Mim and the anxious artist by Katrina Nannestad

Mim and the Anxious Artist is the third book in the wonderful series The Travelling Bookshop written by Katrina Nannestad. For Mim Cohen, her brother Nat and their wise and gentle father, living in a travelling bookshop is full of excitement, adventure, and the possibility to make new friends.

This story begins with a baguette and a view of the Eiffel Tower. The travelling bookshop led by Flossy has arrived in Paris. Wherever it travels to, the bookshop is always there for a reason, in this case to help a struggling artist who cannot part with his striking portraits. Once they are settled the bookshop caravan becomes a whole world of marvellous books which are shared by an eclectic range of characters all in need of that perfect book to make a difference in their life.

The children meet Pierre, a talented artist who upsets his customers when he refuses to part with the portraits he paints of them. He finds sanctuary in the bookshop and through the wisdom of Mim’s father and the friendship of Madame Lachapelle, Pierre eventually finds a solution to his anxiety about sharing his paintings.

This story is one of great love and kindness and would be a wonderful read aloud to Year 2 to Year 5 students. The plot is both humourous and entertaining with an opportunity to escape to Paris through beautiful descriptions of places such as the Louvre, Montmartre, Sacre Coeur and Tuileries Garden combined with appealing illustrations by Cheryl Orsini.

Themes: Family, Books, Paris, Artists, Friends, Anxiety.

Kathryn Beilby