Monday, July 5, 2010

Morris MacMillipede The Toast of Brussel Sprout by Mick Fitzmaurice illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura

This book has such a fabulous title!!

We all have dreams and Morris MacMillipede is no exception. He dreams of ballet but how can this be possible with 42 pairs of feet? Buying ballet shoes is the first obstacle but after many weeks as a paper boy Morris is finally able to buy all those shoes for 84 pounds. The ballet classes with Madame Butterfly are hopeless but when Morris lands the part of the ugly caterpillar in Sleeping Beauty it seems his dreams can come true. Sad to say the performance is a disaster but all is not lost. It is the wise old Stag Beetle – the voice of wisdom who first encouraged Morris to follow his dreams, who now comes to the rescue.

I am a huge fan of Satoshi Kitamura and this little junior novel is made all the more special by the addition of his marvelous illustrations. Morris MacMillipede has a fun cast of insect characters and an tells an important heart warming story.

Simple stories that are easy to read but have stories you want to keep reading are sometimes hard to find for young readers. This one is a winner. You should also look for other books illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura in our school library especially What's inside the Alphabet book and In the attic.

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