Meet the Friends

Mimi

Role: Heart of the Porch • Guide • Teacher • Storyteller

Mimi welcomes every child with warmth, wisdom, and a gentle sense of humor. She teaches cooking, gardening, character, and the joy of simple living. Her porch is a place where everyone belongs.

She grew up on a small farm in Brenham, Texas, where she learned gardening, cooking, baking, animal care, and the joy of simple living.

Her life has been filled with music, teaching, entrepreneurship, and nurturing others — all of which she brings to the Porch.

Special Gift: Mimi helps everyone feel safe, seen, and capable. She teaches truth, goodness, and beauty through everyday life.

Favorites:

• Food: Sardines on crackers, beans, veggies
• Color: Green
• Books: The Giving Tree, The Bible, Talking to Strangers, The Seat of the Soul
• Movies: The Sound of Music, A Star is Born
• Songs: Color My World, Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Leopard Girl

Role: Drama & Dance • Creativity • Courage

Leopard Girl leaps into every room with excitement and imagination. She helps children express themselves through movement, storytelling, and play — and she always brings a little silliness.

Leopard Girl is Mimi’s best friend — a Blue Heeler with a lyrical voice, a silly streak, and a heart full of courage.

She lightens serious moments, brings joy to every room, and sings with Mimi and Miss Milly.

Special Gift: Leopard Girl brings courage, creativity, and imagination to the Porch.

Favorites:

• Food: Boiled chicken and pork chops
• Colors: Yellow and orange
• Book: A Dog’s Purpose
• Movies: Old Yeller, All Dogs Go to Heaven
• Song: You’ve Got a Friend

Cluck-Cluck

Role: Music & Rhythm • Joy • Community

Cluck-Cluck leads the music program with songs that lift the spirit. She teaches rhythm, teamwork, and the joy of making music together.

Cluck-Cluck is sweet, hardworking, persistent, and friendly.

She loves spending time with Mimi & Friends — especially Lizzy — and fills the Porch with music and laughter.

Special Gift: Cluck-Cluck brings music, joy, and rhythm to the Porch.

Favorites:

• Food: Insects, flowers, grass, watermelon
• Color: Maroon
• Books: How to Speak Chicken, Henny Penny
• Movies: Chicken Run, Chicken Little
• Songs: Dixie Chicken, The Chicken Dance

Boone the Moral Compass

Role: Character • Kindness • Truth

Boone helps children understand right from wrong with gentle wisdom. He teaches courage, respect, responsibility, and the beauty of choosing goodness.

Boone has a warm, low Southern voice and a heart full of wisdom.

He teaches children to listen to their inner voice — the place where goodness lives — and helps them point their moral compasses in the right direction.

Special Gift: Boone helps everyone find the right-side-up path.

Favorites:

• Food: Salmon, potatoes, fortune cookies
• Colors: Blue and gold
• Books: The Bible, The Four Agreements, Basic Teachings of the Great Philosophers
• Movies: It’s a Wonderful Life, The Green Mile, The Pursuit of Happyness
• Songs: Cats in the Cradle, Blowin’ in the Wind

Robin

Role: Storytelling • Communication • Hope

Robin carries stories, songs, and messages across the Porch. She helps children find their voice and share their truth with confidence and kindness.

The very wise Robin comes from a long line of British bird ancestors. They have passed down the bird song to Robin, whereby she has great knowledge of past events.

She is kind and wise and loves human children. She enjoys hanging out with Boone and sharing her wisdom and historical data.

Favorites:

• Favorite Food: Seeds, nuts and insects
• Favorite Color: Red
• Favorite Book: Look Up! Bird Watching in Your Own Backyard!
• Favorite Movie: The Birds and anything Batman and Robin
• Favorite Song: Rockin’ Robin

Ambassador Zzimon

Role: Writing • Words • Emotional Expression

Zzimon teaches children how writing helps us understand our feelings. He guides journaling, poetry, letters, and the magic of words.

Zzimon is the head Ambassador of the Insect Society.

He’s witty, charming, and speaks with an English accent. He came to Texas to share the benefits of sustainable insect protein and to help families learn about nutrition and environmental care.

Special Gift: Zzimon listens deeply and thinks gently before he speaks.

Favorites:

• Food: Veggies
• Color: Yellow
• Book: The Cricket in Times Square
• Movie: Jiminy Cricket
• Song: Accentuate the Positive

Ambassador Miss Milly

Role: Sass • Style • Dance • Encouragement

Miss Milly brings sparkle, humor, and heart. She teaches dance, confidence, and the joy of being yourself.

Miss Milly represents the Mealworm Society.

She has a big heart, a sassy wit, and a deep love for Texas — especially the barbeque. She works alongside Zzimon to teach families about nutrition, sustainability, and kindness.

