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The Minnipins #1
The Gammage Cup
The Minnipins have lost their past. Long ago, the hero Gammage led them in war against the horrible Hairless Ones. But now -- Bravery? Forgotten. Courage? No more. Heroes? The stuff of storybooks.
Yet sometimes heroes turn up when they are least expected....
Muggles, Gummy the poet, and Walter the Earl are not like the other Minnipins. They dress differently, speak their minds, and -- when Walter the Earl finds a package of old scrolls and swords -- dare to disagree with the Minnipin leaders. For their troubles, they are banished from their village.
But Walter the Earl found the weapons for a reason: The Hairless Ones have returned. And this time there is no Gammage to protect the Minnipins. This time there are only Muggles and her friends, outlaws who must rescue the very people who have cast them out.
Yet sometimes heroes turn up when they are least expected....
Muggles, Gummy the poet, and Walter the Earl are not like the other Minnipins. They dress differently, speak their minds, and -- when Walter the Earl finds a package of old scrolls and swords -- dare to disagree with the Minnipin leaders. For their troubles, they are banished from their village.
But Walter the Earl found the weapons for a reason: The Hairless Ones have returned. And this time there is no Gammage to protect the Minnipins. This time there are only Muggles and her friends, outlaws who must rescue the very people who have cast them out.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1959
About the author
Carol Kendall
22 books33 followersCarol Seeger "Siggy" Kendall was an American writer of children's books. She has received the Newbery Honor, Ohioana award, Parents choice award, and the Mythopoeic Society Aslan award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
June 13, 2019
Once a week, I enjoying reshelving library books at the local library as a volunteer. One particular rainy, autumn day, I ran across this book. The age of the book was what first caught my attention, and I must admit, I often judge a book by its cover. The cover was intriguing. Impulsively I pulled it off the shelf and put it in my check-out pile.
The Gammage Cup, by Carol Kendall, was a fun read with an undercurrent of a realistic message: there can easily become an aristocracy in leadership when people stop thinking for themselves. “Good folk, return to your homes and your warm beds. You have only to look toward the mountains to see that all is peaceful there. Forget the alarms of this day.” And so all the villagers, excepting the challenging five, obey without a word of rebuttal.
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.thehomemaking-cottage.com/...
The Gammage Cup, by Carol Kendall, was a fun read with an undercurrent of a realistic message: there can easily become an aristocracy in leadership when people stop thinking for themselves. “Good folk, return to your homes and your warm beds. You have only to look toward the mountains to see that all is peaceful there. Forget the alarms of this day.” And so all the villagers, excepting the challenging five, obey without a word of rebuttal.
Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.thehomemaking-cottage.com/...
May 27, 2019
Good little fantasy story with the underdogs bringing all together in the end. Like the little ink illustrations and the maps. Did not like the new cover on the Harcourt Odyssey edition that the library had. . Much prefer the older original cover.
November 24, 2019
This book perfectly balances a tone of thoughtful sweetness with a plot involving daring and courageous adventure.
It was a relief, for once, to read a book that focuses entirely on mature characters (30s to 50s, approximately), all of whom had unique and lovable personalities.
The overall mood has the same quirky sensitivity of hobbits and Hobbitan, while still maintaining a unique element of world building.
This book does some beautiful fist-shaking at cliches, communes, and clans– boldly painting a picture of the bravery it takes to be unique and to stand out in the popular crowd. If one chooses to think for oneself, there is a sacrifice to be made. If one chooses to go against the crowd, the crowd will most often reject them. But what is lost is nothing compared to the boldness and self-worth these characters gain by making a stand.
Charming and exciting by turns, this book was a delight from start to finish!
It was a relief, for once, to read a book that focuses entirely on mature characters (30s to 50s, approximately), all of whom had unique and lovable personalities.
The overall mood has the same quirky sensitivity of hobbits and Hobbitan, while still maintaining a unique element of world building.
This book does some beautiful fist-shaking at cliches, communes, and clans– boldly painting a picture of the bravery it takes to be unique and to stand out in the popular crowd. If one chooses to think for oneself, there is a sacrifice to be made. If one chooses to go against the crowd, the crowd will most often reject them. But what is lost is nothing compared to the boldness and self-worth these characters gain by making a stand.
Charming and exciting by turns, this book was a delight from start to finish!
April 8, 2010
This is another book I would have absolutely loved when I was younger. There are parts reminiscent of Kneeknock Rise and The City of Ember, although I know this came first so it really should be the other way around. There was also a part that made me think of The Lord of the Rings due to the swords that glow only when the enemy is near.
I really liked the main character, Muggles. She had so much common sense and untapped leadership ability. It was fun to watch her grow and develop as a character. I particularly enjoyed Muggles' Maxims at the beginning of some of the chapters. For example, "A net across the Little Trickle won't catch fish in the Watercress River," or "No matter where There is, when you arrive it becomes Here."
I had a few problems with the ending. Everything was wrapped up a bit quickly and easily. I also had problems with the cover illustration. Obviously the illustrator hadn't read the book, because it just doesn't match. It's a relatively small thing I know, but it always bugs me when the cover is just completely wrong based on details from the story.
I really liked the main character, Muggles. She had so much common sense and untapped leadership ability. It was fun to watch her grow and develop as a character. I particularly enjoyed Muggles' Maxims at the beginning of some of the chapters. For example, "A net across the Little Trickle won't catch fish in the Watercress River," or "No matter where There is, when you arrive it becomes Here."
I had a few problems with the ending. Everything was wrapped up a bit quickly and easily. I also had problems with the cover illustration. Obviously the illustrator hadn't read the book, because it just doesn't match. It's a relatively small thing I know, but it always bugs me when the cover is just completely wrong based on details from the story.
May 19, 2016
Problems, but a lot of good things too.
There are flaws with this book, starting with the absence of a good description of Minnipins. Are they a race? A nationality? They are "Small Ones" but are they like The Borrowers? Are they like Hobbits? The dreadful new (Brothers Hildebrandt) cover shows them as humans - no implication of smallness. The original Blegvad drawings inside have quite a different look, but still not a lot of information. The title is a bit of a red herring as it is not of primary concern during the majority of the book (which is kind of the point, I know). The British title was changed to The Minnipins - works much better.
I'm not crazy about the names: Gummy, Muggles, Mingy, Curley Green - then there's Walter the Earl, which is out of place in its lack of nonsense. I don't mind the Periods - those are explained somewhat and fit in with the legend and lore. How do these names fit in? There is a little-known short story by Kendall that appeared in 1946, titled "Curley Green Builds a House" - here we find a figure small enough to shelter under a mushroom (and who is, curiously enough, male, while the Gammage Curley Green is female). This story has animals named Silly, Solly, Chuckle, Tinsel, etc. These all work in the context of a little fairy/brownie-type story - but why would Kendall think it appropriate to reuse this name? Incidentally, this short story also has a Walter Woodpecker. But alas, there is no significant connection between this story and the book.
The description of the Minnipins' land keeps making me think of the Shire, where one finds olde English-sounding names like Samwise and Esmeralda and Rosamunda. True, there are Hobbits named Bilbo and Frodo and Mungo, but none of these has the English associations that Kendall's names do. With less silly names, things would be vastly improved.
Where Kendall surpasses Tolkien, however, is in character development of these Minnipins. I still could not tell you much about the various dwarves in The Hobbit or the difference between Merry and Pippin (and most other Hobbits). Those are largely interchangeable. The primary Minnipins, on the other hand, are very distinctive - we know more about how they think and feel and act. Probably because these are the main characters. (Of course, Tolkien had Gandalf and Gollum and Aragorn and Boromir and Legolas and Gimli and Saruman and a few others in addition to Frodo, Bilbo, and Sam). It seems like Tolkien used a variety of races to help distinguish. Kendall chose to have only one race for all her characters (her Mushrooms are equivalent to Tolkien's goblins - simple utilitarian foes with no names or personalities).
