Millicent and the Wind

by Robert Munsch, Suzanne Duranceau (Illustrator)

The wind brings Millicent a hoped-for friend.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Canada, Fiction, Friendship, Kids, Fantasy

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Robert Munsch was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Fordham University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and from Boston University in 1971 with a Master of Arts degree in anthropology.

He studied to become a Jesuit priest, but decided he would rather work with children after jobs at orphanages and daycare centers. In 1973, he received a Master of Education in Child Studies from Tufts University. In 1975 he moved to Canada to work at the preschool at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. He also taught in the Department of Family Studies at the University of Guelph as a lecturer and as an assistant professor. In Guelph he was encouraged to publish the many stories he made up for the children he worked with.

Munsch's wife delivered two stillborn babies in 1979 and 1980. Out of the tragedy, he produced one of his best-known books, Love You Forever. This book was listed fourth on the 2001 Publishers Weekly All-Time Best selling Children's Books list for paperbacks at 6,970,000 copies (not including the 1,049,000 hardcover copies). The Munsches have since become adoptive parents of Julie, Andrew and Tyya (see them all in Something Good!)

Munsch has obsessive-compulsive disorder and has also suffered from manic depression. In August 2008, Munsch suffered a stroke that affected his ability to speak in normal sentences. He has recovered enough that he is able to perform live, but has put his writing career on hold until he is fully recovered.

Reviews

[Lara Vickers]

This book is part of the author study project on Robert Munsch. In this book, Millicent lives in a remote area, far from the nearest town and so has no friends. The wind becomes her friend and eventually brings her a friend of her own. This is one of his more toned down titles with the illustrations done by someone other than his usual go-to guy. This illustrator taps into the sweeter side of this title which adds to the warm feeling of this book.

This could easily be added as a read aloud as part of a discussion on friendship. Related topics could include imaginary friends, feeling lonely, bullying, how to make and keep friends, etc. I like this book because it is easy for children to relate to. Many of Munsch's books are nonsensical and random with over the top illustrations. This one has a universal theme with illustrations that match well with the text.

[Grace Bolin]

'Millicent and the Wind' would be a story appropriate to read with preschoolers through 2nd graders. Millicent lives at the top of the mountain where there are no kids around to be her friend. She becomes friends with the wind, but she really wants a real child to be friends with. The wind finds her a boy to be friends with and brings him up to the mountain for them to play together. The book shares a whimsical, entertaining story that the students would enjoy reading, but there is no clear moral of the story. I would read this book during a unit on fantasy stories. I would also use this book to discuss friendship, leading to a discussion about how everyone needs a friend so be kind and reach out to others who may be lonely.

[Slayermel]

Millicent lives on a mountain top three days travel from the nearest village. She is lonely because she does not have any other children to play with. Millicent makes friends with the wind.

I really enjoyed the story right up until the end!
The end was way to sudden for me, and I didn't like how it all worked out.

My daughter brought this home from school and I was shocked that it was a Robert Munsch book.

[Michelle Rivest]

Millicent, a young girl who we can only assume is an untrained witch, lives in the secluded mountains with her (again assumed witch) mother and cat. She is able to speak with the wind, but not control or reason with it, with disastrous results. Her connection to the wind influences it to lash on her behalf against the locals, and kidnap a boy from parts unknown to play with Millicent, with absolutely no repercussions.

[David]

Has a bit of the flavor of George MacDonald, lightly but happily sprinkled onto a simple story of a girl wanting (and getting) a friend. Much less silly than Munsch’s other stories, it’s content to be sweet and magical, and feels no obligation to answer any questions beyond the few it thinks worth answering. The only reason it doesn’t get 5 stars is that it feels a bit too slight, like there’s a bit more that could be done with this concept that would make it even more meaningful.

[Tiyahna Ridley-Padmore]

In Millicent and the Wind , Robert Munsch tells the story of a little girl named Millicent who lives in isolation with her family up at the mountain tops. Millicent doesn't have any friends where she lives so she becomes friends with the wind. The girl and the wind play tag together and develop a bond. When Millicent goes to town and the other children tease her, the wind defends her. At the end of the book, Millicent asks the wind to bring her a friend and the wind carries a boy to the mountain tops for Millicent.

I'm not entirely sure what the point of this book is. Instead of getting comfortable with learning how to play with herself, Millicent asks the wind to bring her a friend and so the wind uproots another little child (depicted in illustration as a young boy of colour) from his home, family and friends just so that Millicent has somebody to play with. Although the book concludes with the two playing together, it feels uncomfortable to me.

[Ashley Newell]

I really liked this one when I was younger. As an adult I just have so many questions. Like does anyone care that this boy was kidnapped by a predatory weather entity? Is he ever allowed to go home? Does Milicent's mom ever get told that there's a new kid they have to feed now?

