Without being didactic this book gently introduces the idea of mindfulness and of slowing down enough to see your world.
Millie finds an old picture frame on a household throw out pile. When she holds up the frame she makes a discovery - suddenly she can see the world in a whole different way. This is a sweet idea but it becomes way more poignant when she uses the frame to help her little sister who is in hospital.
Opening sentence:
"Millie Biggins lived at the end pf Puddle Bridge Lane."
This is such an inviting story opening - as a reader I knew I would really enjoy meeting a girl called Millie Biggins.
When you share this book with your young reading companion make sure you linger over the end papers - front and back. You could also use this book to talk about recycling and of course it would be very easy to make your own picture frames and then use them to explore your school or neighborhood.
I think Millie and the Frame of Wonder is a book you should just share in your library or family but if you need discussion ideas Scholastic have written some teachers notes.
I loved a previous book by Phil Cummings and Shane Devries:
Phil is an award-winning author who developed a love of children’s literature when working as a teacher. It was during this time that Phil decided to write a children’s book. He soon discovered that it wasn’t easy, and after seven years of rejection, Phil’s first book Goodness Gracious!, illustrated by Craig Smith, was published by Omnibus/Penguin in 1989. Since then, Phil has written over sixty books for children. His most recent titles include Echidna Jim Went For A Swim, Be Brave Pink Piglet, Anzac Biscuits, Ride, Ricardo, Ride!, Bridie’s Boots, and Boy.
In 1990 Phil visited my school library in Lithgow and I have very strong memories of his presentation and of sharing Goodness Gracious with the readers in my school.
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