There is a fair amount of homespun philosophy strewn throughout the book, in the chapter epigrams and elsewhere. There is a little bit of history, but it isn't so well integrated. The overall book seems disjointed - the first half is mostly pleasant, but not so eventful, then there is a huge switch, and it's a war story, then that wraps up a bit too quickly, and we rapidly enter a resolution section, which again is too easy. Oh, and all of a sudden we have romance and marriages! The conclusion is cute and touching, keeping with the philosophical aspect, but it feels a little tacked-on. I don't get the sense that Kendall put in the same kind of planning work that Tolkien did.
I will read the sequel - can I say how happy I am to find a book that has just one? Attention editors and publishers and authors of today: not everything needs to be a trilogy (or more!). One good book would be enough.
There are flaws with this book, starting with the absence of a good description of Minnipins. Are they a race? A nationality? They are "Small Ones" but are they like The Borrowers? Are they like Hobbits? The dreadful new (Brothers Hildebrandt) cover shows them as humans - no implication of smallness. The original Blegvad drawings inside have quite a different look, but still not a lot of information. The title is a bit of a red herring as it is not of primary concern during the majority of the book (which is kind of the point, I know). The British title was changed to The Minnipins - works much better.
I'm not crazy about the names: Gummy, Muggles, Mingy, Curley Green - then there's Walter the Earl, which is out of place in its lack of nonsense. I don't mind the Periods - those are explained somewhat and fit in with the legend and lore. How do these names fit in? There is a little-known short story by Kendall that appeared in 1946, titled "Curley Green Builds a House" - here we find a figure small enough to shelter under a mushroom (and who is, curiously enough, male, while the Gammage Curley Green is female). This story has animals named Silly, Solly, Chuckle, Tinsel, etc. These all work in the context of a little fairy/brownie-type story - but why would Kendall think it appropriate to reuse this name? Incidentally, this short story also has a Walter Woodpecker. But alas, there is no significant connection between this story and the book.
The description of the Minnipins' land keeps making me think of the Shire, where one finds olde English-sounding names like Samwise and Esmeralda and Rosamunda. True, there are Hobbits named Bilbo and Frodo and Mungo, but none of these has the English associations that Kendall's names do. With less silly names, things would be vastly improved.
Where Kendall surpasses Tolkien, however, is in character development of these Minnipins. I still could not tell you much about the various dwarves in The Hobbit or the difference between Merry and Pippin (and most other Hobbits). Those are largely interchangeable. The primary Minnipins, on the other hand, are very distinctive - we know more about how they think and feel and act. Probably because these are the main characters. (Of course, Tolkien had Gandalf and Gollum and Aragorn and Boromir and Legolas and Gimli and Saruman and a few others in addition to Frodo, Bilbo, and Sam). It seems like Tolkien used a variety of races to help distinguish. Kendall chose to have only one race for all her characters (her Mushrooms are equivalent to Tolkien's goblins - simple utilitarian foes with no names or personalities).
There is a fair amount of homespun philosophy strewn throughout the book, in the chapter epigrams and elsewhere. There is a little bit of history, but it isn't so well integrated. The overall book seems disjointed - the first half is mostly pleasant, but not so eventful, then there is a huge switch, and it's a war story, then that wraps up a bit too quickly, and we rapidly enter a resolution section, which again is too easy. Oh, and all of a sudden we have romance and marriages! The conclusion is cute and touching, keeping with the philosophical aspect, but it feels a little tacked-on. I don't get the sense that Kendall put in the same kind of planning work that Tolkien did.
I will read the sequel - can I say how happy I am to find a book that has just one? Attention editors and publishers and authors of today: not everything needs to be a trilogy (or more!). One good book would be enough.
November 9, 2023
The Premise:
Muggles is content to lead a peaceful life, dwelling alone in her cozy cottage with her candymaking job and her neatly organized heaps of clutter.
But one day, her cheerful, quiet existence is interrupted by a strange and unsettling sight in the middle of the night. She's half-convinced it was all a dream.
But the next day--after an unexpected chance-meeting and other unusual occurrences--Muggles is gradually but inescapably drawn into the center of a series of events, conflicts, and adventures that will turn her little village upside down.
And with these things comes the threat of a mysterious and terrible danger that could destroy Muggles's whole world. . . .
My Thoughts:
I'm so glad I decided to reread this childhood favorite for the first time in several years. The Gammage Cup did not disappoint--it's every bit as wonderful and well-written as I remembered. Iremains a glowing, magical, and unique tale that will satisfy anyone who loves a good children's fantasy story. I enjoyed it just as much as I did when I was younger--even now that I'm an adult and a writer with more critical taste than I had back then.
Muggles and each of her friends are endearing, brave, and totally unique. Each of several unusual and totally unlikely heroes finds an essential part to play as they're caught up in an adventure, and each of them shows great and often unexpected courage. I love each of the main characters so dearly. And their story is magical, delightful, and exciting.
The Gammage Cup is such a bright, warm, joyful book--especially because the warmth and cheer comes through hardship, danger, and relational strife. I love that the main characters choose to determinedly and optimistically forge ahead despite adversity.
This book is so well-written. The writing style itself is at once sophisticated, accessible, and homey. Muggles and her narration have a keen and perceptive way of seeing the world and describing it in a perfect, precise, unique and down-to-earth way. The characterization is masterful--each character is vivid, lifelike, and unique--ranging from sweet to prickly, from ordinary to pompous, and from conniving to courageous. The themes and morals are penetrating, subtle, and full of truth and wisdom--and never heavy-handed or preachy. The plot is skillful and engaging, with riveting suspense and danger that build to an intense climax. The characters and humor are entertaining and often amusing.
These things are seamlessly woven together into a charming, delightful, unique, and imaginative tale. The Gammage Cup is an exciting fantasy adventure full of immense heart and sweetness, with plenty of swords, battles, danger, and daring thrown in.
I adored this book as a child, and I'm no less captivated by it as an adult. It's one of those books that is written for children, but can be enjoyed equally by a whole family or individuals of any age. it's a classic for a reason, and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys wholesome and entertaining children's fantasy.
Muggles is content to lead a peaceful life, dwelling alone in her cozy cottage with her candymaking job and her neatly organized heaps of clutter.
But one day, her cheerful, quiet existence is interrupted by a strange and unsettling sight in the middle of the night. She's half-convinced it was all a dream.
But the next day--after an unexpected chance-meeting and other unusual occurrences--Muggles is gradually but inescapably drawn into the center of a series of events, conflicts, and adventures that will turn her little village upside down.
And with these things comes the threat of a mysterious and terrible danger that could destroy Muggles's whole world. . . .
My Thoughts:
I'm so glad I decided to reread this childhood favorite for the first time in several years. The Gammage Cup did not disappoint--it's every bit as wonderful and well-written as I remembered. Iremains a glowing, magical, and unique tale that will satisfy anyone who loves a good children's fantasy story. I enjoyed it just as much as I did when I was younger--even now that I'm an adult and a writer with more critical taste than I had back then.
Muggles and each of her friends are endearing, brave, and totally unique. Each of several unusual and totally unlikely heroes finds an essential part to play as they're caught up in an adventure, and each of them shows great and often unexpected courage. I love each of the main characters so dearly. And their story is magical, delightful, and exciting.
The Gammage Cup is such a bright, warm, joyful book--especially because the warmth and cheer comes through hardship, danger, and relational strife. I love that the main characters choose to determinedly and optimistically forge ahead despite adversity.
This book is so well-written. The writing style itself is at once sophisticated, accessible, and homey. Muggles and her narration have a keen and perceptive way of seeing the world and describing it in a perfect, precise, unique and down-to-earth way. The characterization is masterful--each character is vivid, lifelike, and unique--ranging from sweet to prickly, from ordinary to pompous, and from conniving to courageous. The themes and morals are penetrating, subtle, and full of truth and wisdom--and never heavy-handed or preachy. The plot is skillful and engaging, with riveting suspense and danger that build to an intense climax. The characters and humor are entertaining and often amusing.
These things are seamlessly woven together into a charming, delightful, unique, and imaginative tale. The Gammage Cup is an exciting fantasy adventure full of immense heart and sweetness, with plenty of swords, battles, danger, and daring thrown in.
I adored this book as a child, and I'm no less captivated by it as an adult. It's one of those books that is written for children, but can be enjoyed equally by a whole family or individuals of any age. it's a classic for a reason, and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys wholesome and entertaining children's fantasy.
July 15, 2012
"When something happens, something else always happens."
-Muggles
This quote is a sample of the whimsical writing you'll find in Carol Kendall's wonderful fantasy tale, The Gammage Cup. The whimsy is not without substance, and much of the story's content is a document of American attitudes towards conformity and individualism during the Cold War era. The Minnipin people find themselves threatened by a race of beings who were no doubt inspired by the red scare, and their only hope lies on the shoulders of a handful of individuals proud of their uniqueness.
900 years ago, the Minnipins settled in the Land Between the Mountains, which is protected on all sides by mountains and has no way in except a river that hasn't dried up for centuries. The leader of these Minnipins was one called Gammage, who had a cup, and as they scoured the land, Minnipins remained behind at key places to build towns. Some 400 years later, Fooley the Brave flew a balloon over the mountains and returned some months later with artifacts from the Land Beyond the Mountain. An accident caused him to lose his memory, and some of the artifacts were mislabeled, as a result. The Minnipins devote their lives to the findings of Fooley. His descendants are the town's leaders, called Periods, and named such things as Co., Bros., and Etc. because those abbreviations were found in Fooley's journal and they seemed important. The Minnipins devote their lives to making their towns look just like those pictures Fooley brought back, and as such they all have green doors and wear green cloaks. Well, almost all of them do.
There is a handful of nonconformists. Muggles, as the main character, hovers somewhere between conformity and nonconformity. She doesn't want to be an outsider, but she does like the outsiders who reside in the town, and her personality just doesn't allow her to follow every single Minnipin convention anyway. The other nonconformists include Gummy, who composes poetry that goes against Minnipin convention; Curley Green, who likes to paint actual landscapes and people rather than the arbitrary symbols the Minnipins favor; and Walter the Earl, who likes to dig up history, and the version of history he knows is not the same as the official history. Also important is Mingy the Moneykeeper, who doesn't want to spend money on superficial things like decorations, but would rather set up a sick fund. These five are important because they eventually find themselves outcasts when their nonconformist ways threaten the town's prize for best-looking town, whose prize is the Gammage Cup.
The real threat to the Minnipins, of course, is not these five outcasts, but mindless conformity. Tyranny begins to rear its ugly head as the Periods establish fines for idling. Also, the Mushroom people, or the Hairless Ones, are making a return, long forgotten because Gammage defeated them many centuries ago.
In many ways this is a simplistic story of good vs. evil. The Minnipins only naively fall into evil ways, doing what they believe is right, but it is the rugged individualists, the outcasts, who are the real heroes. I think one can view this as an allegory for the red scare vs. American democracy. The Mushroom people have no personalities and it is unquestionably the right thing to do to kill them all. If nobody among the Minnipins was brave enough to assert their own unique individuality, the Mushroom people would have defeated them easily, because the Minnipins, in embracing unquestioning conformity, were blind to the threat of invaders. Kendall seems to be reminding readers that it is the nonconformists who protect and represent American democracy. In this way, the tale is very simplistic, a relic of a time when people believed Communism was an unquestionable evil and that it presented a grave threat to democracy. It is in the language and characters that the novel shines, however.
Muggles is a fun heroine. She struggles between conformity and nonconformity, and in the end proves herself the strongest of all Minnipins. Not by virtue of battle, but by virtue of character. She rises as the leader of the five outcasts, and it is on her leadership that they survive on their own. And while she has a mostly cheerful disposition, Kendall provides her with some character depth, as she has some moments of profound doubts and depression. This helps cement the story with some substance.
The language is plenty fun too. The start of each chapter has a quote from Muggles or a poem by Gummy. Gummy's poetry litters the entire story, and much of it had me laughing. Some of the names of the places, too, is hilarious. It shows what happens to creativity when everybody conforms to a single set of standards. The name of the main town is Slipper-on-the-Water because Gammage lost a slipper on the river where the town was built. The streets have such names as Street Going to the River and Street Going Nowhere. Certainly practical, but not very imaginative. To give an example of how much fun the language is, I will share a passage:
"Then they heard it, though afterward they never could agree as to exactly what they heard. Mingy said it was a fat sort of noise, Walter the Earl claimed that it was an approaching kind of thing, but Curley Green described it as just a soundlike sound."
I could quote many, many passages like this, as well as Gummy's poems, but it'll be easier if you just read the book. In today's age of angst-filled and romance-focused fantasy, The Gammage Cup is refreshing. It is not angsty, and it has no romance. It is lighthearted through and through, and even its black and white depiction of good and evil had me feeling nostalgic. I find that the final 30 pages or so falter, but until then, it's a very enjoyable read.
-Muggles
This quote is a sample of the whimsical writing you'll find in Carol Kendall's wonderful fantasy tale, The Gammage Cup. The whimsy is not without substance, and much of the story's content is a document of American attitudes towards conformity and individualism during the Cold War era. The Minnipin people find themselves threatened by a race of beings who were no doubt inspired by the red scare, and their only hope lies on the shoulders of a handful of individuals proud of their uniqueness.
900 years ago, the Minnipins settled in the Land Between the Mountains, which is protected on all sides by mountains and has no way in except a river that hasn't dried up for centuries. The leader of these Minnipins was one called Gammage, who had a cup, and as they scoured the land, Minnipins remained behind at key places to build towns. Some 400 years later, Fooley the Brave flew a balloon over the mountains and returned some months later with artifacts from the Land Beyond the Mountain. An accident caused him to lose his memory, and some of the artifacts were mislabeled, as a result. The Minnipins devote their lives to the findings of Fooley. His descendants are the town's leaders, called Periods, and named such things as Co., Bros., and Etc. because those abbreviations were found in Fooley's journal and they seemed important. The Minnipins devote their lives to making their towns look just like those pictures Fooley brought back, and as such they all have green doors and wear green cloaks. Well, almost all of them do.
There is a handful of nonconformists. Muggles, as the main character, hovers somewhere between conformity and nonconformity. She doesn't want to be an outsider, but she does like the outsiders who reside in the town, and her personality just doesn't allow her to follow every single Minnipin convention anyway. The other nonconformists include Gummy, who composes poetry that goes against Minnipin convention; Curley Green, who likes to paint actual landscapes and people rather than the arbitrary symbols the Minnipins favor; and Walter the Earl, who likes to dig up history, and the version of history he knows is not the same as the official history. Also important is Mingy the Moneykeeper, who doesn't want to spend money on superficial things like decorations, but would rather set up a sick fund. These five are important because they eventually find themselves outcasts when their nonconformist ways threaten the town's prize for best-looking town, whose prize is the Gammage Cup.
The real threat to the Minnipins, of course, is not these five outcasts, but mindless conformity. Tyranny begins to rear its ugly head as the Periods establish fines for idling. Also, the Mushroom people, or the Hairless Ones, are making a return, long forgotten because Gammage defeated them many centuries ago.
