A chase from the two headed troll has Hilda and company on a run for their lives, but not all trolls are bad, as Hilda's mum finds out. With a troll and it's offspring putting them up for the night and helping them find the outside world again her faith is restored - but what will the next morning bring? 

Hilda And The Stone Forest is another thrilling instalment to the series and ends on a cliffhanger that will have you wanting the next book already (please hurry Luke!). If you're a fan already (and if you're not, why not?) you won't need a review to tell you how brilliant this series is, but be rest-assured that Luke's art is once again top notch and Flying Eye have pulled out all the stops to create a beautiful book to present it all (the usual spot varnish cover with cloth spine adorns the hardcover). All in all a must buy for young and old, Hilda is a great read for one and all. Hilda And The Stone Forest is out the 1st September in all good bookshops and available to buy on the Flying Eye Books website. 

Interview with Luke Pearson

We have reached the end of our Hilda week and what better way to sign off than to have a quick fire interview with the creator, Luke Pearson!

Luke Pearson, author of widely celebrated Hildafolk series, has fast become one of the leading talents of the UK comics scene, garnering rave reviews from the prestigious Times Literary Supplement and The Forbidden Planet International Blog amongst others. He was the winner of Young People’s Comic category at the British Comic Award in 2012 and been nominated for the Eisner Award’s Best Publication for Kids and Best Writer/Artist in 2013. He has recently worked as a storyboard artist on the cult classic show Adventure Time. Luke is a frequent contributor to a number of comic anthologies in the UK as well as self-publishing a number of small-run homemade comics.

BWB: How did Hilda pop into your head?

LP: She evolved from a character I'd done a few drawings of in my sketchbook. She wasn't the exact character she is now until I was about to draw the first story.

BWB: What are your main influences?

LP: For this series, I draw from Scandinavian folk tales and illustrations for those stories (for instance Theodor Kittelsen's artwork.) Tove Jansson and Ghibli are obviously touchstones. In terms of other comics, I think about certain European comics, manga and indie comics, the importance of each varying. The look and tone of each book is notably different I think and it reflects what I've been into and where I'm at as an artist.

BWB: Why the blue hair?

LP: Why is your hair the colour it is?

BWB: What's been your favourite Hilda story to write & illustrate?

LP: The Bird Parade was maybe the biggest breakthrough for me in terms of drawing and was probably the most fun to do once I got into it. The story was the most straightforward I've done plot-wise (the first story aside) so it wasn't as much of a headache to figure out as the others.

BWB: There are rumours of a animated series. If you could get anyone to voice Hilda who would it be?

LP: It would be someone unknown

And so we have left the best until last... to finish off this momentous week long celebration of Hilda, Flying Eye have kindly let me show a sneak peek of a whole spread from Hilda and the Stone Forest! Let your eyes feast on the eye candy below (have a click if you want to see it bigger!).

Thank you to Luke and Emma at Flying Eye Books. I hope you all have enjoyed this week long insight into a very special character and her world. All of Hilda's adventures can be purchased from the Flying Eye Books website.

Hilda and the Black Hound

Hilda and the Black Hound

By Luke Pearson
Published by Flying Eye Books

Hilda and the Black Hound is the fourth instalment of the Hilda series. Hilda is now living in Trolberg and seems to be settling in - though she still shows signs that she misses the countryside and the freedom it offered. So she joins the Scouts just like her mum did when she was her age.  

Hilda then goes on her first camping trip and finds a house elf called Tontu who's camping out in the forest. She tries her best to help him, although he is an ungrateful little chap. This is where she encounters the Black Hound, a beast that is causing quite an upset in Trolberg. With numerous sightings the camping trip is cut short after one night and Hilda returns home. 

Obsessed with helping out Tontu, Hilda goes in search of the house elf. She comes across other house elves who have also been kicked out of their homes by the humans that live there. As none of them communicate with each other due to them not liking eachother, Hilda is no closer to finding him. With all her time being taken up with trying to find Tontu, Hilda hasn't been doing any homework for her Scout's badges, but determined to get one to not let her mother down, she starts to research the mysterious Black Hound. Is he a menace or just misunderstood?

This is the first title that made me think of Pearson's love for Studio Ghibli. It's so apparent in this story as there were hints of films like Spirited Away seeping through the odd panel. The more obvious is Pearson's storytelling, he creates quite a menacing mystery character like the Troll, Midnight Giant and Black Hound and when the big reveal comes they're not threatening at all. If anything they're lovable and even cute! - a trait that often runs through Studio Ghibli's films.

