- Graphic Novels
- Ages 7–11
- Fantasy
Hilda and the Troll
Book 1 of 6 in Hilda Graphic NovelsView the full series
Part of the Hilda universeOpen the collection
A beautifully odd, Nordic-feeling graphic adventure that introduces Hilda's gift for meeting strange creatures with curiosity rather than fear. It is a strong entry point for children ready for visual storytelling with a little eerie magic.
- Best for7–11
- FormatGraphic
- Length40 pp
- Read aloud~19 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Literary
Tone
- Adventurous
- Whimsical
- Gentle
- Suspenseful
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Hilda lives in a windswept wilderness where mountains move, trolls lurk in the snow, and unusual visitors are part of everyday life. When she heads out to sketch the creatures around her home, she spots a mountain troll and settles down to draw it, only to fall asleep and wake in a snowstorm with the troll gone and the way home suddenly uncertain. Along the way she encounters a mysterious wooden man, strange landscapes, and the first hints of a much larger magical world. This opening Hilda adventure is quiet, eerie, funny and enchanting, built around curiosity rather than conquest. Luke Pearson's clean, expressive artwork makes the world feel both cosy and strange, ideal for readers moving from picture books into graphic novels.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 7–11
- Read aloud · 6–10
- Independent · 7–11
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Works well for
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
3 / 5 · Mostly fine
Graphic intensity
2 / 5 · Mild
Best for
- First graphic novel
- Folklore fantasy
- Visually led readers
- Curious children
- Gentle adventure
Avoid if
- Wants fast gags
- Prefers realistic stories
- Dislikes eerie moments
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
- Interested in art and creativity
In the classroom
How it works in school.
Luke Pearson's enchanting Hilda graphic-novel series — a beautifully drawn reluctant-reader favourite and classroom-library cornerstone.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific pull is the world — wild, snowy, full of things that turn out to be alive: a stone that's actually a troll, a wooden man, mountain giants in the distance. Hilda meets every strange creature with curiosity rather than fear, and a seven-year-old reading it learns by example to want the same.
- Secret world
- Adventure and freedom
- Animal companions
- Making a difference
Why parents love it
The Hilda for a child who loves Studio Ghibli and gentle eerie magic. Quiet, snowy, slightly strange, with a protagonist who treats every odd creature as a possible friend. The book parents most often hand over saying 'this is what good comics for children look like.' Sets up the whole series.
- Beautiful illustrations
- Shared humour
- Great writing
- Indie gem discovery
In the series
Hilda Graphic Novels.
6 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Luke Pearson.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
When you buy through the links above, we may earn a small commission — it never costs you more, and it never changes the books we choose. How we’re funded →