Hilda and the Black Hound

Hilda #4

by Luke Pearson

The fourth in Luke Pearson’s acclaimed series of magical adventures starring Hilda, our favorite blue-haired heroine—now in paperback!

Hilda stumbles upon Tontu, a lost house spirit. Plunged into the secret world of the Nisse, Hilda discovers hidden passages that only the house spirits can navigate—and something has been ransacking them all!

Luke Pearson won the Young People’s Comic category at the British Comic Awards in 2012 and was nominated for the Eisner Award’s Best Publication for Kids and Best Writer/Artist in 2013. He recently worked as a storyboard artist on the cult show Adventure Time. He lives in Bristol.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fiction, Adventure

64 pages, Paperback

First published May 27, 2014

About the author

Luke Pearson is a British illustrator, cartoonist, and comic book writer best known for the Hilda series of comics for Nobrow Press, and Hilda, the Netflix series based on the comics. He has also storyboarded episodes of the Cartoon Network series Adventure Time, during its fifth and seventh seasons.

Reviews

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a little thing, but I think my favorite part in this whole book is a scene where Hilda and her mother are walking home from the grocery store and Hilda's mother has a baguette sticking out of the bag, and at one point Hilda just reaches up and bites the end off of it while walking and her mother doesn't seem to notice or care. Ha!

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a lovely book! I love the way other lives and subcultures are shown, this author must have been inspired by the moomins. Hilda lives with her mum in a flat and has just joined the sparrows (scouts) she is going to her first camp but a giant dog has been sighted. Meanwhile back at home the Nisses (house spirits) that live in all those unused spaces in peoples homes are being thrown out due to bad behaviour that the Nisses claim was not their fault. Hilda feels under pressure to live up to her mum's achievements and gain her first scout badge at the same time as solving the mystery of the displaced Nisses and the human eating giant hound. The end is tied up beautifully - I see, that's why the hound sniffed Hilda!

I have a daughter that despite being super clever, struggles to read fiction, she raced through this and has asked for the other books for Christmas. Highly recommended.

[Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are the greatest! They are G's favorites. We read them first when he was about three & he liked them, but I just got them all again & now he is IN LOVE. All day long he says, "Did you know . . . " something something about trolls or the wood man or Twig or those floating head guys who are always migrating whose name I've forgotten (Edit: The woffs!) or any of the other delightful mythology of this series. This is the clear favorite for both of us and I'm reviewing it just because he's been reading it with/to me many times in the past week, and oh yeah, my kiddo can read now!

[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!* · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best volume yet. There were many charming comedic moments, more children of Trolsberg who were not A-holes, and the story touched on issues of prejudice and stereotyping while continuing to expand this fantastic world. The Sparrow Scouts provided a great framework for Hilda to explore her adventurous side in setting that did not drive her mother crazy with fear, while leaving opportunities for Hilda to struggle and consciously stick to her true nature. This volume was perfect!

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic novel for kids, tweens. I think I've read three of the four he's done so far and this would seem to be the best. Fantasy world with a strong girl character, blue-haired Hilda whose mother wants her to get out and socialize more so she gets her to join the Sparrow Scouts, she encounters problems with the Nisse and a Black Hound, finds them connected. . .

This is a world like Moomin, Miyazaki, but with a touch of Coraline. If you liked. . . Faith Hicks, Ben Hatke's Zita, Mark Crilley's Akiko. . . all great stuff for kids with strong girl characters that have been coming out, you will like this. And since my 7 year old girl is now a Brownie/Girl Scout, well, here we are.

[Raina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The magic of this series is Hilda interacting with unique nonhuman creatures. So I get impatient when there is much of anything else in these stories. The whole scouting thing, I could care less about. Even the stuff with her mom, I've read it in a million Realistic Juvenile Fiction stories. MOAR CREATURES PLZ.

Once you get to the core of this story (the nisse), I liked it better. I kinda love the concept of the hidden room in your house, even if it does feel marginally stolen from Un Lun Dun or Neverwhere. And I loves me a giant dog, oh I do.

I also kinda love it when homework feels useful.

[Tereza M · Rating 5 out of 5]

To se takhle jednou necháte chytit populární vlnou a koupíte si dětský komiks. Protože ho ale brzy přečtete, dáte ho malé neteři, pro kterou to teprve bude pořádný dárek.

A pak vyjde další díl, vy se rozhodnete udělat neteři radost a koupit jí ho, a pak vám dojde že si díky tomu i vy sami můžete přečíst další roztomilé příběhy!

Win win!

A je to samozřejmě zase krása, co do kresby i do příběhu s poučením a velkou trochou nadpřirozena.

Win win win!

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the series so far! Pearson creates a wonderful, magical world where fantastic beings interact with real-life characters as they attempt to go about their daily doings. This series is an absolute delight!

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the purely conventional level, Hilda has joined scouts and she's feeling competitive to win badges, because her mother earned a lot of badges when she was a scout. Meanwhile, the town is terrorized by a menacing black hound. And, meanwhile again, Hilda is trying to help out a nisse who is homeless and looks like a soot sprite on legs.

It all comes together. Hilda is up there among my favorite blue-haired heroines, Coraline and Kazou. Also, I really like her dog and I love her mother, who manages to be pretty calm about all this.

Library copy.

[Bosorka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Líbilo se mi snad ještě o ždibíček víc než první Hildiny příběhy. Zvlášť pak Hilda a černý pes. Domácí skřítkové jsou výborní a Hilda-skautka, snažící se získat bobříka, je k zulíbání (dopadla bych nejspíše dost podobně jako ona, být zamala ve skautu). Je to magické, vtipné a zábavné. Myslím, že Hilda si získala celou naši rodinu. Nejmladší začínající čtenářka ji zbožňuje a ten starší mi včera hlásil, že on už to teda přečetl 3x.

[Book's Calling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Druhý díl Hildy. Opět suprový komiks! Hildu stále chci jako kamarádku :D

[Mollyvknize · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opět... Hilda nejlepší! V tomhle díle je odvážný dobrodruh. Jo a baví mě i ty malé skryté vtípky. Božííí :))

[Eliška ** · Rating 5 out of 5]

💓💓💓

[DaViD´82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jsem zvědav na Hildinu animovanou podobu pro Netflix přímo od Pearsona (ukázky jsou zatím 1:1), protože už takto ve statické podobě to má neskutečně „rozanimované“. Málokdo umí tak živě dodat okénkům tempo a zprostředkovat těžko uchopitelné nálady a emoce skrze zkratku beze slov v několika málo okénkách.

Navíc skvostně pracuje s pravidly a specifiky svého světa, staví na nich, umně drobí zdánlivě nesouvisející informace a tvoří z nich uzavřený jednotný příběh a… A být hnidopich, tak si povzdechnu, že navzdory vší dospělácké sofistikovanosti skryté v dětské hravosti a šibalství, se již po několikáté dopustil do očí bijící a zbytku knihy nehodné deus ex machiny v závěru. Ovšem trol to vem, když je to tak okouzlující, že tomu stejně nelze nepodlehnout. Jestliže po prvním albu jsem si zamiloval Hildu, svět a kresbu, tak tentokrát už jsem si to zamiloval celé a bez výhrad. Stěží říci, zda mám ve výsledku Hildu raději já či synátor.

[Chi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read 9 July 2020

Ah, that was so cute! I had forgotten what the story was about, even though I read it a little over a year ago. 🤦🏻‍♀️

This one is about Nisse, house spirits, and how they hoard things that fall behind couches and the backs of bookcases. It's also about a giant black hound, terrorising the citizens of Trolberg.

It's such a fantastic little story about Hilda attempting to fit in, with her mother encouraging her to join the Sparrows. But Hilda being Hilda, nothing necessarily goes to plan.

[Zuzana Malá · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilda nezklame! <3

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilda befriends a house spirit and together they flee from the black hound who is terrorizing the city.

Another great book in the Hilda series! I am so in love with all these wonderful books. Every plot is so different and imaginative. Hilda continues to grow as a character, and I love her story!

