Midge & Mo is a wonderful Early Reader which sensitively portrays a little boy’s emotions as he struggles to cope with big changes in his life. Midge’s world seems very grey and empty. Can new schoolmate Mo find a way to help him come to terms with his new situation and make friends?
The Story: Midge’s parents have split up and he has moved to a new school. On his first day Midge’s teacher, Mr Lupin, asks Mo to be Midge’s buddy. Mo enthusiastically shows Midge around and tries to get him to smile and join in with others but Midge is unresponsive. Mo perseveres for days to no avail but then a conversation with Mr Lupin reminds her what helped her when she started at the school a year earlier. Can Mo’s solution to her own problem also help Midge?
Midge wants things to go back to the way they were and resists Mo’s efforts to cheer him up. Mo is happy to show Midge the class hamster, the monkey bars and the big sunflower but Midge compares everything to his old school where he was so happy. But a present from Mo helps Midge to start accepting his situation and realise that a new beginning may not be so bad.
The imagery in Midge & Mo is fabulous, both weather and colour are used to convey both Midge and Mo’s emotions. Midge feels like he has a rain cloud over his head as he sits at his desk, eats lunch and watches children play football, we can really empathise with his sadness as he struggles to process his emotions. When Mr Lupin asks everybody to draw a picture Midge draws grey rainclouds while Mo’s is a riot of colours.
The text is easy to read and Becky Cameron’s illustrations include colourful double spreads as well as smaller cameos to break up the text and support a young, newly independent reader. Bright colours contrast with the grey clouds and raindrops that show how Midge feels now and how Mo felt before she solved her problem. Mo’s present to Midge also involves water, it’s a really kind and heartfelt solution to Midge’s insecurity.
Midge and Mo’s developing friendship is at the heart of this story and we love the sign in the school garden which reflects the message that it conveys. Mo is kind, caring and her determination to help Midge and understand how he is feeling is truly heartwarming.
Midge & Mo encompasses diversity, single parent families and the emotions triggered by a big change in a child’s situation. It takes a sensitive look at a child’s emotions after a family break up and can be used to help a child in the same situation talk about s/he feels about changes.
Age Range: 5 +
Author: Lara Williamson / Illustrator: Becky Cameron
Thank you to Little Tiger Press for sending a copy of Midge & Mo, it’s such an uplifting story 🙂
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