At 8am, it's lousy. At 8.05am, it's lousy. At 8.29 and 8.56am, it continues to be lousy. Lousy lousy lousy.
Enter Lox. He knows how to cheer up Mumu. A film (especially one with horses). Oysters and French fries. Hide and seek. Rollercoasters or the smell of the countryside.
But the thing is, Mumu is having none of it. Nothing works. She's not feeling better. She's not cheered up. Her responding comments are as dry as a bone and her mood won't budge.
Lox, as good friends do, continues to try. Salted peanuts. A rose garden. A trip to the top of a skyscraper.
Nope. Nope. And nope.
Annoyed, Lox picks up the bad mood. Until Mumu, of course, snaps him out of it.
Charming and funny, with deliciously dry dialogue and lots of reader smiles, this story will have kids silent with anticipation, hoping Mum's stance will break. Many a child will be more than familiar with such a surly stance (as will many an adult!) so the relatability to this narrative is high.
David Mackintosh's classic scenic angles and use of texture and scribbly lines and typeface, is sheer joy--pieced together with lush colour and plenty of white space, too.
David has long been a creative favourite of mine, but don't take my word for it--just ask Oliver Jeffers, and I quote: 'It's stunningly beautiful and simple'.
Told you.
Title: What's Up, Mumu?
Author/Illustrator: David Mackintosh
Publisher: HarperCollins, $30.25 RRP
Publication Date: 1 August 2015
Format: Hard cover with dust jacket
ISBN: 9780007463091
For ages: 3 - 9
Type: Picture Book
