‘Have You Seen My Mummy Anywhere?’ by Sophie Griffin is a rhyming picture book that follows baby Millie. She wakes up one day and can’t find her mummy, so she decides to enlist the help of some friends: the animals on her mobile.
When speaking to the author, she informed us that the book was written for her two nieces.
‘The idea first came to me when my sister put her newborn down on a playmat while she did the dishes. My youngest niece, also named Millie, craned her neck to try and see my sister. She didn’t want to let her out of her sight. Not too long before this, my other niece, Charlie, had to go through sleep therapy. These were the two biggest inspirations behind the story.’
A few months ago, Northern Beaches Mums held a giveaway competition. Local mum and winner, Dimity, had this to say:
‘My son enjoys looking at pictures and reading ‘Have You Seen My Mummy Anywhere?” by Sophie Griffin. He likes pointing out all the animals (particularly the crocodile) and touches his hair, ears and so on as the story is read. The book is a quick, easy and enjoyable read.’
The author was very happy to hear that Dimity’s son enjoyed the book. She was particularly happy that he followed along with the actions in the story. ‘The core message is that no matter where you are, even if you can’t see them, your mother is never far away. Something to help soothe any anxiety before sleep. But I didn’t want it to just be about that. After reading many many books to my nieces and talking to different mums, I came up with another idea. I wanted to help them learn some body awareness. Each animal in the story asks Millie to look for her mum in or under a different part of her body: the lion tells her to look in her hair, the elephant under her feet. The aim was to help them put a name to these parts in a fun way, so I’m thrilled that Dimity’s son instinctively followed along.’
Sophie has been visiting a number of local daycares in her hometown of Melbourne in the past few months, and they share Dimity’s sentiment around the book.
Creative Play Educator, Wendy, at the Creative Play Learning Centre said, ‘I haven’t seen my little ones sit so still and so focused—listening and looking with such intent. They loved analysing the images and listening to Sophie. I’m blown away.’
Leanne, the Early Childhood Coordinator at the Cheltenham Community Childcare Centre, said the book ‘…is a beautifully engaging story that our children absolutely loved. They were fully involved in Millie’s search for her mummy, especially when one of our educators added fun actions—checking behind their ears and looking around just like Millie!
With its interactive elements and heartwarming message that mummy will always be there, this book is a joy to read and a wonderful addition to our collection.’
If you’re looking to expand your child’s book collection and add a heartwarming message before bedtime, consider picking up a copy of ‘Have You Seen My Mummy Anywhere?’ by Sophie Griffin. You can order a copy right now through Booktopia, or your local bookshop will be able to order it in upon request.