Hilda and the Black Hound is available in hardback from the Flying Eye Books website.

So that's it, we've reached the end of the series until Hilda and the Stone Forest hits the shelves later this year. I for one can't wait! Tune in tomorrow for the last day of Hilda week, there will be an interview with creator Luke Pearson and an exclusive sneak peek at the Stone Forest. There's also still time to enter our competition to win a Hilda doll and two runners up prizes of the new paperback of The Midnight Giant. Pop over to my twitter page to find out more!

Hilda and the Bird Parade

Hilda and the Bird Parade

By Luke Pearson
Published by Flying Eye Books

Pearson's third outing for the blue haired adventurer continues from Hilda and the Midnight Giant's cliffhanger of Hilda and her mother being left homeless. 

So after a familiar dream, Hilda wakes up to find she is now living in the city. Her mother isn't quite so laid back here, with her not so keen to let Hilda out of her sight. But after a some pleading form the local children, Hilda is unleashed on to Trolberg. The children are keen to show Hilda all the best bits of city life, and it soon becomes apparent that Hilda doesn't quite fit in when one of the children hits a raven out of the sky. The city kids don't stick around for long and decide to leg it incase they get in trouble for the injured bird.

Hilda (being the caring girl she is) comes to the raven's aid to find it can actually talk. But the blow to the head its received has made it lose its memory. She to has a predicament as without the city kids she no longer knows how to get back home. So Hilda and the talking raven go in search of her house, hoping that something will jog her and the raven's memory. 

Hilda and the Bird Parade is another great addition to the series, and I love how Pearson has taken Hilda from her usual environment of the countryside and placed her in the city to introduce Trolberg. The city opens up a whole new host of characters and more unusual places for Hilda to explore.

Again, Pearson's art has evolved ever so slightly, my favourite image in the book is when Hilda is getting a lift from the raven - a truly beautiful illustrated sight! Pearson also shows he can build an interesting city, including little details like weeds that sprout up through sidewalk cracks and those stereotypical city kids. 

Hilda and the Bird Parade is available in hardback (with a dust jacket that doubles up as a map!) on the Flying Eye Books website. 

Tune in tomorrow for my review of the fourth Hilda book; Hilda and the Black Hound.

Hilda and the Midnight Giant

Hilda and the Midnight Giant

By Luke Pearson
Published by Flying Eye Books

Hilda and the Midnight Giant is the second book in the Hilda series. Like Hilda and the Troll, The Midnight Giant has just been published in paperback and Luke has given it a fresh new cover (as seen above). 

Like the first title, we're pretty much thrown into a story with Hilda and her mother receiving threatening messages from creatures they cannot see. An annoyed Hilda responds with a message of her own which results in the invisible creatures vandalising her home. Her mother is willing to move to the city, but a determined Hilda wants to get to the bottom of why these creatures dislike them so. And with the help of one of the creatures, Hilda discovers that they're invisible elves, which she can now see (after signing a stack load of paperwork). And that her family home is smack bang in the middle of elf country and that the elves are no longer going to entertain these humans who need to move or else!

The second story arc in this book is about the Midnight Giant, who Hilda always catches lurking in the distance. Eventually she manages to catch him and see why he's creeping her out with his appearances every night. And being the friendly kind of giant, he explains that he's mean to be meeting a female giant, a time that was agreed on 4000 years earlier. 

Pearson's artwork in this second outing has visually evolved. You can notice the confidence in his line work and the way he sets up scenes. The colour palette again is spot on, with beautiful colours used for the day and night scenes. I also love how he interprets each new character, the Midnight Giant is a visual treat for the eyes. The invisible elves are also well thought out, with a on running joke about them not having hands.

Another great title, and a gem all ages will enjoy. You can't help but love these books, Pearson's stories get better with each book, so book five will be another treat for the eyes! Hilda and the Midnight Giant is available to buy in hard and paperback from Flying Eye Books. Tune in tomorrow when I review the third in the series, Hilda and the Bird Parade.

Hilda and the Troll

Hilda and the Troll

By Luke Pearson
Published by Flying Eye Books

Hilda and the Troll (originally Hildafolk) is the first of the Hilda series and was published back in 2010. There have been multiple editions and a paperback print with a brand new cover (as seen above). In this first adventure we are thrown straight into the Hilda world. There are no introductions, no backstories, and yet we feel like we know the world and the characters already. Hilda is a young girl who lives with her mum and her pet fox, Twig. They all live out in the countryside, just on the edge of the wilderness. Due to this freedom, Hilda has a curiosity for the world around her and is always eager to explore.

