Mr Gumpy’s Outing

From the Publisher
One sunny day Mr. Gumpy decides to take a ride in his small boat. It’s a perfect idea for a lovely summer day, and soon he is joined by children, a rabbit, a cat, a pig, and a host of other friends. But when the goat kicks, the chickens flap, the dog teases the cat and the children squabble — the boat tips into the water and everyone tumbles out. No one minds getting wet on such a nice day, though, especially since Mr. Gumpy invites everyone to his house for tea.

Publishers Weekly
Despite Mr. Gumpy’s warnings to the multitudinous animals and children on his barge, the outing turns soggy when the boat capsizes. Ages 2-6. (Mar.)

Children’s Literature
Mr. Gumpy owns a boat and has a house by the river. As he goes out in his boat one day, two children ask if they can join him. He agrees, on the condition that they won’t squabble. The children are followed by a rabbit, a cat, a dog, a pig, a sheep, chickens, a calf and a goat. Mr. Gumpy sets conditions for them as well. For a while all is fine, but then the goat kicks, setting off a chain of events that sends everyone into the water. The brief and simple text holds delights for the ear with such words as ‘squabble,’ ‘tramp,’ and the wonderful admonition to the pig, ‘Don’t muck about.’ The left-page, black-line illustration shows Mr. Gumpy in his boat with the addition of his new passengers at each turn of the page. The right-page illustration is in color and presents a large-size picture of the children and the animals as each asks to come along. This winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Kate Greenaway Medal, and a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book is a solid choice for the board book format. Toddlers will delight in the words and pictures and the satisfying ending of everyone sitting down to tea. 2001, Henry Holt, $6.95. Ages 1 to 5. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo