The Glump and the Peeble

This colourful quirky picture book is about wanting to fit in and how to be yourself even when it feels a bit tricky.  The story is in rhyme form and tells of a Glump who lives all alone in a wood, and doesn’t really do a lot ‘as a Glump should’. Meanwhile in the same wood there is a Peeble who dances at night and has a lot of fun. Both the Glump and the Peeble feel they have to be like all the other Glumps and Peebles, behave in the same way, do the same things and couldn’t possibly venture into each other’s worlds though they look on and perhaps wish they could.

This is a delightful book which has its own very unique style of illustration, warm and flamboyant but not twee at all. The pictures manage to be vibrant also softer with a sketch like quality which draws you in to look at all the details on the page. The rhyme works well and would be good to read together with your child or with your whole class. The messages in it are, again not too schmaltzy. Being a little afraid to try something different is explored gently and thoughtfully. The whole book is a celebration of daring to step out of your comfort zone and finding more wonderful things beyond. Perfect to read at bed time, on your own or with a class of children who, I think would be delighted to make some drawings of Peebles and Glumps and write some more stories about their adventures.