Home is where the heart is: Mister Toots

Mister Toots by Emma Chichester Clark(HarperCollins, 2022)Good to Read for:warm fuzziesdeveloping empathyconversations around refugeesQuality picture books are more than just well-crafted, engaging stories. They work on multiple levels, depending on the child and the conversations you allow them to spark. 

Mister Toots by Emma Chichester Clark (HarperCollins, 2022) is no exception. As with last week's recommendation (Red lorry, Yellow Lorry), readers are invited into a world inhabited entirely by dogs. That is, until '[o]ne wild [and] stormy day', when a stranger arrives in town on the doorstep of a friendly mummy dog named Bella.

Being a kind mummy, Bella invites the small, human-like creature in for shelter and sustenance. 'Terribly thirsty' and 'dreadfully hungry too', he gratefully accepts Bella's hospitality.

 

"Do you feel better now?" asked Bella.

The little creature just stared up at her.

"You don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?" said Bella.

 

Despite the language barrier, Bella's children (Tulip and Tadpole) are delighted with the small visitor.

 

"Oh! Mummy!" cried Tadpole. "What is he? Can we keep him?"

 

What is he, indeed?

   

They name the creature Mister Toots. (“Because toot toot was the first thing he said to us.”) Wearing a long, elfish cap, Mister Toots is hard to define exactly – which was a deliberate ploy of Chichester Clark's. Here she is in an interview with the podcast In the Reading Corner, explaining how she initially imagined Mr Toots as a miniature man:

 

“He looked a little bit like a banker, like the father of the children in Mary Poppins... I liked the idea of having a little man in a doggy world. But everyone thought it was too peculiar.”

– Emma Chichester Clark – Mister Toots (In The Reading Corner Podcast) 

Instead, Chichester Clark settled on an ambiguous character that feels part alien, part gnome. But above all, Mister Toots has a child-like vulnerability critical to Chichester Clark's idea. 

At first, Mister Toots finds it hard to settle and looks wistfully out of the window at the sky. It’s as if he’s looking for someone or something,” said Tulip.

 

Tulip and Tadpole did everything they could to distract him and cheer the little creature up…

and after a while…

he began to join in.

 

One image, in particular, stood out for me. A full-page illustration vignetted in a soft-edged oval, it's a moment of intimacy, acceptance and love. Bella (the mummy) sits on a chair with Mister Toots snuggled on her lap. With her eyes closed, she has a look of bliss. Behind her, light streams through a window, and her two children gather around her feet, smiling tenderly at Mister Toots.

Chichester Clarke wanted it to feel like a Madonna and Child – and she succeeded. Beneath the pastel coloured image reads a single line:

 

They loved him with all their hearts.

   

In fact, everybody – neighbours included – loved Mister Toots.

 

But one day a terrible thing happened…

 

While walking in the park, Mister Toots runs off into a stand of trees. The family runs after him and finds Mister Toots pointing at a basket hanging from the trees.

 

"Mine!" said Mister Toots.

   

Together, they pull. CRASH! The basket comes free. Attached to it by ropes, a giant balloon catches the wind and begins to fly away. Quick as a flick, Mister Toots jumps inside and is 'whooshed away in the wind.'

   

Mister Toots calls out, "Goodbye! Thank you!" and is 'soon far out of sight.'

It's a sudden departure – and the children are distraught.

 

"Oh, my darlings!" said Bella.

"I think our little Toots may be going back to where he came from."

 

Chichester Clark describes this section of the story as a period of grief and mourning. It lasts for two spreads…

   

…Until:

 

Just then, there was a knock at the door…

… and there was Mister Toots!

He grabbed hold of Tadpole's paws.

"He wants us to follow him!"…

   

As Mister Toots runs through the town, Bella and her kids are joined by others.

 

Soon, the whole town was following Mister Toots.

Then, suddenly, everyone stopped.

They could hardly believe their eyes.

