Mozzie and Midgie

Doug McLeod (author)

Sandy Okalyi (illustrator)

Working Title Press, Australia: March 2011

ISBN: 9781921504310

Genres: animals, picture books

Issues: identity, self-esteem

Mozzie and Midgie, two young spoonbills who live on a tropical island off the coast of Australia, suffer from a severe case of ordinariness. Or so they think when a colourful (and boastful) parrot mocks their austere white plumage and black features.

Determined to find a way to make themselves beautiful, the two young birds try almost everything: they make pretend feathers out of colourful leaves; they ask the octopus to squirt them with ink; they borrow scales from a school of crimson-bellied flying fish; they use crabs for crowns and even ask clouds of butterflies to act as living tails. Nothing works, it seems. But then their mother points out the one thing that the spoonbill children hadn't considered; something that makes them unique in a way the conceited parrot is not. And it's all about appreciating yourself just the way you are.

Doug McLeod is a well-regarded comedy writer whose work includes novels for children and script-writing for Fast Forward and Seachange. His capacity for dry, understated humour works wonderfully here with Sasndy Okalyi's stylised illustrations. Her animal characters, portrayed in acrylic on board, have a strength, energy and simplicity of line more often seen in screen print. The stark, almost cubist spoonbills stand out from the other creatures in a way that celebrates their unique and somewhat eccentric appearance whilst containing an affectionate, whimsical humour. Thoroughly delightful, Mozzie and Midgie will capture the imagination of an audience of any age.