Akiva Reads

by Tove Jansson, Elizabeth Portch

Surprisingly funny and inventive, you can see why it's a classic. The sexism is also classic, unfortunately. I can see that Jansson was subverting the Snork Maiden's feminine weaknesses by having them save the day once, sure---I'm positive that when it was written, that was actually subversive. But at the end of the day she and Moominmamma are still the only female characters, Maiden and Mother to a fault. Feels Bad, Man. The characters (other than the parents) are generally so ungendered that it feels like it'd be so easy to just change some pronouns....

3.5/5 rounded up, perhaps.