Tuesday 5 December 2023

Mia’s Glamma

Mia’s Glamma by Josie Montano and Carla Hoffenberg (IP Kidz, Interactive Press) HB RRP $26.00 ISBN: 9781922830203

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

What if you took every stereotype of ‘grandma’ and turned them upside down, inside out and back to front? You’d have Mia’s glamorous grandma, ‘Glamma’.

Glamma shops online, runs a restaurant, wears glittery high heels and dyes her hair hot pink (and other colours as the mood takes her). But, deep down, underneath the glitz and glamour, is Mia’s Glamma just like everyone else’s grandma?

In this day and age, I’m not convinced children will understand or resonate with the grandma stereotype of a grey-haired, slipper-wearing elderly lady who spends her days knitting in her rocking chair. However, Mia’s Glamma encourages young readers to explore differences and similarities between grandmas (and people in general) – eventually coming to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter what grandmas do or what they look like, their love and the relationship they have with their grandchildren trumps all else.

Illustrator Carla Hoffenberg has captured the love between Mia and Glamma beautifully, with the bright colours and bold pictures singing of joy and happiness as the pair delight in each other’s company. Make sure you check out Glamma’s fun earring collection too.

I feel it takes a special grandmas to show this relationship with such clarity, and author Josie Montano clearly meets the brief.

Mia’s Glamma is a wonderful read for children aged from 4 to 8, and is sure to become a favourite shared book.

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