As the Early Childhood Host for Bella Online and a mother of four, I’m often asked to review many different books. Sometimes, they are boring to the core or I find that they are not well written for their targeted audience age group. However, with Midas and the Little Red Airplane I’ve found it to be a joy to read and my young children have already just about worn it out. My family absolutely loves this book!
The book is a hardcover book that is bright and colorful. The illustrations are so well done that it's a pleasure to just look at the story. Sometimes in children’s books you find that the pictures are small and can be difficult for small children to make out well. Not with this book. I have overhead my five year old sitting with his two year old brother pointing out all the different pictures. In one opening picture there are bandanas hanging in the closet on hangers. My son was able to point them out and tell his little brother “look there is Midas’ clothes and there are his hangers”. You see Midas wears his bandanas around his neck, so those are his clothes. The illustrations are just as fabulous as the writing all the way through the book.
In the story of Midas and the Little Red Airplane, Midas wakes up to find a lost and very upset little airplane. Midas wants to help the airplane find his way home to the airport but he doesn’t know the way. They work together and encounter many difficulties trying to find the right way to go. They stick together and Midas offers constant encouragement to the poor little airplane.
The point of the story becomes very clear once the little airplane is safely back home again at the airport. Midas says, “Remember, if you really, really want something, just keep trying, and never give up.” While kids may not fully realize what the ‘point’ is they do pick up the message. My son has heard this book many countless times now and I’ve heard him use Midas’ encouraging words with his little brother. That tells me the message Uncle Ted wanted to share in his book is very clear.
The book is dedicated to Uncle Ted’s nephew Andrew. Uncle Ted says to Andrew “Always do your best and never give up!” What a great point to start teaching our children at such a young age. I know that often parents say this to their kids but kids have a way of picking up messages through the books that are read to them. We can say it, but we can also reinforce that message with this wonderful little book, The Adventures of Midas and the Little Red Airplane.
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