Polly Miliori, Author
KLEPSIDRA, May 2013
"Mumbly the toothless anteater"

Because the crisis Greece is going through is so severe, not only financially but morally, parents should be much more demanding about the books that are written for young children. Fortunately there are still tales being published which are not only expressed in elegant and appealing language but have a message of substance to give to their young readers.

Prize-winning author Sophia Madouvalou’s Mumbly the Anteater, illustrated by Despina Karapanou, is in this admirable category, and kindness to others is its message. Its hero, Mumbly, is a baby anteater who begins life following his mother’s selfish advice to search out ever more and fatter ants to eat. But as he grows up and becomes responsible he perceives a very basic truth: that every ant he meets on his journey to the land of the elusive fairy tale is a creature deserving his respect, with as much right to life as he. And putting his brain to work to help his conscience, he follows the example of the bees and learns to live on nectar sucked from flowers without destroying them. When he falls in love with an anteater princess, instead of being tempted back to his old ways he succeeds in making his beloved join him in respecting life. They both life happily ever after and we shall live better still if the new generation can be brought up on tales as tender and humane as this one.