Mimi the Complaining Cat

Mimi, Jenae’s beloved cat, loves being close to her family. But when they go out without her, Mimi feels lonely, anxious and sad, unsure when they’ll return. One day, overwhelmed with sadness, she runs away on an adventure-only to realise she’s lost! Will Mimi find her way back home and share how she feels with her family?

Message from the Author Winsome Bailey

’The message I want my book to convey is one of entertaining children-engaging them with the written word and poetry through the rhyming in my story-while also encouraging classroom discussions with young children about separation from parents, how we show love and care for others, and how to cope with difficult emotions.

I want to help children understand that it’s okay to not feel okay and to explore healthy ways of managing tough feelings or situations. Instead of running away like Mimi, they can talk things through with a trusted adult, express their emotions through drawing or painting, listen to music and do an ＂angry stomp,＂ or write a letter that captures exactly how they feel.

Another important lesson from Mimi’s story is that when we try to hurt others, we may end up hurting ourselves in the process-just as Mimi did when she ran away and encountered Sarki Sark.

Through this book, I hope children, along with their teachers, parents, and carers, will discover healthy ways to manage anger and difficult feelings. My goal is for this story to serve as a therapeutic tool that helps build children’s emotional literacy and resilience.