Childrens Book Reviews : Meli & Mac – Rendez-Vous With A Flamingo
[Ad-gifted] Meli & Mac by Elena Joannides, published by Brown Dog Books, follows the adventures of two children, Meli and Mac, as they journey into the Serendipity Forest and meet Freddie the French-speaking flamingo. The children have lots of magic gadgets to help them on their expedition as they try to help Freddie, who is lost, find his way to the Shrimp Extravaganza.
The picture book is aimed at children aged three to nine. It’s written in English but with a few French words and phrases added in, as the children chat to French flamingo Freddie. There is a helpful translation guide so that readers can learn a little French along the way.
No background in French is required, as the book provides the reader with a basic introduction to French words and phrases.
What I thought of the book
As Jemma, aged four, is on the younger side of the recommended age range, I read the story to her, and she followed along looking at the beautiful illustrations. The illustrations are bold and brightly coloured and really helped Jemma to follow the story.
The characters are fun and entertaining, especially Freddie. Who doesn’t love a flamingo?!
I liked how descriptive the story is, such as the lake full of flamingos that’s described as looking “like it was covered in pink candyfloss”. I think it really helped to capture Jemma’s imagination. It’s also great to find a book that encourages children to learn new things and embrace people from different backgrounds.
I will definitely revisit Meli & Mac with Jemma as she gets older, especially if we take a holiday to France. I think this would be the perfect introduction to help her understand visiting a different country and how they speak a different language.
Plus, kids pick up on languages so much easier than adults do, so I’m sure reading the story with her would soon help her to pick up some basic French ready for our holiday. Maybe we need to book a trip to Paris!
What my four-year-old daughter thought of the book
Jemma loves flamingos and was really drawn to the brightly coloured pictures of Freddie. She loves an adventure story and enjoyed hearing about Meli and Mac’s gadgets. It did take us a few attempts to be able to read it all of the way through in one go. I think this was because of how new a lot of the words are to her. But she was curious to hear the French words and their translations.
I definitely think the book will grow with her, and she will get much more from it as she learns to read.
Where can you buy Meli & Mac
You can buy it from Amazon and it costs £8.15 for the Paperback version or £4.99 for the Kindle version.
About the Author
Elena Joannides is the author of the Meli & Mac picture book series. She grew up in Buckinghamshire before studying and qualifying as a lawyer in London. She developed a love for Greek mythology, languages and travel from her Greek Cypriot parents. She has three children and now lives in Cyprus.
About the Book
Title: Meli & Mac – Rendez-vous with a flamingo
Author/ Illustrator: Elena Joannides/ Margherita Ende
Publisher: Brown Dog Books
Dimensions: 22.5 x 0.3 x 28 cm
Pages: 32
Review by Danielle Booker
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* We were sent this book in return for a feature. All opinions are our own.
28 comments
The graphics of the book and especially the cover are amazing wow…I love the colors…Elena is awesome wow….
Absolutely! It is such a fun and entertaining read
The cover is so appealing. Looks like your daughter enjoyed reading the contents too!
Yes she really loved reading the book
This is the cutest book ever! I love the story, and the art is wonderful.
Thank you for your kind comments Beth
This is a cute book! I like how it has some French in it, it is great for kids to learn other languages!
Agree, a fabulous way for little ones to pick up a new language just by reading
So cute – and a great way to learn some French! Great idea for a kids book. I love the illustrations as well.
Absolutely! It is such a book good book and I can’t recommend it enough
What a delightful book to read with kids. Beautiful pictures makes it fun to read.
Agree Tania, having lots of illustrations throughout the book does make reading much more fun
I need this book and will give it to my nephews and nieces. I am sure they will love it.
I bet they will Marie, it is such a wonderful book and makes a lovely gift too
Such a fun review! Meli Mac sounds like an adorable character, and the flamingo twist makes it even more interesting. Looks like a lovely read for kids!
Thank you Jais, the characters in the book are so fun and my daughter loves them
Meli & Mac sounds like an awesome children’s book. Thanks a lot for the recommendation!
You are welcome Hari, it is such a lovely book
Such a good way to incorporate a few French words into a book without needing the background. Love the bright colours x
Agree, great way for little ones to learn French in a fun manner
I am totally loving this book so much! I love the cover art and Meli & Mac – Rendez-Vous With A Flamingo sounds like a. must have for my kids book collection!
The illustrations are so eye-popping and attractive in this book
This sounds perfect for bedtime reading with my niece. I love books that make learning new languages feel magical and fun!
It absolutely is such a wonderful book to add to your niece’s collection
I can see how the bright colors of the illustrations can really draw in younger ones! Looks like a fantastic book.
Such a good book and it makes a lovely gift as well
This was a fun read! Our little one loved Freddie the flamingo and was giggling at the gadgets. Sneaking in a bit of French is such a fun bonus.
Yes it is definitely, so glad your little one enjoyed it as well