 

Hundreds of balloons float in the sky, each with a basket containing a little creature like Mister Toots. The doggy townsfolk (rather than feeling invaded) are thrilled by the visitors:

   

They were all given a warm welcome.

 

Mister Toots is an inspiring story of friendship. First one, then many strangers are welcomed with open arms. Now pan out a little and view it in light of the conflict in Ukraine. 

Without making too much of a jump, Mister Toots and his fellow-creatures are easily viewed as refugees. Indeed, Chichester Clark herself likened Mister Toots to a refugee "who needs help, needs [a] home, needs food, needs – everything." That was her original idea – and why she depicted the little creatures as child-like and vulnerable. 

Mister Toots feels like it was written precisely for this moment. But like my book, A Little Bit Worried (published at the start of the pandemic in 2020), it's purely coincidental that it fits the moment so well. In their review of the book, the Times wrote:

 

Little did Emma Chichester Clark know when she wrote this story about a child arriving on a doorstep…that it would be published in the week that a war in Europe would leave more than one million Ukrainians homeless.

 We can try and protect kids from bad news.

But they will inevitably pick up information from other kids, older siblings and concerned parents talking amongst themselves. And let's not forget – many kids will meet Ukrainian refugees firsthand as they attempt to start new lives in host countries. 

'Avoiding the topic [of the Ukrainian crisis] can make children feel scared, says Ane Lemche, a psychologist and child counsellor with Save the Children.' [BBC News] Instead, Prof Vivian Hill (the British Psychological Society) suggests talking with worried children and highlighting the measures Ukrainians are taking to protect themselves, including "moving to other countries where it's safer." The critical thing is to reassure children. And Mister Toots (with its refugee element) is the perfect tool for parents and teachers to help explain an uncomfortable reality in an age-appropriate and accessible way.

Many children won't read any deeper meaning into the story of Mister Toots. "They might just be feeling that this is wonderful because this is how I want to feel within my family," muses Nicky Gamble in her interview with Chichester Clark.

One thing is certain. The gentle and inspiring tale of Mister Toots will leave everyone with a warm, fuzzy feeling – confirming the old adage that home is where the heart is.

   Tips for sharing Mister Toots

With soft, pastel illustrations and young language, this story lends itself to quiet storytimes – so perfect for a bedtime read.

Use the untold back-story of Mister Toots and his friends to spark some creative thinking. Ask our children where you think the creatures have come from and why they need a new home.

If your child worries about the Ukrainian crisis (or has refugee classmates), use the story to start age-appropriate conversations. (Mister Toots is perfect for focusing on the positive message of finding safety and being looked after.)

STORIES WORTH SHARINGMister Toots by Emma Chichester Clark(HarperCollins, 2022)Good to Read for:warm fuzziesdeveloping empathyconversations around refugeesCopyright © 2022 Emma Chichester Clark (Text & Illustrations)From MISTER TOOTS by Emma Chichester ClarkGOOD TO READFor conversations about migrants & refugees

The Day War Came by Nicola Davies and Rebecca Cobb

King of the Sky by Nicola Davies and Laura Carlin

Beegu by Alexis Deacon

The Suitcase by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

Refuge by Ann Booth & Sam Usher

BUY THE BOOKPowered by Bookshop.orgSupporting independent bookshops  "A timely tale of kindness to strangers."– The Times“I shared this…with four classes of children; they were all equally entranced.”– Parenting Without Tears buy uk Currently unavailable on US Bookshop.org* I EARN COMMISSION FROM THIS LINK #AD/AFFRELATED ARTICLESSOURCESMister Toots by Emma Chichester Clark (HarperCollins, 2022) Interview: Emma Chichester Clark – Mister Toots (In The Reading Corner Podcast. 19 March, 2022) Ukraine conflict: How to help yourself, your kids, and others (Lauren Potts, bbc.co.uk, 1 March 2022)© 2022 BY TIM WARNES(UNLESS OTHERWISE ATTRIBUTED)****USE OF THIRD-PARTY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL FALLS UNDER FAIR USE/FAIR DEALING PRACTICE.