Mudgy and Millie turn 11, party is Saturday
Courtesy photo Sculptor Terry Lee, seated front, illustrator Charles Reasoner and author Susan Nipp sign copies of the “Mudgy and Millie” books at last year’s birthday party in the Coeur d’Alene Public Library. Their 11th birthday party begins at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Community Room.
COEUR d’ALENE — Who doesn’t like cake?
The 11th annual birthday party for Mudgy and Millie — Coeur d’Alene’s favorite children’s book characters — will be celebrated Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. in the Community Room of the Coeur d'Alene Public Library.
“Mudgy and Millie” was published in 2008 and was the first of two books written about the characters by Susan Nipp. The second book, “Mudgy and Millie Adventures: Australia,” released in 2018, will be read by the author at the party. Coeur d’Alene artist Terry Lee will share the story of the creation of the bronze sculpture along the Mudgy and Millie trail.
The event will also feature songs from each of the books, a visit by the characters and birthday cake, courtesy of The Coeur d’Alene Resort.
Nipp, a member of the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Foundation and co-creator of the popular Wee Sing series of books and music, said she was inspired to create the original book by “Make Way for Ducklings.” Characters from that book are represented by a bronze statues in Boston, she said, and she thought Coeur d’Alene could do the same thing.
For characters she selected a moose, Mudgy, and a mouse, Millie, who play a game of hide-and-seek in downtown Coeur d’Alene. Lee based his statues on the illustrations created by Charles Reasoner, who also illustrated the Australian book.
The author has signed over all royalties from the books and plush animals of the character to benefit the Library Foundation. Copies of the books and the plush animals will be available to buy at the birthday party. Nipp and Lee will be available to sign the books.