[Nofreeusernames Nofreeusernames · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chtěla bych být jako Hilda – mít modré vlasy, velikánské boty, divné kamarády, celý den kreslit kameny a hledat troly. Hildu mám doma komplet v češtině i v angličtině a můžu se k ní vracet pořád dokola. Je kouzelně namalovaná, plná dobrodružství a i když jste dospělí, máte chuť se na všechno vykašlat a jít do lesa. Možná ji koupíte neteři/dceři/malé kamarádce k narozeninám, ale nakonec to dopadne tak, že zůstane ve vaší péči. Takže kupte rovnou dvě. Hilda se v novém dvojkomiksu stěhuje do Trolbergu, což mrzí ji i vás, protože tam jsou jen baráky a vysoké zdi. Brzy vás to mrzení ale přejde, protože i tam bydlí nadpřirození tvorové a ta zeď kolem města se přece dá přelézt.

[Tripmastermonkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally- a Hilda book with some heft! I really love the whimsy of the Hilda stories, but they always feel so darn short. This long story really allowed for some plot development and I feel like the art in this particular book is the best of the series. Well done.

[Vojtěch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Čtu dětské komiksy. No a co? Hilda je prostě magická "rozprávka", která chytne a nepustí. Tentokrát budete této modrovlasé holčičce držet usilovně palce v tom, aby se z bydlení ve městě nezbláznila. A dokonce dojde i na další magická stvoření, juch!

[Ettelwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tak tahle Hilda je zatím zdaleka nejlepší <3

[Elena Coorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cada vez que viajo al mundo de Hilda, me adentro en un lugar común, pero lleno de magia, en el que nada es lo que parece y todo está lleno de amistad, valentía, amor y entrega. Esta historia es prácticamente la misma que la del capítulo 13 de la primera temporada de la serie de televisión. Verla me conmovió, pero leerla ha sido maravilloso. Nunca me cansaré de leer, releer y recomendar estas historias.

[Shannon (That's So Poe) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume, in addition to the great illustrations as always, had quite a bit of mystery and interesting plot development. I loved seeing Hilda as a kid who keeps getting distracted and struggles to juggle all the balls she has in the air. Her kindness and desire to help people was also just lovely. Really great read!

Content Warnings:
displacement

[Daniel Sevitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun story from the Hildaverse. She’s such a remarkable and open-hearted young lady that every one of her adventures feels earned and exciting and edgy. I will continue to keep these books on the coffee table and force them into the hands of anyone who comes to visit.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay this one is my new favourite one

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!

[Alba Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Por fin apareció Tontu, also known as mi personaje favorito (después de Alfur obvio) >:)
En este cómic sí retomamos las similitudes a la serie. Son casi iguales (si mal no me acuerdo, tengo la memoria oxidada)

[RoseB612 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hildina dobrodružství ve městě - jak mi bylo na konci předchozího příběhu líto, že Hilda s maminkou opouští svůj domek na palouku, tak po přečtení těchto dvou dílů nezbývá než uznat, že přesun do města příběhu prospěl. Je tam víc lidských postav, ale přitom ta magie zůstává (takový Puntík je naprosto úžasný). Hilda jako skautka je neuvěřitelná. Počítám, že na to utáhneme Justy, aby šla do skatu - no, uvidíme.

Za mě ještě lepší než první dva díly v původní knížce. Líbí se to nám i dětem, takže není co řešit a plný počet hvězdiček.

Kontext: S dětmi jsem to vždycky četla tak nějak na přeskáčku, až jsem si to musela nakonec přečíst v klidu sama, protože domů dorazil další díl (Hilda a kamenný les) a já chtěla být v obraze (což jsem dobře udělala, protože se tam objevují postavy z této knihy, což bych jinak nepochopila.)

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute and whimsical with a drawing style and sense of humor that matched. A refreshing change from some of the books that I've been reading lately. I especially liked how aspects of the paranormal and/or fantastical were incorporated into Hilda's world. Well done and think this one would be a good read for all ages.

[Weatherwax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeder einzelne Band ist famos!
Auch dieser. Hilda und der Purzel :)

✨🐺🏕✨