Back to the Troll Family Portrait

Thomas Troll

The third story in the book, "The May
Day Balloons", tells about Thomas Troll.
He's the third oldest Troll child and he's
getting close to the age when strange
things start happening to your body. (If
you're a teenager or older, you know
what I'm talking about. If you're younger,
just wait a few years and you'll see what
I mean.) When Thomas meets a girl-troll
with green eyes and a cute nose at the

marketplace, his heart goes off on a little
adventure of its own... And things go
wrong when Thomas goes with Papa Troll
to get the the balloons for the family's May
Day celebration. (If you've ever wondered
how the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius
would look on a balloon, you'll find out on
p. 52.) Celebrate May Day with the Troll
family and learn all about this important
Finnish holiday!

Here's a picture of Thomas riding in the
family wagon (since they don't have a car).
Papa Troll is driving the horse, and he's
wearing his special Finnish May Day cap. Do
you think Thomas has already met the pretty
girl-troll? How can you tell?



Picture © Ulla Etto