Special Gift: Miss Milly wraps the Porch in kindness and care.

Favorites:

• Food: Texas BBQ and enchiladas
• Color: Purple
• Book: How to Eat Fried Worms
• Movie: A Bug’s Life
• Song: Herman the Worm

Magi’cho

Role: Gardening • Nature • Patience

Magi’cho helps children grow vegetables, herbs, berries, and flowers. He teaches patience, responsibility, and the quiet magic of tending the earth.

Magi’cho has spent his life in gardens and knows everything about plants.

He speaks slowly, repeats himself, and is deeply wise — even if he bumps his head now and then.

Special Gift: Magi’cho tends the earth with wisdom and care.

Favorites:

• Food: Peanut butter & banana sandwiches
• Color: Black and white
• Book: Dirty Garden Hoe
• Movie: The Biggest Little Farm
• Song: Heigh-Ho

Shove’l

Role: Tools • Safety • Helping Hands

Shove’l teaches garden safety, tool care, and the importance of working together. He’s steady, reliable, and always ready to help.

Shove’l is Magi’cho’s French-accented sidekick — a little uppity, very funny, and always trying to avoid the compost pile.

He helps build, mend, and grow the garden.

Special Gift: Shove’l builds, repairs, and helps things grow strong again.

Favorites:

• Food: Hamburger on a crescent roll
• Color: Brown
• Books: French Dirt, How Does My Garden Grow?
• Movie: Hard Hat Harry
• Song: Farmer in the Dell

Super Grub

Role: Nutrition • Courage • Curiosity

Super Grub pops up with excitement to teach children about sustainable insect protein, courage to try new things, and the science of nutrition.

Super Grub is confident, clumsy, and full of heart.

He’s the Ambassador from the June Bug Society and loves helping with insect-flour lessons.

Special Gift: Super Grub may be tiny, but his bravery is mighty.

Favorites:

• Food: Roots
• Color: Green
• Book: Grubby the Ugly Worm
• Movie: Day of the Triffids
• Song: Glow Worm

Wilbur

Role: Healthy Living • Responsibility • Gentle Strength

Wilbur teaches children how to care for animals with kindness and respect. He helps with pet care, nutrition, and gentle handling.

Wilbur is tidy, smart, and dedicated to fitness.

He teaches children about healthy habits — for themselves and their pets.

Special Gift: Wilbur is steady, loyal, and always ready to help.

Favorites:

• Food: Carrots, apples, grapes, bananas
• Color: Silver
• Book: Charlotte’s Web
• Movie: Gordy
• Song: Old MacDonald

Lizzy

Role: Culinary Arts • Baking • Warmth

Lizzy helps Mimi in the Bakehouse, teaching children how to bake breads, muffins, and wholesome treats. She brings warmth and encouragement to every lesson.

Lizzy is a Spanish goat born on the Porch.

After losing her mother, Mimi & Friends bottle-fed her and raised her with love. She’s curious, silly, and always hungry — and she loves being part of the family.

Special Gift: Lizzy keeps everything tidy, organized, and running smoothly.

Favorites:

• Food: Everything
• Color: Green
• Books: Escape Goat, The Very Hungry Goat
• Movies: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Goats
• Songs: Three Billy Goats Gruff

Echo the Truth Sleuth

Role: Investigation • Science • Honesty

Echo helps children explore science, ask questions, and seek truth with curiosity and courage. She records discoveries for the Media Klub.

Echo is the Porch’s media guy — curious, clever, and always ready with a notebook or microphone.

He teaches children how to communicate clearly, ask good questions, and share truth with courage and kindness.

Special Gift: Echo guides the Media Klub with curiosity and clarity.

Kepper the Science Guy

Role: Experiments • Discovery • Wonder

Kepper leads hands-on experiments that spark curiosity and excitement. He helps children explore how the world works — one discovery at a time.

Kepper loves experiments, inventions, and hands-on discovery.

He helps children explore how the world works — from the Keppe Fan to simple science experiments in the barn.

Special Gift: Kepper loves discovery and helps children explore the wonders of science.

Verena the Truth Compass

Role: Inner Light • Wisdom • Guidance

Verena appears in Book Zero as the gentle guide who helps children notice the light they already carry inside. She represents truth, harmony, and quiet confidence.

Verena is wise, observant, and deeply curious.

She helps children look beneath the surface, notice details, and discover truth through art, reflection, and gentle questioning.

Special Gift: Verena helps everyone look deeper.

Furry & Feathered Friends

Role: Companionship • Empathy • Farm Life

The dogs, chickens, ducks, goats, and other farm friends bring joy, responsibility, and real-life learning to the Porch. They appear in the Podcast, the Klubs, and the stories.