
Reach for this book when your child expresses a deep sense of loneliness or feels like an outsider because of where you live or how your family is structured. It is a beautiful choice for the child who watches other kids play from a distance and wonders if they will ever find a 'best friend' of their own. The story follows Millicent, a young girl living on a high, isolated mountain with no other children around. She befriends the wind, which plays with her and eventually helps her find a human companion. Robert Munsch moves away from his signature slapstick humor here to offer a lyrical, magical-realism approach to the universal longing for connection. It validates a child's imagination while providing a hopeful, gentle resolution to the ache of being alone. It is perfectly suited for children ages 4 to 8 who are navigating the social hurdles of making friends.
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Sign in to write a reviewThe wind physically carries a child through the air, which is portrayed as magical, not scary.
The book deals with social isolation and loneliness in a metaphorical, almost folkloric way. The 'abduction' of the boy by the wind is presented as magical and whimsical rather than scary. The resolution is hopeful and secular.
An introspective 6-year-old living in a rural area or a child who is homeschooled and expresses a desire for more peer interaction. It also suits children who have 'imaginary' friends and use their imagination to cope with transition.
This is a safe 'cold read.' However, parents should be prepared to discuss the difference between the 'magical' wind and real-world safety, as the wind essentially picks up a boy and carries him away. A parent might choose this after hearing their child say, 'I have no one to play with,' or seeing their child play alone on the outskirts of a playground group.
Younger children (4-5) will be enchanted by the personification of the wind. Older children (7-8) will resonate more deeply with Millicent's specific emotional ache of needing a peer who understands her.
Unlike many books about making friends that focus on social skills, this book focuses on the internal desire for friendship and uses magical realism to validate the child's emotional world.
Millicent lives in a remote mountain home with her mother. With no other children nearby, she spends her days talking to the wind. The wind is a sentient, playful force that carries her hat and whispers back. When Millicent expresses her deep sadness over not having a real friend, the wind travels to the valley, 'steals' a young boy named Cory, and brings him up the mountain to meet her. The two become fast friends.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.