Hilda sets out to look for Trolls - with her eager to record one in her sketchbook. She soon comes across a pile of rocks which resembles a troll and after sketching it she attaches a bell to its nose - to warn anyone that the Troll may be approaching as Trolls are dangerous creatures. 

When Hilda wakes after a nap, she finds the Troll has wandered off. She decides to get back to the safety of her home but quickly gets lost in a scary forest. Luckily she finds a house nearby, only to bump into the Wood Man, a creature who has been inviting himself into her house on a daily basis to lie in front of the fire. The Wood Man gets Hilda safely back home and just as she's about to go to bed she hears a bell outside. Has the Troll come to eat her? 

The more I read these books the more I feel that they have that classic feel to them. I'm familiar with the works of Tove Jansson (The Moomins), Jeff Smith (Bone) and Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes). Hilda feels like a huge melting pot of these greats, and still manages to be its own thing. The comforting thing about Hilda is that you feel like you know her. She reminds me of the no fear child I was and how I was always eager to go off and explore. Maybe there's a little Hilda in all of us, still hungry to find and discover new things (and not get eaten by trolls!). 

Hilda and the Troll is available in hardback and paperback on the Flying Eye Books website. Pop back again tomorrow when I will be looking at Hilda's second adventure, Hilda and the Midnight Giant.

The Amazing World of Hilda

Hilda and the Troll first graced our bookshelves back in 2010 (known then as Hildafolk). Since then Hilda has had four adventures, with a fifth out later this year. So what's it all about and why should you buy a beret and dye your hair blue? Read on and you'll wonder how you ever lived without Hilda in your life!

Hilda is the creation of uber talented illustrator and writer Luke Pearson. Pearson currently resides in Nottingham and was born in Stockton on Tees in 1987. He draws comics and does various kinds of illustration work, including illustration for magazines and newspapers, book covers, poster design and development work for animation. More recently Pearson has got to storyboard and write for Cartoon Network's Adventure Time as well as having clients such as The New Yorker, The New York Times and Disney. 

Hilda's world

Hilda was born out of Pearson wanting to create a comic that drew on low key Scandinavian folklore and a few other personal interests. Ideally Pearson wanted a character who was very positive and who would get caught up in adventures as a result of her own curiosity, empathy or sense of responsibility. In an interview in 2014, Pearson said; "I knew she should be interested in everything and constantly questioning the things that happen to her. She is pretty effortless to write though which makes me think she barely has a character at all sometimes. It just seems obvious to me what she’d do and it’s the other characters I really have to think about and “write” more consciously. The only firm “don’t” I gave myself is that she should be non-violent and that she never resolves anything with a fight". 

Pearson's inspiration for the stories comes from one main source, a book called Scandinavian Folk-Lore: Illustrations of the Traditional Beliefs of the Northern Peoples, by William A Craigie, which was published in 1896. Apart from these myths influencing characters and storylines, Pearson sets Hilda in a purely fantasy world, with not having to worry about things like Period outfits/clothing and technology.

Hilda's desk and findings

Hilda lives out in the countryside, with the nearest city being the fictitious Trolberg. The books are set in an alternative present day, with Hilda being an adventurous child. Her adventures are born out of her curiosity of the world around her, with her eagerness getting her in tricky situations. In a world where she can meet Scandinavian myths like Trolls and Giants. She lives with her mother, who is a single parent and who works mostly from home. 

With Hilda already getting international acclaim and fans praising the work as modern classics, there's no wonder Pearson is getting compared to legends such as Tove Jansson, Jonathan Swift and Hayao Miyazaki. There's also the likelyhood of an upcoming animation series, which can only be a good thing as Pearson has been involved with the best kids cartoon on TV, Adventure Time!

Early sketchbook work for Hildafolk

Hope you've enjoyed this insight into the world of all things Hilda and that a little part of you has become a fan. Throughout the week I will be reviewing all the past titles, with a huge Hilda exclusive on Friday. Fly over to my twitter page where Flying Eye Books will be giving away some Hilda booty to celebrate the release of the paperback printing of Hilda and the Midnight Giant. Coming up next, my review of Hilda and the Troll.