Burningham, John

Mr. Gumpy's Outing

One fine morning Mr. Gumpy decides it's a perfect day for an outing in his little boat. Apparently, plenty of others think so, too. First some children ask to join him, then a rabbit, a cat, a dog, a pig, a sheep... Soon, Mr. Gumpy's boat is precariously full, and there's nowhere for anyone else to go--but overboard! This mild mariner takes everything in stride, though, and his guests are soon bellying up to a nice tea.

John Burningham earned the Kate Greenaway Medal, an ALA Notable Children's Book award, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Mr. Gumpy's Outing, and it's no wonder. This gifted and highly original author-illustrator creates a vision of glorious summer with deeply textured, sometimes only suggested, drawings. His tentatively questioning animals are ready to step right out of the pages and quietly join the delighted reader. And the simple, repetitive dialogue will lull the listener as long as it takes the characters to reach the boat's maximum capacity. Even then, there's no big splash--just an understated, Burningham-esque "and into the water they fell." Young readers will never tire of this gentle, comforting storybook. (Ages 2 to 6) --Emilie Coulter

Would You Rather...

Given the choice, we think most kids would rather read John Burningham's books than taste slug dumplings, jump in nettles, or possibly even dance with a goat. However, in the delightfully silly Would You Rather..., readers are invited to play with these and many other ideas--absurd, gross, or tantalizing. A small mop-topped child lets his imagination run away with such personal challenges as, "Would you rather have supper in a castle, breakfast in a balloon, or tea on the river?" The oversized format is perfect for reading aloud, as long as the reader allows plenty of time for the audience to peruse the award-winning author-illustrator's humorous pictures (in one spread, the protagonist looks like he'd rather be anywhere but here as he is systematically crushed by a snake, swallowed by a fish, eaten by a crocodile, and sat on by a rhinoceros). For TV-weary children who have seen cartoon characters squashed and revived a thousand times, the nightmarish aspects of this reprinted 1978 charmer will not be overly alarming, but the faint of heart may want to look elsewhere for a soothing bedtime story... perhaps Burningham's own Hushabye? (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

Would you rather have supper in a castle, breakfast in a balloon, or tea on the river? Would you rather be made to eat spider stew, taste slug dumplings, chew mashed worms, or drink a snail shake? In a series of challenges inspired by the beloved game Top That!, John Burningham lets readers' imaginations soar with propositions from the whimsical to the outrageous. Here is a surefire giggle-getter for storytime, perfect for sharing with any child who's ever wanted to do something completely out of the ordinary.

Avocado Baby (Red Fox Picture Books)

A baby who gains enormous strength from avocados defends his weakling family.

John Patrick Norman McHennessy: The Boy Who Was Always Late

Every day John Patrick Norman McHennessy sets off along the road to learn, and every day strange and improbable happenings make him late.  To make things worse, his teacher, Sir, never believes his stories.  One day, John Patrick Norman McHennessy is able to make it on time and finds that an improbable and strange thing has happened to Sir.  Just how the tables are turned provides a twist every child will relish.

A Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
An IRA Children's Choice
A Horn Book Fanfare Honor Book

Hey! Get Off Our Train (Dragonfly Books)

One night, as a little boy goes to sleep clutching his pajama-case dog, he drifts off into an elaborate, imaginative journey by train. But what's this? One endangered animal after another--an elephant, a seal, a tiger--tries to join the boy and his dog on their global junket.

"Please let me ride on your train. I live in the frozen North and somebody wants my fur to make a coat out of, and soon there will be none of us left," says the polar bear.

At first the boy and his dog are reluctant to let the animals on the train--"Hey! Get off our train!" they shout--but as each critter explains its particular plight, they welcome it on board. Children will learn about the perils facing animals around the world--tusk taking, pollution, marsh draining, deforestation--but they'll also be happy to see the boy and his dog rescuing the animals one by one. John Burningham has a knack for keeping the mood playful while communicating a strong environmental message. With his strikingly original illustrations and gently rhythmic text, this highly acclaimed author- illustrator well deserves his Parents' Choice Award for this unusual book. (Click to see a sample spread. Copyright 1999 by John Burningham. With permission of Crown Publishers, Inc.) (Ages 4 and older)

Illus. in full color.

An IRA Children's Choice
A Parents' Choice Award winner for illustration
A California Children's Book Award winner

For Every Child

In 1989 the United Nations formally adopted fifty-four principles that make up the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. For this breathtaking picture book the fourteen declarations that are most relevant to children's everyday lives have been retold by Caroline Castle in a simple, evocative text, each one interpreted in a stunning double-page illustration by a different artist from around the world. These well-known contributors include two Americans, both major award-winners: Jerry Pinkney and Rachel Isadora.