In many ways this is a simplistic story of good vs. evil. The Minnipins only naively fall into evil ways, doing what they believe is right, but it is the rugged individualists, the outcasts, who are the real heroes. I think one can view this as an allegory for the red scare vs. American democracy. The Mushroom people have no personalities and it is unquestionably the right thing to do to kill them all. If nobody among the Minnipins was brave enough to assert their own unique individuality, the Mushroom people would have defeated them easily, because the Minnipins, in embracing unquestioning conformity, were blind to the threat of invaders. Kendall seems to be reminding readers that it is the nonconformists who protect and represent American democracy. In this way, the tale is very simplistic, a relic of a time when people believed Communism was an unquestionable evil and that it presented a grave threat to democracy. It is in the language and characters that the novel shines, however.
Muggles is a fun heroine. She struggles between conformity and nonconformity, and in the end proves herself the strongest of all Minnipins. Not by virtue of battle, but by virtue of character. She rises as the leader of the five outcasts, and it is on her leadership that they survive on their own. And while she has a mostly cheerful disposition, Kendall provides her with some character depth, as she has some moments of profound doubts and depression. This helps cement the story with some substance.
The language is plenty fun too. The start of each chapter has a quote from Muggles or a poem by Gummy. Gummy's poetry litters the entire story, and much of it had me laughing. Some of the names of the places, too, is hilarious. It shows what happens to creativity when everybody conforms to a single set of standards. The name of the main town is Slipper-on-the-Water because Gammage lost a slipper on the river where the town was built. The streets have such names as Street Going to the River and Street Going Nowhere. Certainly practical, but not very imaginative. To give an example of how much fun the language is, I will share a passage:
"Then they heard it, though afterward they never could agree as to exactly what they heard. Mingy said it was a fat sort of noise, Walter the Earl claimed that it was an approaching kind of thing, but Curley Green described it as just a soundlike sound."
I could quote many, many passages like this, as well as Gummy's poems, but it'll be easier if you just read the book. In today's age of angst-filled and romance-focused fantasy, The Gammage Cup is refreshing. It is not angsty, and it has no romance. It is lighthearted through and through, and even its black and white depiction of good and evil had me feeling nostalgic. I find that the final 30 pages or so falter, but until then, it's a very enjoyable read.
February 21, 2022
I spent the first few chapters thinking, "You would never see this story published today!"
Between the horrid cover and dated fantasy, I went in with incredibly low expectations. Which perhaps is why I was so surprised when it unexpectedly charmed me. This is a silly, sometimes on-the-nose story that mashes The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, and Terry Pratchett. It is clearly aimed at children and I doubt the gross, invading mushroom people will go over well with modern audiences. But the lesson about embracing uniqueness and overcoming differences rang just as relevant today as I'm sure it did in 1959. It is a good book for children. And maybe adults if they can get over some of the less savory bits.
Between the horrid cover and dated fantasy, I went in with incredibly low expectations. Which perhaps is why I was so surprised when it unexpectedly charmed me. This is a silly, sometimes on-the-nose story that mashes The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, and Terry Pratchett. It is clearly aimed at children and I doubt the gross, invading mushroom people will go over well with modern audiences. But the lesson about embracing uniqueness and overcoming differences rang just as relevant today as I'm sure it did in 1959. It is a good book for children. And maybe adults if they can get over some of the less savory bits.
September 28, 2021
3.75 stars.
This was adorable. It reminded me of a Disney movie with the hidden nuggets of humour just for adults and simpler humour for children. The story of the five outlaws was surprisingly poignant and I couldn't help but root them on in their own endeavors and interactions. The ending itself was perfect, so perfect in fact I'm not sure I want to read the second book. Still considering it... Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes reading fantasy to their kids at bedtime. It really was fun.
This was adorable. It reminded me of a Disney movie with the hidden nuggets of humour just for adults and simpler humour for children. The story of the five outlaws was surprisingly poignant and I couldn't help but root them on in their own endeavors and interactions. The ending itself was perfect, so perfect in fact I'm not sure I want to read the second book. Still considering it... Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes reading fantasy to their kids at bedtime. It really was fun.
October 6, 2020
I'm surprised I liked this book so much because it was a school book and it was written in the 1950's. Two things that I usually don't like. However, I really enjoyed this book!
December 8, 2015
I was given this book as a gift when I was in the 4th grade during an anonymous gift exchange at school. I remember being so disappointed. Little did I know that the adventures and acts of bravery in this book would still be with me 30 years later. I have read it many times since then and still love it today.
June 23, 2024
I must say, I appreciate this odd little story much, much more now as an adult of 43. First time I read it I was about 9 years old, and it really didn’t have the same impact. Back then it was simply an adventure story. Today, however, it seems full of subtly and nuance and perhaps even a little sly commentary on society. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but there’s definitely something remarkable here.
July 3, 2019
Nice introduction to the fantasy genre.
August 4, 2023
I love this book and so naturally I have very little to say about it. Reading it again after a quarter century (at least) did solve one burning question. I couldn't understand why I'd always imagined Walter the Earl as taller than the others, but the answer lies on page 188 of the 1959 edition. There's an illustration of Walter rallying the Minnipins to fight the invading Mushrooms and he stands head and shoulders above the rest. It's a tribute to the power of illustration that I remembered Walter's height when I'd forgotten so much else. I don't know why he's depicted in this fashion, but the other villagers seem like halflings by comparison. Yes, halflings. Let's face it - the Minnipins or Small Ones are hobbits by any other name and their foe, the Mushroom people, are the sort of thing that might well appear in a hobbit nightmare after too much Cheese and Mushroom Pie.
The Minnipins are possibly no more conformist than hobbits, but their desire for conformity is made to seem oppressive in a way that hobbit talk down at The Ivy Bush never does. The three eccentric villagers known as 'Them' (Curley Green, Gummy and Walter the Earl) remain unmarried, wear cloaks of altogether the wrong hue (that is, not green), and don't have regular employment. They are tolerated, but only just.
"...Walter the Earl spent his time digging holes in the ground in his ridiculous search for hidden treasures; Curley Green was usually to be seen sitting on her stool in a corner of the market place, blobbing pictures onto stretched reed-paper, and Gummy--well, Gummy was bone-idle.
Gummy was never seen doing anything but wearing a dreamy look along with his sun-colored cloak and peaked hat. He disappeared for hours at a time in his tiny boat, but where he went and what he did nobody knew, though there were rumors aplenty. Only two things were surely known about Gummy: he was overfond of childish pranks, and he made rhymes. Not proper poems, such as the one brought back by Fooley, now hanging in the museum, but scribbles--nonsense rhymes about rain and birds and flowers and the wind, and they bubbled out of him as water bubbles from a spring.
Then, of course, there was Muggles."
Muggles is the author's principal pov character and Muggles, who is otherwise a steady sort in spite of her orange sash and her tendency to keep her possessions in heaps on the floor rather than in cupboards and drawers where they belong, is drawn into the company of 'Them' quite involuntarily and proves to be the glue that ultimately holds them all together as they face disapproval and exile.
This book, like Seven-Day Magic, doffs its cap to The Wizard of Oz, but the Minnipins, unlike the Munchkins (and I only know the Oz movie, so bear with my analogy) face a threat from the descendants of their 'Wizard'--the balloonist, Fooley--which is almost as dangerous as the threat from without.
I have no idea what I thought of the Mushrooms when I first read The Gammage Cup. Uncritically horrified, I should say. Now I'd be just as happy if they weren't there at all, as what I prefer to take away with me is the cosiness of Gummy's house on the Little Trickle, made of a "haphazard collection of stones...slapped together with river clay", its roof of woven willow wands "which scarcely leaked at all except on one side, and then only when it rained", and rising in the morning to "the spicy scent of herb tea and the teasing warm aroma of pat-cakes drifting from Gummy's stone house."
"After a quick wash in the chill waters of the Little Trickle, they appeared at the door to find the house glistening with cleanliness. The heaps of stuff they had brought from the village and dumped willy-nilly on the floor were carefully sorted and put away on shelves and in barrels and baskets.
'There is nothing tidier than a good neat pile,' Muggles explained, 'as long as there's just one person in the house. But it won't do for five, I can see that. So we'll just have to muddle along with everything hidden away until we each have a house of our own.'"
Now there's a housekeeper after my own heart.
The Minnipins are possibly no more conformist than hobbits, but their desire for conformity is made to seem oppressive in a way that hobbit talk down at The Ivy Bush never does. The three eccentric villagers known as 'Them' (Curley Green, Gummy and Walter the Earl) remain unmarried, wear cloaks of altogether the wrong hue (that is, not green), and don't have regular employment. They are tolerated, but only just.
"...Walter the Earl spent his time digging holes in the ground in his ridiculous search for hidden treasures; Curley Green was usually to be seen sitting on her stool in a corner of the market place, blobbing pictures onto stretched reed-paper, and Gummy--well, Gummy was bone-idle.
Gummy was never seen doing anything but wearing a dreamy look along with his sun-colored cloak and peaked hat. He disappeared for hours at a time in his tiny boat, but where he went and what he did nobody knew, though there were rumors aplenty. Only two things were surely known about Gummy: he was overfond of childish pranks, and he made rhymes. Not proper poems, such as the one brought back by Fooley, now hanging in the museum, but scribbles--nonsense rhymes about rain and birds and flowers and the wind, and they bubbled out of him as water bubbles from a spring.
Then, of course, there was Muggles."
Muggles is the author's principal pov character and Muggles, who is otherwise a steady sort in spite of her orange sash and her tendency to keep her possessions in heaps on the floor rather than in cupboards and drawers where they belong, is drawn into the company of 'Them' quite involuntarily and proves to be the glue that ultimately holds them all together as they face disapproval and exile.
This book, like Seven-Day Magic, doffs its cap to The Wizard of Oz, but the Minnipins, unlike the Munchkins (and I only know the Oz movie, so bear with my analogy) face a threat from the descendants of their 'Wizard'--the balloonist, Fooley--which is almost as dangerous as the threat from without.
I have no idea what I thought of the Mushrooms when I first read The Gammage Cup. Uncritically horrified, I should say. Now I'd be just as happy if they weren't there at all, as what I prefer to take away with me is the cosiness of Gummy's house on the Little Trickle, made of a "haphazard collection of stones...slapped together with river clay", its roof of woven willow wands "which scarcely leaked at all except on one side, and then only when it rained", and rising in the morning to "the spicy scent of herb tea and the teasing warm aroma of pat-cakes drifting from Gummy's stone house."
"After a quick wash in the chill waters of the Little Trickle, they appeared at the door to find the house glistening with cleanliness. The heaps of stuff they had brought from the village and dumped willy-nilly on the floor were carefully sorted and put away on shelves and in barrels and baskets.
'There is nothing tidier than a good neat pile,' Muggles explained, 'as long as there's just one person in the house. But it won't do for five, I can see that. So we'll just have to muddle along with everything hidden away until we each have a house of our own.'"
Now there's a housekeeper after my own heart.
August 24, 2020
HOT DAMN, do I love this book. I have since I was a kid. Above and beyond anything else, this book is an argument for the importance of resisting conformity and for thinking for oneself. It's not subtle or meant to be; a central plot point involves our heroes painting their house doors various colors when their fellow villagers insist that every door be painted green. Like so many other things in children's literature, this message is deepened by being explicit, the lack of subtlety both the greatest restriction and the greatest strength of the genre. Beyond its wonderful essential message, this is a moving story of found family (always my favorite) and a genuinely thrilling adventure story, one that brilliantly builds tension and is paced perfectly. I recommend this book to anyone, adult readers certainly included.
May 13, 2017
One of my favorite books as a kid and I still love it. Solid and fun fantasy novel that I highly recommend as comfort food with a dash of excitement.
July 26, 2018
Sometimes I come across a book that, more than just being an enjoyable read, seems to reach right off the page as if it’s speaking directly to me. What doubles the wow factor with this one, though, is that it was written nearly sixty years ago, in 1959. I acquired my copy of this book in the early 1990s at a middle school book fair. I remember vividly the first time I read it. Summer vacation, listening to soundtrack-type music in the background to set the scene even more. I remember it was great fun reading it, and it reminded me a lot of time spent playing in the woods with friends at that age. We’d strike out on our own, build a little “village” (more like forts) deep in the woods, invent adventures...and as our band of misfits struck out on their own in The Gammage Cup, it reminded me a lot of that.
Then, for me, fast forward 25+ years. My copy of this book stayed with me all that time, though it was only on a whim I picked it up to reread this summer. And not only was I still just as entertained as I was the first time around, but I was astounded by the messages that I really couldn’t fully appreciate until I was an adult, and had struggled through some of the same trials as Muggles and her companions.
“Neither was Curley Green to be seen. Muggles came to a full stop to gaze at the door, which was as scarlet as Curley Green’s cloak and blazed in the morning sunlight like a bright welcoming smile. What would it be like to live behind a door like that! Not that Muggles ever *would*, she assured herself—green was the only proper color for doors—but all the same, it would be exciting to be invited through that scarlet door someday. It was rumored in the village that not only did Curley Green refuse to paint real paintings such as that brought back by Foley, but that she actually blobbed pictures on the walls of her house! Of course, it was probably just gossip, but all the same...
The scarlet door suddenly swung open, and Muggles found herself smiling directly into Curley Green’s blue eyes that always seemed to be faintly mocking. She gave a little gasp and began to move on.
‘Good morning, Muggles,’ Curley Green called. ‘Were you looking for me?’ Her scarlet cloak was flung carelessly over her sky-blue dress, and her light silky hair blew about her face like milkweed fluttering in a breeze. Under one arm she carried the box of paints that always went with her.
Muggles paused uncertainly. ‘G-good morning. I was just—won’t you—would you like a pepmint?’
‘Thank you.’ Curley Green transferred her paintbox to the other hand and dipped into the crumpled bag that Muggles proffered. Muggles helped herself from the bag, and they both stood there, solemnly sucking on the creamy bits and looking shyly at each other.
Why, she looks nice, Muggles thought with surprise. Sort of—well, as though you could tell her things.”
Reading that again, this time as an adult, I was awestruck. It spoke so very well to the struggles that any of us who are different than the norm (in any number of ways) have faced throughout our lives. And then, it got even better:
“‘I don’t know about such things,’ she faltered, ‘but—well, it seems to me—‘ She stopped short and looked round for rescue, but there was nobody to help her out. Then she caught Curley Green’s eye, and Curley Green smiled at her. ‘What I mean is,’ she went on, ‘well, I don’t think it’s doors or cloaks or...or orange sashes. It’s US. What I mean is, it’s no matter what color we paint our doors or what kind of clothes we wear, we’re...well, we’re those colors inside us. Instead of being green inside, you see, like other folk. So I don’t think maybe it would do any good if we just changed our outside color. We would still be...be orange and scarlet inside, and, well, we would do orange and scarlet things all the time, and everybody would still—‘
‘Really!’ cried Eng. ‘She IS simple!’
‘Yes, I know,’ Muggles agreed. ‘Everybody always says so. But what I really want to say is, wouldn’t it be cheating if we changed our outsides just for the judges? I mean, it doesn’t seem quite fair, does it?’”
SO ahead of its time, in 1959. Sending a strong clear message not only that it’s okay to be different, but that there is strength in diversity. As well as hints of the establishment following rules that, come to find out, really hadn’t been intended to be understood in the way that they were.
Muggles as an unlikely hero is awesome. Described as a bit plump, disorganized, yet with a sharp and practical mind, and best of all, ages are never really mentioned. Though the illustrations throughout the book tend to suggest that Walter the Earl is upwards of fifty or sixty (or the equivalent thereof in Minnipin years!) the others are never really mentioned as any age. And I LOVE that. I tend to imagine them all in their forties, and there’s no reason to think they’re not. Though this is often marketed as a “young adult” book, I tend to think that is more because, for a long time, the fantasy genre was thought of as slightly frivolous (not only rude, but dead wrong.)
Another thing to love: Muggles and Curley Green, the female protagonists, don armor and carry their own swords (not to mention actually USE them!) which was practically unheard of in fantasy in the 1950s. I ADORED that fact.
I found myself encouraged and comforted by this story, and the hope and acceptance it embodies. And beyond that...it’s just a fun read. Each of the settings, from the neat and tidy little village of Slipper-on-the-Water with its houses all in rows and the family tree out front of each, to the snaking waterways, to the cabin and the clearing, to the caves...I actually felt as if I were in each of those places, and I like when that happens.
And to top it all off, there are a couple of decent plot twists and surprises too.
Well done, Carol Kendall! And thank you.
Then, for me, fast forward 25+ years. My copy of this book stayed with me all that time, though it was only on a whim I picked it up to reread this summer. And not only was I still just as entertained as I was the first time around, but I was astounded by the messages that I really couldn’t fully appreciate until I was an adult, and had struggled through some of the same trials as Muggles and her companions.
“Neither was Curley Green to be seen. Muggles came to a full stop to gaze at the door, which was as scarlet as Curley Green’s cloak and blazed in the morning sunlight like a bright welcoming smile. What would it be like to live behind a door like that! Not that Muggles ever *would*, she assured herself—green was the only proper color for doors—but all the same, it would be exciting to be invited through that scarlet door someday. It was rumored in the village that not only did Curley Green refuse to paint real paintings such as that brought back by Foley, but that she actually blobbed pictures on the walls of her house! Of course, it was probably just gossip, but all the same...
The scarlet door suddenly swung open, and Muggles found herself smiling directly into Curley Green’s blue eyes that always seemed to be faintly mocking. She gave a little gasp and began to move on.
‘Good morning, Muggles,’ Curley Green called. ‘Were you looking for me?’ Her scarlet cloak was flung carelessly over her sky-blue dress, and her light silky hair blew about her face like milkweed fluttering in a breeze. Under one arm she carried the box of paints that always went with her.
Muggles paused uncertainly. ‘G-good morning. I was just—won’t you—would you like a pepmint?’
‘Thank you.’ Curley Green transferred her paintbox to the other hand and dipped into the crumpled bag that Muggles proffered. Muggles helped herself from the bag, and they both stood there, solemnly sucking on the creamy bits and looking shyly at each other.
Why, she looks nice, Muggles thought with surprise. Sort of—well, as though you could tell her things.”
Reading that again, this time as an adult, I was awestruck. It spoke so very well to the struggles that any of us who are different than the norm (in any number of ways) have faced throughout our lives. And then, it got even better:
“‘I don’t know about such things,’ she faltered, ‘but—well, it seems to me—‘ She stopped short and looked round for rescue, but there was nobody to help her out. Then she caught Curley Green’s eye, and Curley Green smiled at her. ‘What I mean is,’ she went on, ‘well, I don’t think it’s doors or cloaks or...or orange sashes. It’s US. What I mean is, it’s no matter what color we paint our doors or what kind of clothes we wear, we’re...well, we’re those colors inside us. Instead of being green inside, you see, like other folk. So I don’t think maybe it would do any good if we just changed our outside color. We would still be...be orange and scarlet inside, and, well, we would do orange and scarlet things all the time, and everybody would still—‘
‘Really!’ cried Eng. ‘She IS simple!’
‘Yes, I know,’ Muggles agreed. ‘Everybody always says so. But what I really want to say is, wouldn’t it be cheating if we changed our outsides just for the judges? I mean, it doesn’t seem quite fair, does it?’”
SO ahead of its time, in 1959. Sending a strong clear message not only that it’s okay to be different, but that there is strength in diversity. As well as hints of the establishment following rules that, come to find out, really hadn’t been intended to be understood in the way that they were.
Muggles as an unlikely hero is awesome. Described as a bit plump, disorganized, yet with a sharp and practical mind, and best of all, ages are never really mentioned. Though the illustrations throughout the book tend to suggest that Walter the Earl is upwards of fifty or sixty (or the equivalent thereof in Minnipin years!) the others are never really mentioned as any age. And I LOVE that. I tend to imagine them all in their forties, and there’s no reason to think they’re not. Though this is often marketed as a “young adult” book, I tend to think that is more because, for a long time, the fantasy genre was thought of as slightly frivolous (not only rude, but dead wrong.)
Another thing to love: Muggles and Curley Green, the female protagonists, don armor and carry their own swords (not to mention actually USE them!) which was practically unheard of in fantasy in the 1950s. I ADORED that fact.
I found myself encouraged and comforted by this story, and the hope and acceptance it embodies. And beyond that...it’s just a fun read. Each of the settings, from the neat and tidy little village of Slipper-on-the-Water with its houses all in rows and the family tree out front of each, to the snaking waterways, to the cabin and the clearing, to the caves...I actually felt as if I were in each of those places, and I like when that happens.
And to top it all off, there are a couple of decent plot twists and surprises too.
Well done, Carol Kendall! And thank you.
December 6, 2017
The Minnipins are a people who have lost their history. Over 800 years ago they came to the Land Between the Mountains to escape war, and now they have become so conservative in their customs that they have no patience for any with different ideas. In the village of Slipper on the Water there live five Minnipins with different ideas, and they are ostracized from their homes for not conforming to the way their neighbors think they should behave. But, during their exile, the five outcasts discover that forces from outside their valley are poised to invade and destroy everything that the Minnipins hold dear. Now, it is up to the rebels to save the very people who have turned them out.
This is a story about the dangers of becoming so rigid and set in beliefs and traditions that there is no tolerance for other ways of living. Of labeling those who do not conform as evil and dangerous. And of being unwilling to accept new ways of thinking and doing things. It is a tale showing that none can live in peace and safety until we are all willing to tolerate and accept those that are different from ourselves. Though written for children, this is a book that all adults would benefit from reading.
This is a story about the dangers of becoming so rigid and set in beliefs and traditions that there is no tolerance for other ways of living. Of labeling those who do not conform as evil and dangerous. And of being unwilling to accept new ways of thinking and doing things. It is a tale showing that none can live in peace and safety until we are all willing to tolerate and accept those that are different from ourselves. Though written for children, this is a book that all adults would benefit from reading.
October 31, 2019
This book was good. There were a few parts I sort of felt were slow but otherwise a good story. At first I thought "Muggles" (the main characters name) just sounded like a guys name and Gummy a girls name. It's the other way around, by the way. And now Muggles is nothing but a girls name and Gummy nothing but a guys.
There were two things that annoyed me:
1: The main character (and my favorite character) was not on the cover. That irked me.
2: (This only annoyed me at first) The character, Walter the Earl, they never just call him Walter! It's always "Walter the Earl".
These were two little things but they did annoy me.
Also, these Minnipins in Slipper-on-the-Water reminded me a lot of the Hobbits in the Shire.
Just putting that out there...
There were two things that annoyed me:
1: The main character (and my favorite character) was not on the cover. That irked me.
2: (This only annoyed me at first) The character, Walter the Earl, they never just call him Walter! It's always "Walter the Earl".
These were two little things but they did annoy me.
Also, these Minnipins in Slipper-on-the-Water reminded me a lot of the Hobbits in the Shire.
Just putting that out there...
July 10, 2022
I read this in fifth grade, and it was one of the only books I enjoyed reading for school. I remembered very little about it, except a few weird images and that I really liked it. And it held up when I reread it more than 10 years later.
March 5, 2019
A really good plot; I'll definitely try to read the sequel.
December 15, 2023
Been working on going through Newbery books lately. This was a nice little fantasy novel. Very enjoyable characters.
December 8, 2021
Another school book for the win!!! I absolutely loved it!
