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Meet Mim
The world of the sandy seabed is brought to life in Meet Mim, the story of one of the natural world’s masters of disguise ― the mimic octopus. Sandra Severgnini sets up a delightful guessing game for the reader while showcasing the abilities of this little-known creature. The mimic octopus can change color, shape and skin texture in all kinds of amazing ways. It deters predators by shapeshifting into creatures that are known to be poisonous, such as the spiked lionfish and the banded sea snake. It can even imitate jellyfish and sea stars. This book is for everyone from inquisitive little people who love nature to adults who can still be fascinated. Budding marine biologists will delight in the wealth of accurate detail presented in the illustrations. Adult and child readers alike will be left with a new appreciation for the life in our precious yet threatened marine environments.
- GenresPicture Books
32 pages, Hardcover
Published August 29, 2023
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 22, 2023
Mim is in disguise.
What an utterly brilliant book. I absolutely adored meeting Mim.
Firstly, as with all the EK children’s books I’ve been privileged to read, Meet Mim is beautifully produced, with thick, glossy pages and a high quality, robust and durable cover that means it will be long lasting in both home and educational settings. More than that, it’s such a glorious book that I can envisage Meet Mim being much cherished and held onto long after the target age group of 4-8 year olds have grown up.
Each double page spread has Mim, a mimic octopus, changing to blend with her environment, creating a sense of fun to the book, but also introducing young readers to all kinds of marine creatures that are fascinating. I could envisage all manner of classroom activities and research for older readers, perhaps leading to oral presentations, as well as a developing understanding of what is an unfamiliar natural environment under the sea. Younger readers might find themselves counting the little fish watching Mim adapt to her surroundings, and the language used is perfect for developing writing. There are super compound words like ‘side-winding’, with ellipsis to show confusion and doubt, alliteration and assonance all sprinkled through the writing. I love the fact that there is far more illustration than text so that reluctant readers are drawn in without realising they are learning so much about the craft of writing as well as the natural environment.
At the end of this wonderful book are ‘5 Fabulous Facts about the Mimic Octopus’ that could be the catalyst for so much more investigation of other creatures.
All of those elements make Meet Mim a delight, but the real beauty, the absolute triumph of this book, comes through the illustrations that are, quite simply, wonderful. There’s a looseness in them that creates a wateriness just right for Mim’s ocean setting. There are small details, like a bottle on the seabed, that raise awareness of the threat to our seas too.
I loved Meet Mim. It may be aimed at readers about half a century younger than me, but I thought it was wonderful.
What an utterly brilliant book. I absolutely adored meeting Mim.
Firstly, as with all the EK children’s books I’ve been privileged to read, Meet Mim is beautifully produced, with thick, glossy pages and a high quality, robust and durable cover that means it will be long lasting in both home and educational settings. More than that, it’s such a glorious book that I can envisage Meet Mim being much cherished and held onto long after the target age group of 4-8 year olds have grown up.
Each double page spread has Mim, a mimic octopus, changing to blend with her environment, creating a sense of fun to the book, but also introducing young readers to all kinds of marine creatures that are fascinating. I could envisage all manner of classroom activities and research for older readers, perhaps leading to oral presentations, as well as a developing understanding of what is an unfamiliar natural environment under the sea. Younger readers might find themselves counting the little fish watching Mim adapt to her surroundings, and the language used is perfect for developing writing. There are super compound words like ‘side-winding’, with ellipsis to show confusion and doubt, alliteration and assonance all sprinkled through the writing. I love the fact that there is far more illustration than text so that reluctant readers are drawn in without realising they are learning so much about the craft of writing as well as the natural environment.
At the end of this wonderful book are ‘5 Fabulous Facts about the Mimic Octopus’ that could be the catalyst for so much more investigation of other creatures.
All of those elements make Meet Mim a delight, but the real beauty, the absolute triumph of this book, comes through the illustrations that are, quite simply, wonderful. There’s a looseness in them that creates a wateriness just right for Mim’s ocean setting. There are small details, like a bottle on the seabed, that raise awareness of the threat to our seas too.
I loved Meet Mim. It may be aimed at readers about half a century younger than me, but I thought it was wonderful.
November 15, 2023
Young readers are taken on an underwater adventure while discovering a colourful array of sea creatures in this charming picture book from award-winning author-illustrator Sandra Severgnini.
Through a unique reading experience, children get a glimpse of a mysterious creature on each page while trying to guess exactly what it is. Clever clues and lovely alliteration pull readers through the story and keep them turning pages to find out just what the fascinating animal could be. Lovely illustrations include adorable details – like a fish seeing its own reflection in a bubble – that will bring a smile to readers.
My full review can be found in Armadillo Magazine.
Through a unique reading experience, children get a glimpse of a mysterious creature on each page while trying to guess exactly what it is. Clever clues and lovely alliteration pull readers through the story and keep them turning pages to find out just what the fascinating animal could be. Lovely illustrations include adorable details – like a fish seeing its own reflection in a bubble – that will bring a smile to readers.
My full review can be found in Armadillo Magazine.
December 21, 2023
This wonderfully produced picture book reminds me of a quiz night where you are given progressive clues to try and find the answer and continually checking off the wrong answers. I love the illustrations of the different sea creatures, all the added detail of the world to explore, finding Mim in all the different pages and the expressions on the cast of accompanying small fish. Its a picture book to pore over in it's detail.
October 25, 2023
Meet Mim, a brown spotted flatfish...no wait! She's a spiked lionfish...no wait! She's a banded sea snake. A surprising picture book about a mimic octopus. Back matter includes fabulous facts. (Not a big fan of the illustrations though.)
Themes: sea creatures, the sea, surprises, camoflauge
Ages: preK - 4th grade+
Pub year: 2023
Themes: sea creatures, the sea, surprises, camoflauge
Ages: preK - 4th grade+
Pub year: 2023
January 31, 2024
'Meet Mim' by Sandra Severgnini is a stunningly produced picture book. The beauty and detail in Severgnini's ocean illustrations are sublime and every page is a work of art! Her minimal text and the slow reveal of the true 'nature' of what Mim actually is has been beautifully done ... so, do yourself a favour and check this book out. I'm sure you will love it as much as I do!
October 26, 2023
Very coool! I hadn’t quite caught on to what the book was referring to until the very end, but it was fascinating to learn about the cleverness and adaptability of the Mimic Octopus!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews