Humpty Dumpty (Picture Puffins) [Mass Market Paperback]

Daniel Kirk (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 10, 2002 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Picture Puffins

King Moe is riding in his birthday parade when he looks up in time to see Humpty fall off the wall. The young king is very sad to see that Humpty is broken. But then Moe's mother suggests that he put his talent for doing puzzles to good use. Will King Moe be able to alter the ending of this classic nursery rhyme and save the day? This is the story of Humpty Dumpty as it's never been told before!

"Kirk's bouncing rhymes never falter." (School Library Journal)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-Kirk uses the familiar bouncy rhymes of "Humpty Dumpty" to spin out a tale of an unlikely friendship. When young Humpty's mother reluctantly agrees to let him go to King Moe's birthday parade ("but be careful, OK?/I don't want my egg getting/scrambled today!"), the excited little egg climbs up on his friends' backs, then a lamppost, and finally a brick wall to get a better view. This last climb leads to his famously disastrous fall. Fortunately, he topples directly into the young king's carriage. All the king's horses and all the king's men can't put Humpty together again-but fortunately the shy, puzzle-loving Moe can. He admires Humpty's bravery, Humpty admires the king's patience and intelligence, and a new friendship is born. Though the story itself is mediocre, Kirk's bouncing rhymes never falter. The real star, though, is the artwork: a combination of oils, magazine clippings, and computer printouts that gives the pictures a busy, textured look. Crowd scenes are made up of painted images, pictures from magazines, and faces from classic works of art. The hyperrealistic quality of Kirk's earlier books is apparent here, as is his offbeat sense of humor. A winsome, if simple, variation on a favorite rhyme.
Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, Eldersburg, MD
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Kirk's latest book gives a pessimistic nursery rhyme a new twist, adding a character who succeeds when all the king's horses and all the king's men fail. Young King Moe, "the most timid boy in the world," hides under his bed all day, piecing together puzzles. His royal path crosses that of Humpty Dumpty, a bored young boy who yearns for excitement, on the day of King Moe's birthday parade. Humpty, who climbs on top of a wall for a better view, falls and crashes through the roof of the young king's coach. The puzzle-mad king puts Humpty back together, and the boys, human and egg, become friends. Kirk's ingenious collages, a mix of contemporary and historical images, are intriguing, although some of the photographed faces staring out of the pictures may seem a bit disturbing to some little ones Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (June 10, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0698119452
• ISBN-13: 978-0698119451
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,802,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truely "fractured" Humpty!, September 12, 2000

By 

Susan Denny (San Marcos, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Humpty Dumpty (Hardcover)

I am reading this story to all K-2 students in the library at my school. The teachers and the kids love it. The story in rhyme is a hoot. It's got plenty of action and yet is thoughtful and has similarities to the original rhyme. The kids liked comparing this to the original and provoked us into reciting the original as well. The illustrations are also bold, bright and really cute. Humpty has the look of a child rather than a wierd egg person. Daniel Kirk has created an exceptional retelling. I highly recommend this book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything from Daniel Kirk is worth buying..., May 22, 2004

By 

Brooke (WV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Humpty Dumpty (Hardcover)

I've recently been researching children's books to purchase for my K-3 classrooms. Daniel Kirk's books are gorgeous to look at. They must be picked up and read. The colorful illustrations are irresistable. Kirk's story has elements and wording of the original tale, but he puts his own updated unique twist on the classic. The rhyming text rolls off the tongue. This is a good picture book for the K-3 crowd.