Why I love Mr. Gumpy's Outing

Reading List
Written By Rebecca Grabill

Mr. Gumpy's Outing by John Burningham, 1970

Joyous illustrations and a surprising storyline make this a true classic.

I expected Mr. Gumpy to get, well, grumpy, since his name looks and sounds so like the word. I was waiting for him to tell one of the animals, “No! I’m all full!” but even when the overloaded boat tipped, he kept his smile (mostly) and invited everyone back for more fun.

What a contrast to what a child typically encounters with adults. She hears, “Don’t fuss” and when the fussing happens (it always happens) it’s scolding or impatience. The story drew me in, but ultimately the illustrations captivated me.

Free and happy crosshatch and spatter, mix of crayon, water color, pastel, pen and ink ... delightfully messy and resounding with mood and true artistic merit. An absolute favorite.

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Rebecca Grabill

Rebecca has been writing since childhood, her first book about a kitten published between homemade cardboard covers in second grade. Although she studied religion and philosophy in university, she continued writing, earning an MFA from Hamline University and publishing multiple picture books (no longer with homemade covers) and a collection of poetry with a variety of New York and independent publishers. She has also published a wide array of fiction, essays, and poetry in magazines and journals and photographs for Getty Images. She balances writing with homeschooling the younger of her six children, launching her young adults, church activities, and overseeing a small flock of chickens in rural West Michigan.

www.rebeccagrabill.com
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