Mudgy and Millie continue to entertain, delight

Mudgy and Millie, the rollicking moose and mouse combo, continue to entertain and delight children throughout the Coeur d’Alene area.

Created 15 years ago, “Mudgy & Millie,” the original book by Susan Nipp with illustrations by Charles Reasoner, follows Mudgy Moose searching for his friend Millie Mouse from Tubbs Hill to the Coeur d’Alene Library to downtown, City Park and ultimately to Independence Point.

The book is the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Foundation’s linchpin project, spelling out the foundation’s commitment to childhood literacy. Since publication in 2008, Nipp (who is a founding foundation member) has written three more continuing adventures. She feels strongly that area children can enjoy reading when they see their own town in books. 

Pair that with the popular Mudgy and Millie trail leading to five statues sculpted by Terry Lee, and Coeur d’Alene is anchored to the story. The first book was so popular that Nipp and Reasoner decided to add more stories and take readers on travels all over the world in their hot air balloon. “Mudgy & Millie Adventures: Australia” is the second in the series followed by “Mudgy & Millie Adventures: Costa Rica” and then “Mudgy & Millie Adventures: Africa.” In the works to be published soon — “Mudgy & Millie Adventures: Hawaii.” Each volume is illustrated by Charles Reasoner’s inimitable art depicting flora and fauna in amazing detail and color.

Every year since 2018, with the exception of the pandemic times, Nipp and her trusty sidekick, Coeur d’Alene Library trustee Ann Smart, have traveled to all 11 elementary schools in District 271 to read aloud the newest Mudgy and Millie book and distribute free copies to students, classrooms and school libraries. This year over 2,500 students received a copy of the latest adventure to add to their home libraries.

The final book reading and giveaway of the year was held recently at Hayden Meadows Elementary School. Introducing Nipp at the assembly, Principal Lisa Pica (recently honored as School Administrator of the Year for School District 271) received a rousing cheer when she asked, “Are we really excited?” Pica herself is an enthusiastic Mudgy and Millie fan and sends a copy of the original “Mudgy & Millie” book to every new member of her family across the country.

"It’s personal to me, giving the gift of reading as well as an incentive to visit," she said.

Fostering early childhood literacy is an overriding goal for the Library Foundation, which understands that an important factor in creating a love of books and reading is for children to own books and have their own home library. Recently Nipp heard a personal story from a dad who told her that his daughter insists that they read aloud the Mudgy story every night at bedtime. 

As expected, of course, the 300 listeners at Hayden Meadows loved the story and the illustrations. Their questions and comments ranged from, “Is the secret cave for the balloon really on Tubbs Hill?” to, “I have all the books. I’ve seen all the statues.” After the free copies of “Mudgy & Millie Adventures: Africa” were distributed, a student was overheard saying, “I’ve never owned a book before.”

Books and reading. Schools and libraries. For all the kindergarten through second graders throughout School District 271, this experience is extraordinary and personal. One first grader summed it up saying, “This is the best day of my life!”

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Bette Ammon is a member of the Coeur d’Alene Public Library Foundation Board.