Irina Goundortseva
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Picture
The Mozzie with a Sharp Snozzie

The story of a mosquito who wants to be a butterfly.

"Charming, beautifully illustrated, with a gentle but important message. An unexpected delight." Graeme Simsion

"Delightful! All the fun and learning of a Dr Seuss tale." Tim Ferguson
Trailer:
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Reviews:
  • "Resonating the delightful tones of the Ugly Duckling, The Mozzie with the Sharp Snozzie is a delightful visitation of one little mozzie’s sense of self. Our chipper little protagonist lives by the pond in perpetual awe of the beautiful butterflies who flutter about being beautiful all day long. She yearns to join them, to be as beautiful as them but they shun her because of her ugly and boring appearance. Disheartened, Mozzie retreats then embarks on a plan to elevate her popularity by disguising her true self. The shallow butterflies are enamoured by their beautiful new friend until disaster strikes and ‘things go from bad to worse’. Will Mozzie abandon her newfound friends and self-appreciation to save the day?Vibrant illustrations accompany a lively text and storyline that will have little ones enthusiastically page turning to the very end.  Mozzie… is an invigorating tale about the benefits of being proactive, being yourself, and loving who you are. In addition, it does wonders for the esteem and profile of mozzies everywhere, which I think is reason enough to hunt it down to enjoy."
    Reviewed by Boomerang Books, Dimity Powell
  • The Mozzie with a Sharp Snozzie is delightfully written and illustrated by Irina Goundortseva, an artist, freelance script supervisor, writer, animator and director. Her animation skills have been put to good use in this book, not only creating lovable characters, but also using moving picture devices like close-ups, different angles, and action sequences.
    Told through the eyes of a mosquito, this tale explores identity, friendship, the differences and similarities between us all, and courage. The mosquito places value on the beauty of a few butterflies who he is desperate to be friends with. In trying to be more like them, he finds himself, along with his butterfly friends, in deep trouble.
    How can the Mozzie with a Sharp Snozzie save the day? You’ll have to get a copy of this joyous book and find out what happens…
    Reviewed by Creative Kids Tales, Sam Sochacka
  • A story of being satisfied with what you have, of celebrating your skills, of not always wanting to be like everyone else will have resonance in the classroom as this is an issue which besets younger children. This story opens that discussion admirably.
    Reviewed by Fran Knight, Readplus
  • Irina Goundortseva's colourful picture book explores the messages of self-acceptance and belief in your own abilities.
    A little mosquito loves to watch the beautiful butterflies fluttering their pretty wings. When the mozzie finally gathers the courage and asks to join the butterfly group, it is rejected. The butterflies even call the mozzie names. When the butterflies become caught in a collector's net, they need the skills of the little insect to rescue them. Disguised as a butterfly with petal wings, the mosquito bites the human's hand and the butterflies all escape. The moral of the story is to be comfortable with who you are.
    Different use of font sizes and easy to read text placed on a white background make this picture book suited to young readers. The soft watercolour and ink illustrations are bright and lively. This gender-neutral story is appealing to read to kindergarten and preschool children.
    Reviewed by Rhyllis Bignell, Readplus
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