Delia's world is about to change in the most unexpected way. She never imagined her stuffed elephant, Mingli, would whisk her off to a whimsical land to conquer her fears about nightmares. Delia learns she must gain the power to conquer her fears in order to return home and leave her nightmares in the past.
Delia's world is about to change in the most unexpected way. She never imagined her stuffed elephant, Mingli, would whisk her off to a whimsical land to conquer her fears about nightmares. Delia learns she must gain the power to conquer her fears in order to return home and leave her nightmares in the past.
Two days after her seventh birthday Cordelia Magee sat all alone in the corner of her room. She was playing with all her brand-new toys. She had a new doll, fancy dress up clothes, sparkly jewelry and many more items that would make any other little girl incredibly happy. Delia, her parents called her for short, was unhappy though. She and her parents had just moved into an old house in the country. She was an only child and had to leave all her friends behind. There werenât any other children in the neighborhood and Delia was lonely. She wished for a friend to play with more than anything else.
 Her mother slowly opened the creaky door.
âHoney,â she said, âDaddy has to take a trip to China for work and weâre going with him.â
âWhen?â asked Delia.
âA week today,â her mother said.
âOkayâ said Delia, sadly.
She really didnât want to go to a far-off land she had never been to before. For a week straight Delia imagined what it would be like. She had so many questions. âWhat would the people be like? Would she be able to understand any of them? Would they be able to understand her? What would the food be like? I like egg rolls!â she thought.
Finally, the day arrived. It was time to head to the airport. Delia was both nervous and excited now. The outside of the plane seemed so big. Bigger than she imagined it would be, but once Delia entered the cabin it seemed so small. She thought âI hope there wonât be people in all of these seats.â Â The cabin had a faint musty smell to it. Delia thought âThey need to open a window.â Her mother had packed books, toys and downloaded several movies to keep Delia busy, but the flight was awfully long, and it was difficult for her to sit still for that much time.
They had flown for what seemed like forever and the sun had disappeared. âIt's time to try to get some sleep,â her mother said softly.Â
Delia looked around.
âWhere do you lie down?â she asked.
Her mother laughed gently.
âYou can recline your seat,â she said sweetly.
âOr you can put your head on my lap, Honey.â
Delia made the second choice. As she laid her head down, her mother stroked her hair softly and sang her favorite lullaby. She could still smell her motherâs perfume lingering in the air as she drifted off to sleep.
Delia awoke just as the plane arrived in Beijing. It was warm and sunny. As she and her parents walked through the airport, everything looked so different. The writing was different. The people were different, and it was so crowded. There were people everywhere! Delia had never seen so many people before. Her mother held her close, while her father retrieved their luggage. An elderly woman bumped into her as they made their way through the airport. The woman turned and looked at Delia while she said something to her that Delia couldnât understand. Once they got into the cab and started driving, it was more of the same. There was a sea of people; people walking, people riding their bikes and people driving. The people driving didnât seem to get anywhere very quickly. Delia wondered âWhy does anybody drive if it takes so long to get anywhere?â
Once they were settled in their hotel room Deliaâs mother told her about all the things they were going to do while her father was working. Delia tried to make the best of everything. Even though her mother tried awfully hard to keep Delia entertained, she still felt lonely and in need of a friend. Delia couldnât wait to go home.
To Deliaâs delight, her father told her the day had finally arrived for them to return home. It didnât take long for Delia to make sure she had everything packed. She was anxious to get to the airport.
Before boarding the plane, Deliaâs father stopped in the gift shop to buy some treats for the flight.
âDid you want anything sweetie?â he asked her.
She really did not want to remember this trip, but something caught her eye. There was a tiny stuffed elephant in a small corner of the store. It was as if he called her name. Delia didnât know why but she had to have him. She walked over and picked him up. She stroked his trunk. He was so soft. Delia looked over at her father. He and the store clerk were engaged in a conversation. She rushed over and put the elephant on the counter between them.
âThis is a really special elephant. You are an incredibly lucky little girl,â said the clerk. The clerk was so nice to her and helped her think fondly of the whole trip. As her dad paid the clerk, Delia read the manâs name tag. It read âMingliâ. When she sat down on the plane, she looked at her little stuffed elephant, then she looked at her father.
He asked her, âDoes this little guy have a name yet?â
Delia said with a smile âI think Iâll call him Mingli.â
Learning to conquer our fears is never easy. It requires guts, confidence, and the innate knowledge that we are on the right path.
In the new children's book, The Secret World of Delia and Mingli, by Harley West, seven-year-old Delia's newest toy is a stuffed elephant named Mingli. Plagued by bad dreams, she is unable to sleep. Opening her eyes, Delia discovers that Mingli has come to life. He tells her that the only way to make the nightmares disappear is to go to the land of Imagine Nation and receive a crown from King Jesper and Queen Freya. Only then will she be able to have a good night's sleep. On the journey to meet the King and Queen, they will encounter creatures they never expected and learn about friendship, courage, and looking beyond first impressions.
This book is utterly adorable. Delia is a relatable little girl that I am sure will resonate well with young readers. The imagery and language are absolutely perfect for the world that exists within the book. it's the kind of book that I wish I had read at that age. What struck me as an adult is that though the message is targeted toward children, the lesson is timeless and ageless.