The Big Flappy Ears: A Mini & Milo Book

THE BIG FLAPPY EARS is an interesting picture book about listening. Mini has very large ears, but they are not very good at listening. She is very excited for the upcoming field trip, but when her teacher is giving instructions, her mind is racing thinking about the museum. The next day, Mini doesn't know what the instructions were, and so, she misses the trip. She asks her friend Milo for advice, and they try cleaning and opening her ears, though this doesn't help. When a crossing guard tells her to stop and listen, Mini gets it and begins to listen in class (most of the time).

What I loved: This was a cute story about the importance of paying attention and using your ears for listening. The images capture the story well and add some additional context, such as when Mini and Milo make a mess. They are colorful and sweet throughout. The font was large and easy to read. There is quite a bit of text on some pages, so this would work best for older picture book readers, who will also understand better the importance of listening in school.

What left me wanting more: While this is presented as a failing for Mini not listening (and somehow a reminder to listen works), the context of this can be quite different for children who are struggling with listening, not because they don't want to but can't. The solutions can be different for each, but talking to a parent or caregiver can be a great first step, which may need to be addressed outside of the story. The story felt like it wrapped up a bit quickly as well without many strategies or plans to help Mini, who wants to listen.

Final verdict: Overall, THE BIG FLAPPY EARS is an intriguing picture book about the importance of listening. With broader context, this could work for older picture book readers.