Tove Marika Jansson; Helsinki, August 9, 1914 - ibide, June 27, 2001) was a Finnish writer, illustrator, cartoonist, and painter in Swedish — Swedish is a minority in Finland, but is widely spoken in some coastal areas. She is particularly known for her children's work and, above all, for having created the characters of the Mumin family. These are among the great international success stories of Finnish literature, only below the works of Mika Waltari and the Kalevala.