[Re •]

3.5 the ending LMAO WOW kids books are WILD!!
okay so this book is just plain BEAUTIFUL, the illustrations are GLORIOUS and i'm truly obsessed with them and want a print of some of the landscapes within it.
the story is cute and very simple but the ending wowee it made me giggle.

[paige turner ♡]

Millicent and the Wind is about a little girl who lives on the top of a mountain and has no friends to play with, but she finds friendship in the wind.

It wasn't terrible, but I guess the story didn't flow the way I would have liked. The ending was bizarre and sudden and a little creepy.

[Lynn Davidson]

A little girl named Millicent lived on a mountain with her mother where she had no friends to play with. The wind becomes her playmate. Gorgeous illustrations!

[Wendy]

The story is cute. It is sad the girl is alone and wants friendship. As a parent it caused me concern to have the friend taken at the end.

[KaitandMaddie]

I remember this one well from my own childhood. Kait and Maddie enjoyed it.

[Jeremy]

The illustrations are cool, but the story never did it for me.

[Sophia Hatherley]

Great artwork. Story ends a little abruptly.

[Child960801]

I love the illustrations in this book. A little girl who lives on a mountain with her mother has only the wind as her friend.

[Christine]

I have been doing a virtual family storytime with the grandkids nightly since Covid 19 social distancing started. We all love Robert Munsch and this book seemed like a good choice since all the kids have been feeling a little lonely lately having to stay at home and not being able to play with their cousins and friends. It is a lovely story, a bit silly, a lot sad about a little girl named Millicent that lives on the mountain and whose only playmate is the wind. While the wind and Millicent have lots of fun together what Millicent really longs for is a friend. A timely book as many children right now are feeling the same thing.

[Carolyn James]

Being a little girl who grew up in rural/isolated areas, I liked this book a lot as a kid. I also think this may be one of the first characters I saw that made me want to be a ginger, but that’s a whole different story hahah!

Millicent is a little girl who only has the wind to play with. Other kids tease her for having no friends, but the winds sticks up for her and on one special day, blows a friend her way to play with. It’s a sweet book and great for a read aloud. I’ve also used it for explaining plot to elementary grades. Munsch books are usually goofier, but this is a great addition to his collection and an especially great read for little girls.

[Joyce]

I had a mini version of this book in my backpack when my kids were little (along with the rubbermaid juiceboxes of apple juice and the tupperware containers of cheerios, my swiss army knife, usually an apple or two, and often a spare diaper & wipes, and a few other mini Munsch books)--for those times when you wait for something or need a break. Always loved this one, the strong, independent mom, happy but shy Millicent. Great message about how it's OK to be different, how a mom can make things happen on her own. Also loved the artwork, the swirling wind, etc.

[Grada (BoekenTrol)]

Lovely little book.
The story is about Millicent, living on the top of a mountain, without any friends. When she is out alone, she finds the wind is a good playmate.

When they do down to the village to shop, Millicent meets other kids, but since one of them hurts her, her friend the wind 'punishes' him. The other kids ran away.

Back home again, the wind finds Millicent a child to play with.

Easy story, for younger children. I loved the drawings very much!

[Kristen]

This book is an excellent choice to read to students who grew up in a rural or more isolated community. Millicent is like any other child, yet she has no friends except for the wind. Not only does she have no friends but she is bullied by other children for not having friends. The wind comes through for Millicent and blows a child to play with after an episode of bulling. The illustrations are fabulous and different from other Robert Munsch books.

[Emily]

This was one of my favourite Munsch books as a child. The illustrations are not by the beloved Martchenko, but are stunning none-the-less. I had the pocket sized edition and would take it everywhere. A beautiful, more serious but heartwarming story. Less zany than his usual work, but hits home all the same!

[jacky]

I got this for a wind themed play date. It was still a bit long for the kids attention span in that setting. The story was a little different, though. Not what we would usually gravitate to, which is a good thing.

[Katt Hansen]

Beautiful art, beautiful story. A child isolated and living at the top of the mountain has difficulty in being accepted when she finally comes down off the mountain. The wind's solution to her loneliness (and to the bullying) are fun and creative. Take your time with this one.

[LizthePrude]

This one is a little bit sweeter and less funny than his other ones.

[Nojood Alsudairi]

May be children will like it more than I did. Not one of Munsch's best. I liked the illustrations better than the text.

[Gary]

This one was one of my daughter's all time favorite children's books.

[Heather]

The illuminated letters were fun because I'd ask you what letter and you got them all right (20 months) You also liked the girls long hair.

[Amberly]

It's surprising to read some of Munsch's earlier works and see his more serious side.

[Tasneem Zafer]

Millicent's journey with the wind to find a friend!
I found it a but boring and the illustrations aren't the best!!!

[Mckinley]

Was digging it until the end.