Mina

by Matthew Forsythe

From the creator of the acclaimed and beloved Pokko and the Drum comes an emotionally resonant, “richly imagined” (The Horn Book, starred review)​ picture book about trust, worry, and loyalty between a father and daughter.

Mina and her father live in a hollowed-out tree stump on the edge of a pond on the edge of a forest. Nothing ever bothers Mina, until one day, her father brings home a suspicious surprise from the woods.

Should Mina trust her father—or listen to her own instincts?

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Cats, Humor, Storytime, Fiction

68 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 15, 2022

About the author

Matthew Forsythe is an author and illustrator living in Los Angeles.

His first book, Pokko and the Drum, won the Charlotte Zolotow Honor for picture book writing and his second book, MINA, was a Governor General Awards finalist.

He was also a designer on several animated shows including Adventure Time, The Midnight Gospel and the Oscar-nominated film, Robin Robin.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations are beautiful, I found the story confusing. Mina is a mouse whose dad is always bringing interesting things home, one day he brings a cat home but tells Mina it is a squirrel, Mina thinks it looks like a cat but believes her father, another couple of 'squirrels' join the first one and one day they try to kill the mouse family, just before they are about to eat them Mina asks if this is how they repay their kindness, having shared so much with them, the cats reply 'yes'. The mice get away even though their friends are trying to kill them, Mina's Dad insists he was right in saying everything would be fine as they didn't get killed. I'm not sure what this story is trying to say? Don't trust your friends? Don't trust your parents? If you are kind to someone they will treat you badly? Don't trust cats? The best thing I can think of from the story is trust your own instincts which is perhaps a good message for children but wasn't very clear if this was what the story was trying to say.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 stars for the colorful artwork.

2 stars for the story about a child whose perfectly valid and correct fears for her safety are dismissed by adults, and especially for ending with the declaration that her father was "right" just because they luckily didn't get eaten.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mina just wants to read but her father keeps bringing home surprises, from stick insects to squirrels who aren't really squirrels. He promises her everything is going to be fine; he doesn't want her to worry so much. A call to the doctor reveals that sometimes, it is necessary to worry that much and more. However we also learn that other times, everything really does turn out ok in the end.

I kind of feel this is the story of my life right now only I haven't gotten to the part where everything is fine. I'm still in the squirrels part.
I am very much Mina.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life is full of surprises and adventure for Mina. Her father makes it so. He’s constantly bringing home new thingamabobs, noise, and visitors. Nothing bothers Mina though. She just reads and reads. Everything is fine. Until he brings home a huge surprise. Mina and her dad are mice. So why, oh why is he bringing home a giant cat? A cat! Haha...That’s no squirrel!

Readers will get a giggle waiting for the big reveal or surprise. Will Mina and her father find a new friend? Or will they get eaten? The suspense builds with every page turn. Come see how an old friend and the power of reading saves the day.

The pages and colors aren’t shiny or smooth, but definitely have a look and feel all their own. The pale fluorescent colors make the world glow on the page! Mr. Forsythe’s art is full of shapes, shadows, and surprises. I loved the look on Mina’s face. Her one little eye said so much.

Recommended read. Check it out from your local Library.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations of this story are so charming and delightful but the content borders on sinister. While I'm sure many children, and adults, can relate to a tale about navigating the consequences of an irresponsible parent's actions the story does not come to any meaningful conclusions. Mina's concerns continue to be dismissed and her father's decisions, which put her life in danger, are not truly critiqued. The book ends by reassuring the reader that it is a story about trust and that unquestioning faith in a parent always results in "everything being fine." The whole book made me incredibly uncomfortable.

[Kate Palermo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a hard time with this one. The illustrations are gorgeous, and I liked Pokko and the Drum (same author), so I was excited to read this with my daughter. However, I was disappointed to find that the ultimate lesson of the story hinges on a father basically gaslighting his daughter. The adult she should be able to trust is putting her in an unsafe situation and telling her "Everything's fine! Don't worry!", and the book's ending reinforces the message that this child should trust the parent even when they are being unsafe and making the child feel unsafe. A different ending could have redeemed it for me.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I love this book, I picked it up off the new books shelf and was completely captivated. The artwork is hauntingly beautiful & full of hidden laughs for those who really look. I cannot wait to read and share this funny, slyly sweet, story to my nieces.

[Afaf Ammar · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I told you everything would be fin"

مينا تحب دائمًا أن تعيش في عالمها الخاص مع كتبها بدون أن يزعجها أحد، ولكن والدها لا يتوقف عن إحضار المفاجآت إلى البيت،
ثم يخبرها بثقة أن كل شيء سيكون بخير،
حتى اليوم أحضر فيه سنجابًا إلى البيت، ولكن في الحقيقة كان شيئًا آخر،
ومازال يخبرها بثقة أن كل شيء سيكون بخير

عمل فني لطيف للأطفال،
عن الكتب والقراءة وسحرها الخاص الرائع الذي يمكن أن ينقذنا أحيانًا✨️🧡

2 November 2024

[Catherine Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encore meilleur que Pokko et le tambour, qui est un de mes albums favoris des dernières années!

[itselv]

Wholesome artwork, feels so freeing and fun.
I get Mina—having an adventurous, bold father that pulls you with him while you just want to stay in your comfort zone, but that’s alright, he’ll always make it alright.

[Miri · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a weird story. The illustrations are pretty, but nothing earth-shattering. The text is fine, but the premise is just bizarre.

I'm not a fan of stories that make it look charming and eccentric when incompetent adults endanger their children by being blithe and careless (and I really dislike the way it ends by saying Mina's dad was right, after he spent the book dismissing Mina's concerns for their safety. Totally undermines any kind of empowering message that might have otherwise have salvaged the book).

I also don't like the representation of cats as cold and heartless, given how many people really believe that cats are like that.

Basically everything about this book was a major miss for me.

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely painted children's book about a girl who doesn't really trust her dad, he's always getting them into trouble. The latest worry of hers? He's brought home a squirrel that looks suspiciously like a large cat.

[Abby Johnson]

Just so stinkin' cute and colorful. I love the rainbow colors in the whimsical illustrations and the facial expressions! With very few lines, Forsythe is able to convey a lot of emotion. Mina's worried about something. Her father has a surprise for her. And his surprise is that he's brought home a squirrel to live with them. But this creature that's bigger than them with a long, bushy tail is... not a squirrel. She's a cat. And so Mina is worried. Because Mina and her father... are mice.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps you reading, guessing, hooked, in suspense, and very entertained.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t wait to read this one with my niece and nephews…and possibly my youth group. Funny and sweet with beautiful illustrations. And really creepy cats.

[donna backshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a weird little book.

Charming, with an old-school feel to it, but definitely weird.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are beautiful.

Mina is a mouse who lives with her dad. Her dad seems slightly overly optimistic. One day he brings home a surprise, that he identifies as a "squirrel" but Mina is not confident in his identification. Mina is right, dad is wrong, but all turns out fine in the end.

[Laura Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are glorious. Five star worthy. This is a spin off of sorts of Matthew Forsythe's Pokko and the Drum. Another beauty of a picture book. But you may want to come up with your own tale when reading Mina to a child. Mina started out promising but went nowhere-pretty quickly. Completely disappointing since there was so much potential. The dad is quirky and fun. The character of Mina could have really taken off but it falls flat. More time needed to be devoted to the words.

[Angela Heider-Willms · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is as funny as it is beautiful. Each page is splendid and full of wonderful details and the story of Mina dealing with adults not seeing the risks of the world around them strangely fitting for these times.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner from this creator. I loved the colorful, gently surreal illustrations and the wackiness of the story--especially the stick insects!

[ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m in this book and i like it

[Haylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

bro i’m cackling

[Chaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is giving "get your fucking dog" "it don't bite" "Yes it do"

[Aline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comme dit mon fils, "c'est trop choupignon"!!! Je suis tellement d'accord, les illustrations sont superbes, les courbes et les couleurs très douces et l'histoire est vraiment très rigolote. Je n'ai qu'une chose a rajouté, à quand des phasmes liseurs pour endormir les enfants !

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh! Dit was gewoonweg TE LEUK! En te MOOI!


Ik ben al fan van Matthew Forsythe nadat ik zijn boek Pokko and the Drum had gelezen en ik was dus helemaal enthousiast over een nieuw boek door hem. Muizen? Mooie tekeningen? Lezen? Kom maar door!

