Migloo

Whats the story?

This is the story of a day in the life of Migloo, a loveable dog-about-town who enjoys
discovering the sights and smells of Sunnytown and bumping into all his friends, from Farmer
Tom, who gives him a ride on his tractor, to Mr. Luigi, creator of Migloos favorite Knickerbocker
Glory. Migloo loves exploring Sunnytown, and, of course, getting a few treats along the way!
On his food-filled adventure, Migloo is invited to accompany the schoolchildren of Sunnytown
to a special event. The children are getting ready to hold a concert in the park for the whole
town to enjoy, but disaster! The school bus breaks down! How will all those children and
their musical instruments get to the park in time? Luckily, Migloo is on board, and as the
favorite dog in town, he might be able to save the day.
Meet Sunnytowns Finest!
This is a story about Migloo, but it is also a story about
Sunnytown and all its inhabitants. Children are presented with
eight bustling, busy spreads where there are limitless layers
and visual narratives to discover. As children follow Migloo on
his journey, they realize that each Sunnytown citizen has a
unique personality and story to trail, with their own food, fun, and mishaps! These characters
are all named and grouped by family before the story begins.
Some of these silent, witty stories include:
The Great Fernando, the schools musical conductor, crashes his car early in the day.
The remaining spreads show how his day pans out. Does he make it to the school
concert in time?
Mrs. Pankhurst befriends a chicken in the first spread, and the
reader can see how this unusual relationship blossoms as the
story progresses.
A host of rubber duckies escape from a toy factory in an early
spread and make a swim for freedom. They can then be spotted
in all kinds of places.
Pink wool mysteriously decorates the signposts, ladders, and cables of
Sunnytown. But it is only on the last spread, as the children perform their concert
in a wooly bandstand, that the reader discovers who is responsible for this
undercover knitting.
Zebedee, the costume-shop man, has his hat
stolen by the mischievous monkey Milo. The
remaining spreads follow his efforts to retrieve
it. Does he ever get it back?
Other humorous characters to keep an eye out for are:
o Mr. Smudge, whose broom can be spotted poking
out of numerous Sunnytown chimneys.
o Kitty, who, dressed as a cat, chases a butterfly across
the rooftops.
o Mrs. Pankhursts chicken, who lays one egg in every
busy spread.
Interactive search-and-find elements
William Bee himself pops up as a character throughout the book,
asking questions that guide readers around the scenes and help
them to discovery details. Who has lost a shoe? Who has a balloon?
Who has swapped hats? Who is reading? Who is on a ladder? Who
has an umbrella? And, of course, where is Migloo? The questions
apply to the spread on which they appear, but also to every spread
in the book, creating a multitude of search-and-find opportunities!
A newspaper headline on each page also draws attention to an exciting
event on the spread, from Mr. McGregorgrowing a giant watermelon to
Milo the monkey on the loose with a stolen hat.
There are a whole host of cute animals to spot in each spread, from an
elephant to a squirrel. Like Migloo, they enjoy all the excitement that Sunnytown has to
offer.
Signs advertising a concert throughout the book foreshadow the event
where the schoolchildren are headed. Signposts also point to locations
Migloo will go on to discover, hinting to the perceptive reader where the
story might lead next.
Children who have read William Bees previous books Whatever, Beware of the
Frog, and And the Train Goes will delight in recognizing their distinctive
covers as Sunnytown residents read and sell these books themselves.
Different types of clocks appear in each busy scene, allowing the child to
observe the passage of time in the story.
Balloons that appear in each lively scene can be traced back to different
characters. Each balloons design relates to one characters unique sense
of style!
Want to play some more?
On the final spread, William Bee tests his readers knowledge of Sunnytown and its inhabitants
in a number of fun ways, including a spot-the-difference exercise. Readers are also asked to
identify which car, hat, and even feet belong to which Sunnytown character. The extra activities
will prompt children to return to scenes in the book to discover more humorous details and will
challenge even the most advanced reader of his book.
Who is William Bee?
William Bee is an author, artist, and commercial designer who has
worked for renowned fashion houses, including lssey Miyake and Paul
Smith. His work has also been displayed in various museums, including
the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and Mitsukoshi Museum of
Art in Japan. He is the author-illustrator of, And the Train Goes, and
And the Cars Go..., and is the author of Digger Dog and Worst in Show.
He lives in S Suffolk, England.