Mini has big ears, just as you'd expect an elephant to have. The trouble is, the size of her ears doesn't mean they're better for listening.
Mini hears what she wants to hear.
A request to clean her room becomes play time. And Mini gets so excited about an excursion to the museum, she starts daydreaming instead of listening to the teacher's instructions.
Missing the excursion is a prompt for Mini to make a change. She must improve her listening skills.
Perhaps Milo the rabbit can help? Milo is excellent at listening.
Mini learns the importance of being a good listener, and develops a strategy to remind herself how to listen well. It works magnificently, at least most of the time.
The Mini and Milo universe is populated by animals who live just like human children do, going to school, playing games, and so on. They're cute characters and extremely relatable situations. The illustrations by Natashia Curtin are active, with lots of colour and movement, just like life with young children.
Written by Venita Dimos, who is a lawyer, mediator, coach and mum, Mini and Milo: The Big Flappy Ears is the second book in the Mini and Milo series, bringing to life the reality of children's development and learning about social skills (read our review of book 1, Mini and Milo: The Teeny-Tiny Voice). It's a great concept with plenty of scope for more books.
The Mini and Milo series is a must-have for home and school libraries, and I highly recommend The Big Flappy Ears.
Title: Mini and Milo: The Big Flappy Ears
Author: Venita Dimos
Illustrator: Natashia Curtin
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, $25.99
Publication Date: September 2023
Format: Hardcover
ISBN:
For ages: 4+
Type: Picture Book
