People on the planet Teros want the same things as you and I – they want to be seen, heard, and understood. They strive for joy, and they try to avoid pain. They want to love, and to be loved. They want to be free.
The difference is, the people of Teros have middin to help them survive and thrive!
Eleven-year-old Maia is doing her best to navigate her inner and outer worlds. Her three middin friends – Fyren the fox, Lillemor the bear, and Ziggy the dog – are a handful to say the least. She just wants to do the right thing while having some fun… without them getting into too many arguments. Maia’s search for a solution to this ordinary problem, however, leads her unexpectedly into a hero’s journey filled with magic, adventure, and some extremely colourful characters.
“Maia and the Middin” is a world where magical animal creatures called middin live alongside people. The middin are an allegory for human thoughts and feelings, serving as charming and humorous reflections of inner conflicts and emotional challenges.
Themes include fantasy, sci-fi, comedy, and education. MatM is made for children and youth but it can be enjoyed by all ages.
You can find more detailed information about the world of MatM in the Sourcebook!
Projects
The current main project for MatM is a comic series which started in 2023, with intentions to expand into animated shorts in the future.
Philosophy
MatM embodies the idea that all thoughts/feelings/behaviours, even seemingly “bad” ones, exist for a reason, and integration can transform them into powerful allies instead of enemies to overcome.
The story and characters are inspired by a number of different philosophies, especially non-pathologising approaches to mental health and psychoanalysis. These include IFS (Internal Family Systems), Enneagrams, Jung’s process of individuation, and trauma-informed care.
Creators
The world of MatM was created by Australian artist Emma Kendall, who writes and illustrates the comic herself. Occasional help is also sourced from hired artists, writers, and psychologists, as well as Emma’s friends and family.