Ik heb echt heerlijk gelachen om hoe kalm de vader was en hoe ik en zijn dochter helemaal OH NEE gingen. Want ja, vaders brengt graag dingen mee van boven. Van mooie art (postzegels) tot boeken (ik wil weten waar iemand muizenboeken koopt) tot wel.. ja, de nieuwste verrassing van papa. Eentje die je als muis toch echt niet had moeten doen. XD Ik bedoel maar… dat is toch echt een slecht idee? Dus het werd even spannend. Zou er iets gebeuren? Komt alles goed? Ik genoot van het einde en heb ook met spanning gezeten maar ook gelachen. Hopelijk heeft vaders een lesje geleerd en let hij eens op wat hij meeneemt… of luistert hij eens naar zijn dochter. 😉

De illustraties waren echt WAUW WAUW, wat een mooi gebruik van kleur en meer.

Oh en natuurlijk bonuspunten naar de MC die zo zo van lezen houdt. Ik vind het altijd geweldig als boeken boekenwurmen in verhalen stoppen!

Ik zou dit boek helemaal aanraden!

Recensie ook gepost op https://boekeneiland.nl/


ENGLISH REVIEW:

An adorable book about a tiny little mouse and the things that her father brings back from the human world (not all good).


I read this one in Dutch and will also write a review in Dutch, but I also had to write one in English to share with my dear blog readers here! Because this book was gorgeous and also made me laugh so much.

😍I loved that Mina was such a bookworm. She reads and reads and reads. I just love it when books feature characters, especially MCs, that Love reading.
😍I loved seeing how hard Mina’s dad worked. Not just to make the house prettier or to have food on the table, but also to make sure his daughter has new books or new fun things to enjoy.
😍However, I had a bigger laugh at seeing what he at times brought home that didn’t work. Like this current one. I won’t spoil it, but DAD, please, you are a mouse. You shouldn’t bring THAT to your house. Yes, it behaves… but for how long?
😍I so loved his collection of stamps and now wish I was a small mouse so I could have these pretty things on my walls and it would be the size of a painting. Really, can you imagine putting stamps on a normal home? Haha, right, that just doesn’t work.
😍Things really got exciting and I was very nervous. I was hoping that the book wouldn’t go that way, but also kind of was hoping. Because it did seems that dad wasn’t listening. And maybe a small lesson was in order. Because despite how fun something looks, some things shouldn’t be taken home.
😍The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous and I love love the use of colours. And there are so many fun details. Even if you read the text, absorbed that, you can find all sorts of fun things.
😍The ending. Oh my, that was a tad hairy and scary and I was so worried. But it was also lovely and it made me smile.
😍I especially had a laugh at how calm dad was despite the circumstances.

😶I just wished that dad had listened to his daughter once. I mean, while it was funny to see him be so calm about it, I just wished that he would have taken his daughter more serious.

But all in all, this is one picture book that I really enjoyed. I wouldn’t mind having some of these pages as prints so I can hang them on the walls of my home. The colours are just perfect. And that page with Mina reading? Would be perfect for my library. I would recommend this book to all looking for a fun and cute book featuring a bookworm.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations accompany what's becoming Forsythe's signature subversive storytelling. Mina is a mouse with a good head on her shoulders, who doesn't usually mind her father's hare-brained ideas. But when he brings home a pet "squirrel" that Mina is sure is not that at all, will he have gone too far? Ripe for discussion with kids in kindergarten or older - are parents always right? Should Mina have done something different? Lots to chew on, plus beautiful art to enjoy along the way.

[Lata · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a weird one. Mina's father persistently brings home things that are somewhat dangerous, till the time he brings home three cats. Despite Mina's warnings, he doesn't listen, and then things go wrong, but we thankfully don't get carnage.
-2 stars

The illustrations are marvellous, on the otherhand.
-5 stars

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself absolutely captivated by the illustrations, the wash of browns and oranges and yellows gives this a fall feel, but also a warm tone. It's very fun when young readers know something that the characters don't know, and I think they'll enjoy the suspense that generates here. Mina and her Dad's relationship is charming and funny as Mina tries very hard not to panic about some of her Dad's choices. This is rather long for a picture book, so I don't think it would work in storytime, but it is utterly charming too and I look forward to recommending it to families.

[Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't want to blow out of proportion how I feel, but there are certain corners of museums where one stumbles upon something that stirs a beautifully blurry floating feeling in your chest.... and that's what happened to me while pawing through this book. As it happens the story is also neat as a pin.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a way, you have the typical "Disney dad" in that he's quite silly/not so smart or practical. (Think Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast, etc.)

Mina just wants to read and accommodates all her dad's quirks, but isn't sure when he brings home what he is POSITIVE is a squirrel. Readers will know different.

The end of the story reminds me a bit of a story that a kid would tell.