Bubble Trouble [Hardcover]

Margaret Mahy (Author), Polly Dunbar (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Another hilarious rhyming romp from the team who brought us the popular DOWN THE BACK OF THE CHAIR.

When little Mabel’s bubble gets away from her, it’s her baby brother who gets into trouble. Soon he’s floating out of the house, above the fence, and all over town! And it’s up to Mabel, Mother, and the rest of the townspeople to get him safely back down. Who knew that so much trouble could come from one little bubble?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 2—A truckload of trouble and mountains of mayhem ensue when young Mabel blows a bubble that enfolds her baby brother and carries him aloft. He is pursued by his frantic mother and sister, "crumpled Mr. Copple and his wife," "feeble Mrs. Threeble," "Greville Gribble," the chapel choir, and other townsfolk. The text floats in waves along with the bouncing baby across the energetic watercolor and cut-paper spreads. Dressed in stripes and plaids, nightshirts and jogging suits, the crowd sprints along through backyards and gardens, gesticulating wildly as the smiling infant floats by. Eventually, the rescuers form a human ladder to reach him. But Abel, "a rascal and a rebel," performs a dastardly deed with his slingshot and the people watch in horror as the baby plummets through the air. It takes three page turns for readers to reach the delightful resolution of this perilous predicament. There is no mistaking the baby's happy landing as his smiling face and waving arms and feet fill the spread. This tale, with its over-the-top silliness, is a storyhour gem. And with some practice, the rhyme, alliterative phrases, and names will fall trippingly off the tongue. Fabulous fun!—Marianne Saccardi, formerly at Norwalk Community College, CT
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From Booklist

The trouble begins when sister Mabel blows a bubble that bobbles over baby and wafts him away. Baby floats over mother, past the neighbors, and through the busy streets as bystanders join the chase. How to bring baby down? A human ladder forms and a slingshot finally solves the problem, but then who’s going to catch the baby? Mahy is clearly in love with language here, as she offers a text that flounces and bounces like the baby in the bubble: “But she bellowed, / ‘Gracious, Greville!’ / and she groveled on the gravel / when the baby in the bubble / bibble-bobbled overhead.” Dunbar uses watercolors accented with cut paper to chronicle the silliness. The story goes on a bit long for the youngest, but children will find their ears perking up at the tongue-twisting text, and they may become word lovers, too, after listening to this. Preschool-Grade 1. --Ilene Cooper

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (April 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0547074212
• ISBN-13: 978-0547074214
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,615 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Margaret Mahy lives in New Zealand and is internationally acknowledged as one of the most outstanding children's writers today. She is the author of more than two hundred books for children of all ages, two of which have received England's Carnegie Medal and others of which have garnered numerous citations from the American Library Association. She is also the recipient of An Order of New Zealand, the highest honor a citizen can receive. In 2006 she received the Hans Christian Andersen award for her contributions to international children's literature.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is one of those superb, exuberant books that only comes around once in a great while! Horn Book Award Winner 2009, June 27, 2009

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bubble Trouble (Hardcover)

Mabel was sitting at the table blowing bubbles. The kitty was sitting on the table watching the baby and the baby was watching the kitty. All of a sudden one of those bubbles was a lot of "bubble trouble in a bibble-bobble way." It floated across the table and bobbled her baby brother and "wafted him away!" Oh, my . . . Mabel and the kitty were in hot pursuit of the baby in the bubble and when she called to her mother the alarm was on.

"At the sudden call of trouble, Mother took off at the double,
for the squealing left her reeling, made her terrified and tense,
saw the bubble for a minute, with the baby bobbing in it,
as it bibbled by the letterbox and bobbed across the fence."

As the baby bibble-bobbled over the town people began to panic and joined in the chase. Chrysta and Greville, Tybal and Sybil, Mr. Copple and the Mrs. ("a crabby couple") Mrs. Threeble with her needle were on the run lest the "bubble burst and vanish in the sky." It was a real "flum-a-diddle," and no one knew quite what to do, but then there was rascally Abel with his slingshot. Oh, no! What would happen if he burst the bubble?

This is one of those superb, exuberant books that only comes around once in a great while. It is an all-around pleaser that both children and adults will marvel over it. The art work meshes perfectly and captures the excitement of the chase. Much of the text swirls up and down following the bibble-bobble path the baby is taking. If you are an expressive reader, your young audience will be rapt with excitement when you read this story in rhyme! This is the Boston Globe Horn Book Award Winner for 2009.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars are bubbles really trouble?, June 15, 2009

By 

Melissa Sack (georgia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bubble Trouble (Hardcover)

Mabel is busy blowing bubbles on day and it turns into a big problem. the bubble that she has blown is HUGE and it surounds her baby brother and carries him away into the air! As the wind blows poor Baby floats throuh the town. The town people have to work together to try and save the baby.

The book is very cute. It is a challenge to read aloud due to all the rhyme words, sort of a tounge twister. The book can be used in story time and in the classroom. After reading the kids can try their hand and making their own bubble solution and seeing who can blow the biggest bubble.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful rhythm & rhymes, November 9, 2009

By 

SMC - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bubble Trouble (Hardcover)

This book is irresistible -- you can't help reading it aloud, over and over. It has a fabulous rhythm to it, especially with rhymes embedded throughout the sentences (not just at the ends). Plus Margaret Mahy's usual sense of mischief. We found it at the library but will be buying a copy.