Title: Langweilst du dich, Minimia? (Are you bored, Mini-Mia?)

Author/Illustrator: Rocio Bonilla

Age Group: 3-6

Synopsis: Mia is a busy kid but she has nothing to do on Sundays, how is she going to stop herself from getting bored?

The Lowdown:

I think kids need to be bored. Not continuously for hours on end but to have unscheduled time in which they must entertain themselves is important. It’s when the creativity really emerges. No classes, no structure, just be safe and have fun. I’m not saying that classes and structure don’t have their place, just that they aren’t always around and it’s an important skill, to be able to entertain yourself. Rocio Bonilla does an amazing job of tapping into the child psyche that leads the reader on an interesting and meandering journey. At the same time she redelivers the same amazing illustrations that I first discovered in What Color is a Kiss?

“And let’s go!”

Mia introduces herself as her friends call her “Mini-Mia”, for those who haven’t yet met her in Bonilla’s previous books, as a lover of strawberry cakes, swallows, riding bikes, books, and taking care of plants. However now she’s also a big girl. And of course with age comes more activities. She plans out her whole week: hockey, painting, the library, meeting friends and playing with her grandma. Sunday is the only open day. Mini-Mia doesn’t like Sundays, they’re BORING. There’s nothing to do. She decides to ask a mouse what she should do to alleviate her boredom. He doesn’t know but directs her to to the rabbit. Predictably, Mini-Mia must keep searching, asking an array of characters if they know what will keep the boredom at bay. It isn’t until she asks her mother, that the reader is shown the trail of activities that she’s created in the search of a boredom buster.

“Aber niemand weiss es”- But no one knows; “Nein” – No

Bonilla’s illustrations are so fun with hidden bits of foreshadowing and hindsight laced through each page. They’re visually stunning, proving again that Bonilla is a master of creating action and emotion with a relatable simplicity. The simplicity stems from the strategic scribbling that provides the artistic stimulation while reminding the reader that we are traversing the mind of a child. In the end, it’s just downright fun and Mini-Mia is such a likeable character with her spunk, attitude and imagination. This is the kind of book I love giving as a gift. And as I finish longingly flipping through the pages, I remind myself that we bought it as a birthday present for one of Bug’s friends. However, I shall be exceedingly glad, knowing how much this book will speak to another incarnation of Mini-Mia.

“Hast du dich gerade noch gelangweilt?” – Weren’t you just bored? “Wer? Ich?” – Who me?

Story Tips:

1. Pay attention to Mini-Mia’s room and see if you can find the connections in the rest of the story.

I need more!

Check out my other review of Rocio Bonilla’s What Color is a Kiss? Another Rocio Bonilla book that we’ve recently discovered is Little Bro, Big Sis  (Geschwiste – in German), a great one about siblings.

Add to my library:

This book is currently out only in German and Spanish. I’ll update this page when I find out when/if there will be an English version.