UNICEF has declared that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child "stands alone as the single most comprehensive instrument of human rights law." However, not nearly enough people know of this important document's existence, and the new Millennium has presented the opportunity to draw attention to these rights.

Contributing Artists:

John Burningham
Babette Cole
Philippe Dumas
Shirley Hughes
Rachel Isadora
Satoshi Kitamura
P. J. Lynch
Claudio Muñoz
Jerry Pinkney
Henriette Sauvant
Amrit & Rabindra K. D. Kaur Singh
Peter Weevers
Ken Wilson-Max
Yang Tswei-yu

Come Away From the Water, Shirley (Red Fox Picture Book)

Shirley's adventures at the beach are interspersed with familiar parental warnings.

Mr. Gumpy's Motor Car

Mr. Gumpy, who charmed us in Mr. Gumpy's Outing, is ready for another day trip--this time in his lovely red car. Once again, a veritable menagerie clamors to be included, and that's fine with amiable Mr. Gumpy: "All right. But it will be a squash." The day progresses nicely--until a dark rain cloud moves in. When the inevitable happens--the car gets stuck--no one is willing to help push.

"Not me," said the goat. "I'm too old."
"Not me," said the calf. "I'm too young."
"Not me," said the cat. "It would ruin my fur."

And the excuses go on. Luckily, in Mr. Gumpy's life, there seems to be a happy ending to every day, and so there is to this day.

John Burningham has been creating one award-winning picture book after another for over three decades. This captivating book is no exception. Winner of several awards, including The New York Times Book Review Outstanding Children's Book of 1976, Mr. Gumpy's Motor Car will delight children of all ages for many decades to come. Uniquely appealing illustrations pair with soothing, yet exciting text to build a story young readers (and listeners) will return to time after time. (Ages 2 to 6) --Emilie Coulter

When Mr. Gumpy decides to go for a ride in his bright-red car, everyone wants to come along -- a rabbit, a cat, a dog, a sheep, chickens, a calf, a goat, and a boy and girl. "All right," says Mr. Gumpy. "But it will be a squash." So they all squash in and, for a while, chug along happily. Then it starts to rain, and the car becomes stuck in the mud. Who will help Mr. Gumpy push the car out? "Not me," says each passenger. In the end, however, they all have to help, and a wonderful time is had by all.

John Burningham, twice winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal for his outstanding illustrations, has written a simple story of delightfully understated humor and illustrated it in his most enchanting style.

Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present

Back by popular demand — in a new midi edition! Santa finds a forgotten present — and is determined to deliver it himself.

One Christmas Eve after the reindeer are asleep, Santa sees a present still in the sack — Harvey Slumfenburger’s present. And so he starts a very long journey on foot . . . by plane . . . on skis . . . and so on until he reaches Harvey’s hut, slides down the chimney, and delivers the last Christmas present, safe and sound.

Cloudland (Red Fox Picture Books)

Something terrible has happened! While hiking in the mountains with his parents, Albert trips and falls off a cliff. Luckily, the children who live in the clouds are able to say some magic words (was it "Gargle giggle fiddle num dee" or "Teetum waggle bari se nee"?) that make Albert light enough for them to catch. Soon he and the cloud children are having a grand old time painting pictures with colors from the rainbow, playing jumping games in the clouds, and skinny-dipping through the rainy sky. Albert is delighted with his wonderful new skyscape and playmates... and yet one day he begins to feel the pangs of homesickness. With Cloudland, award-winning author and illustrator John Burningham creates one of his most unusual and imaginative tales. Stunning collages use enhanced photos and colored drawings, providing more than just a backdrop to this charming story. Readers young and old will lose themselves in the mesmerizing depth of the illustrations. If Burningham's head, like Albert's, is always in the clouds, that's exactly where he should stay. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Illustrated in full color. Only John Burningham--four-time winner of a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year award and twice the recipient of Britain's prestigious Kate Greenaway Award--could have created this subtle and magical fantasy about the dreams of childhood. While hiking in the mountains with his parents, Albert tumbles off a cliff--but is saved by the cloud children who utter magic words that make him very light and keep him from falling. Albert has a wonderful time jumping, swimming, painting, and racing in the sky with the cloud children (he even walks along the jet stream of an airplane!)...until he remembers his mother and father and his own little bed at home. It takes the cloud queen, the man in the moon, and a few more magic words to return Albert to earth. Glorious mixed-media illustrations leap from the oversize pages of this delightful new book by "one of the finest and most original writers at work today" (The New Yorker).  A Book-of-the-Month Club Main Selection.