May 27, 2017
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
When Fooley the Brave, a Minnipin explorer, returned home from traveling to the Land Beyond the Mountain, he brought with him many artifacts and journal entries to help his people understand what he had learned on his journey. Four hundred years later, the Minnipin settlement of the Land Between the Mountains is ruled by Fooley's descendants, the Periods, whose names are abbreviations such as Wm., Co., Ltd., and Etc., all taken from Fooley's journal. Despite the obvious mislabeling of some of Fooley's artifacts and an overall misunderstanding of his discoveries, these leaders insist upon conformity to their ways, which include everyone dressing the same and painting their doors the same color. They do not allow for the possibility that an enemy may be planning to destroy them, and they immediately shun the few non-comformist Minnipins in their society who warn of an impending attack from the Mushroom People. It is therefore up to outsiders like Muggles, Gummy, Curley Green, and Walter the Earl to provide solid evidence that their friends' lives are in danger, or risk losing them all in a battle for which they are not prepared.
This book, written like a history text interspersed with the maxims and poems of Minnipin heroes, is a very gentle fantasy novel for young readers. For lack of a better comparison, it really reminded me a lot of some of the fantasy cartoons I watched as a kid - The Gummi Bears, The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin, and The Smurfs, for example - which are set in vaguely medieval-inspired fantasy kingdoms with no particularly complicated mythology behind them. The characters are easy to differentiate from one another, owing to the specific traits and talents each one has, and though they are not children, they are child-like, both in their willingness to believe new things, and their feelings of powerlessness in the face of unmoving authority. There are definite dangers, including battle scenes in the later chapters of the book, but the story always feels comfortably contained and cozy even at the height of the excitement.
The book has some problems, which I think are actually more pronounced because of the Newbery Honor sticker on the cover. The writing just never felt completely tightened up to me, almost as though the author didn't quite reach the heart of what she wanted the story to convey. The setting is also vague. Most of the other fantasy books I've read so far have done some level of world-building from the ground up. This story felt more like it had been written as part of a roleplaying game where the author chose a few elements out of a hat and wrote a fantasy story based on them. I think this kind of simplicity would have appealed to me as a kid, and might have actually gotten me to read this book, but after having read things like The Hobbit and Harry Potter, it felt weird not to be given pages and pages of detailed exposition about the setting. What is included is fine, but all the preliminary details felt like a means to an end instead of an integral part of the story in their own right. I am not usually big on setting, which might be another reason fantasy doesn't tend to be my favorite, but kids who do focus a lot on the details of fictitious societies might not find enough meat here.
I enjoyed The Gammage Cup and will look for the sequel at some point in the future. For kids who want to try fantasy but don't like scary stories, or who have read The Hobbit but aren't yet prepared for Lord of the Rings, this is the ideal book. It would also make a nice read-aloud provided you can pronounce the abbreviation names and don't mind occasionally having to show an illustration to your listeners so they don't miss anything.
When Fooley the Brave, a Minnipin explorer, returned home from traveling to the Land Beyond the Mountain, he brought with him many artifacts and journal entries to help his people understand what he had learned on his journey. Four hundred years later, the Minnipin settlement of the Land Between the Mountains is ruled by Fooley's descendants, the Periods, whose names are abbreviations such as Wm., Co., Ltd., and Etc., all taken from Fooley's journal. Despite the obvious mislabeling of some of Fooley's artifacts and an overall misunderstanding of his discoveries, these leaders insist upon conformity to their ways, which include everyone dressing the same and painting their doors the same color. They do not allow for the possibility that an enemy may be planning to destroy them, and they immediately shun the few non-comformist Minnipins in their society who warn of an impending attack from the Mushroom People. It is therefore up to outsiders like Muggles, Gummy, Curley Green, and Walter the Earl to provide solid evidence that their friends' lives are in danger, or risk losing them all in a battle for which they are not prepared.
This book, written like a history text interspersed with the maxims and poems of Minnipin heroes, is a very gentle fantasy novel for young readers. For lack of a better comparison, it really reminded me a lot of some of the fantasy cartoons I watched as a kid - The Gummi Bears, The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin, and The Smurfs, for example - which are set in vaguely medieval-inspired fantasy kingdoms with no particularly complicated mythology behind them. The characters are easy to differentiate from one another, owing to the specific traits and talents each one has, and though they are not children, they are child-like, both in their willingness to believe new things, and their feelings of powerlessness in the face of unmoving authority. There are definite dangers, including battle scenes in the later chapters of the book, but the story always feels comfortably contained and cozy even at the height of the excitement.
The book has some problems, which I think are actually more pronounced because of the Newbery Honor sticker on the cover. The writing just never felt completely tightened up to me, almost as though the author didn't quite reach the heart of what she wanted the story to convey. The setting is also vague. Most of the other fantasy books I've read so far have done some level of world-building from the ground up. This story felt more like it had been written as part of a roleplaying game where the author chose a few elements out of a hat and wrote a fantasy story based on them. I think this kind of simplicity would have appealed to me as a kid, and might have actually gotten me to read this book, but after having read things like The Hobbit and Harry Potter, it felt weird not to be given pages and pages of detailed exposition about the setting. What is included is fine, but all the preliminary details felt like a means to an end instead of an integral part of the story in their own right. I am not usually big on setting, which might be another reason fantasy doesn't tend to be my favorite, but kids who do focus a lot on the details of fictitious societies might not find enough meat here.
I enjoyed The Gammage Cup and will look for the sequel at some point in the future. For kids who want to try fantasy but don't like scary stories, or who have read The Hobbit but aren't yet prepared for Lord of the Rings, this is the ideal book. It would also make a nice read-aloud provided you can pronounce the abbreviation names and don't mind occasionally having to show an illustration to your listeners so they don't miss anything.
May 31, 2021
One of the best novels I have read over the years and my grade6/7 classes have always fallen in love with it. I don't understand how Hollywood missed this gem to put on the Silver Screen. I'm sure it would still be a big hit with kids. A great novel about friendship, love, courage and indifference. Don't deny yourself the pleasure of meeting these characters.
May 20, 2021
This is another re-read from childhood. I loved this book when I read it in 4th or 5th grade. I liked it fine this time around, but not quite as much as I remember enjoying it. I will see if I can get my kids to read it and see how they like it. It's hard to picture what the Minnipins look like, since the book describes them as a small people or creatures yet the cover shows just people.
Overall, I love the themes, like thinking for yourself, not conforming just for conformity's sake, questioning leadership, truth, rewriting versus understanding history, and appreciating individual talents. Maybe my difference in how I liked it in childhood versus now is because these are great themes to introduce to young people, but it's like a starter book for these themes. There's also fun introductions to poetry and maxims.
Overall, I love the themes, like thinking for yourself, not conforming just for conformity's sake, questioning leadership, truth, rewriting versus understanding history, and appreciating individual talents. Maybe my difference in how I liked it in childhood versus now is because these are great themes to introduce to young people, but it's like a starter book for these themes. There's also fun introductions to poetry and maxims.
August 4, 2014
It is a book that needs to be read now by the Hero Generation over any other book that is coming out right now. For the heroes are often needed when one has become complacent; and the heroes might not be looked to as such at the beginning. In fact they might not consider themselves heroes, but grow into it through trials and labors. This book in only 221 pages in length, but has so much contained within it’s pages.
Some of my thoughts upon finishing this really good book, and some of the things it taught me....
Some of my thoughts:
The villagers thought Muggles (the one who wore the orange sash) to be simple minded. But as soon as she was an outcast, those who were with her found her to have the most sense out of them all. She found a courage inside of her that had been just a spark until she fanned it into a great flame. Her sensibleness and courage would never have been discovered had she not been forced to toil and fight for life on the mountain.
Walter the Earl (dug holes in his yard looking for ancient manuscripts and found the armor and swords) showed great leadership, for after he had gotten the village convinced of the enemy advancing, he gave the Mayor Ltd. a place of leadership as head of the medical band. He also choose two of the Periods (who had spoken the most strongly that he was telling tells) to be two of the selected fifty to fight for the protection of the village.
Mingy (the one who choose to be an outcast with them) showed great thinking strategically, for after he had been captured he used his brains so that the enemy would not be able to retreat the way they had come and gather another army to attack again at a future time. He also showed kindness by sitting with the misjudged minnipins before their fate had been decided.
Gummy (the writer of scribbles and an idler) always tried to put a cheerful look on all that happened.
Curly Green (the painter of Blobs, who had a Scarlet door) was just always herself and non-judgmental of those around her.
The village became a fascist society in their search for perfection.
The swords when glowed bright had this inscription Bright when the Cause is Right. We too can grow stunningly bright when we have a cause we are passionate about.
Those who had buried the swords 400 years before believed that when they would be needed they would be found at that time.
The heroes we need will probably be the unexpected ones. Much like Christ wasn’t what the Jews were expecting to be their savior yet He was and is.
Embrace your uniqueness and the color with in. Be willing to Stand out
Some of my thoughts upon finishing this really good book, and some of the things it taught me....
Some of my thoughts:
The villagers thought Muggles (the one who wore the orange sash) to be simple minded. But as soon as she was an outcast, those who were with her found her to have the most sense out of them all. She found a courage inside of her that had been just a spark until she fanned it into a great flame. Her sensibleness and courage would never have been discovered had she not been forced to toil and fight for life on the mountain.
Walter the Earl (dug holes in his yard looking for ancient manuscripts and found the armor and swords) showed great leadership, for after he had gotten the village convinced of the enemy advancing, he gave the Mayor Ltd. a place of leadership as head of the medical band. He also choose two of the Periods (who had spoken the most strongly that he was telling tells) to be two of the selected fifty to fight for the protection of the village.
Mingy (the one who choose to be an outcast with them) showed great thinking strategically, for after he had been captured he used his brains so that the enemy would not be able to retreat the way they had come and gather another army to attack again at a future time. He also showed kindness by sitting with the misjudged minnipins before their fate had been decided.
Gummy (the writer of scribbles and an idler) always tried to put a cheerful look on all that happened.
Curly Green (the painter of Blobs, who had a Scarlet door) was just always herself and non-judgmental of those around her.
The village became a fascist society in their search for perfection.
The swords when glowed bright had this inscription Bright when the Cause is Right. We too can grow stunningly bright when we have a cause we are passionate about.
Those who had buried the swords 400 years before believed that when they would be needed they would be found at that time.
The heroes we need will probably be the unexpected ones. Much like Christ wasn’t what the Jews were expecting to be their savior yet He was and is.
Embrace your uniqueness and the color with in. Be willing to Stand out
August 24, 2017
This is the second time that I have read this magnificent fantasy children's book, the first being in childhood with my mother, and I found it as wonderful as the first time. It was like returning home. The world is so full and refreshing, relatable in the humanity but with just enough idiosyncrasies and magical elements to make it exciting, and the universe is not complicated or confusing. (I do not mean to denounce comprehensive world-building; JRR Tolkien remains one of my favorite authors.)
The writing style is unique from any other author I have read. The true enchanted climactic action does not begin until more than three quarters of the way through the book, and the building up to it is so slow that some may call it uneventful. The detail in describing processes which Kendall expresses might be boring to some, but since her tone is endlessly engaging, I find the thoroughness and detail engrossing.
The perspective is also quite singular; it is third person, but it does not fit into a neat box of omniscient, limited or purely objective. It sometimes almost seems to climb into a particular character's head for a particular section (limited), or multiple in the same section (omniscient). However, while the way that the narration refrains from illustrating specific worded thoughts may resemble objectivity, the author's choice to somewhat objectively *describe motivation* is what makes it unique. This makes it ideal for children because of its plainness. Some adults may find it too simple. However, a lesson learned from Muggles, who could be described as the main character since it focuses on her action more than any other, is that plainness and a desire to get right to the truth and the heart of the matter does not equal simplicity of mind. It is still remarkably absorbing for me as a young adult. Is it challenging? No. The only reason it took so long to for me to read is because I have been quite busy recently; I could have read it in a single afternoon. But sometimes it is refreshing to take a break from mentally demanding books, especially since I am right on the verge of a new school year that will most certainly entail intellectual and 'deep' academic material that will challenge me well enough.
tl;dr I highly recommend this book to anyone. It is designed for children, and I certainly got the most out of it in childhood when it cemented itself as one of my favorite books of all time. However, though it may not be the most popular opinion, I highly recommend it to adults as well for how plainly fun it is and how it sparks the imagination.
The writing style is unique from any other author I have read. The true enchanted climactic action does not begin until more than three quarters of the way through the book, and the building up to it is so slow that some may call it uneventful. The detail in describing processes which Kendall expresses might be boring to some, but since her tone is endlessly engaging, I find the thoroughness and detail engrossing.
The perspective is also quite singular; it is third person, but it does not fit into a neat box of omniscient, limited or purely objective. It sometimes almost seems to climb into a particular character's head for a particular section (limited), or multiple in the same section (omniscient). However, while the way that the narration refrains from illustrating specific worded thoughts may resemble objectivity, the author's choice to somewhat objectively *describe motivation* is what makes it unique. This makes it ideal for children because of its plainness. Some adults may find it too simple. However, a lesson learned from Muggles, who could be described as the main character since it focuses on her action more than any other, is that plainness and a desire to get right to the truth and the heart of the matter does not equal simplicity of mind. It is still remarkably absorbing for me as a young adult. Is it challenging? No. The only reason it took so long to for me to read is because I have been quite busy recently; I could have read it in a single afternoon. But sometimes it is refreshing to take a break from mentally demanding books, especially since I am right on the verge of a new school year that will most certainly entail intellectual and 'deep' academic material that will challenge me well enough.
tl;dr I highly recommend this book to anyone. It is designed for children, and I certainly got the most out of it in childhood when it cemented itself as one of my favorite books of all time. However, though it may not be the most popular opinion, I highly recommend it to adults as well for how plainly fun it is and how it sparks the imagination.
May 18, 2021
I have been searching for this book for over 20 years. I wub this book. This is my childhood
June 7, 2019
I was too old for this book when I first read it. I liked it then; I like it still. It's a classic fantasy adventure story for children. I've re-read it several times in the last 39 years, whenever children I know reach the right age to share it.
The Minnipins are adults, but apparently short adults who behave the way adults like to represent themselves to children. Very orderly and rational, they suffer only occasional episodes of egotism and social-hierarchy-forming urges, which are quickly resolved. In this story a few Minnipins who are suffering from ego inflation learn that the ancestor of whom they're proud was actually more a source of embarrassment. They can still be heroic in a crisis too, but only by following the lead of neighbors whose non-conformism they've tried to suppress by bullying. Minnipins apparently learn as easily as children do, even when their hair is gray or thinning. As an adult I wish I knew a few Minnipins.
What some people don't like is that the conflict between Minnipins and their evil enemies is presented as a literal battle with swords, spears, and torches. Kendall tried to correct this, with a fresh lot of Minnipin heroes and enemies who are not evil but just clueless, in a sequel, but somehow the archetypal power of her storytelling seems to work better in its traditional form here.
(Another cool thing about Goodreads is that official blurbs that summarize the plots appear on each book page, so I only need to post mini-reviews as comments on those. Hurrah!)
The Minnipins are adults, but apparently short adults who behave the way adults like to represent themselves to children. Very orderly and rational, they suffer only occasional episodes of egotism and social-hierarchy-forming urges, which are quickly resolved. In this story a few Minnipins who are suffering from ego inflation learn that the ancestor of whom they're proud was actually more a source of embarrassment. They can still be heroic in a crisis too, but only by following the lead of neighbors whose non-conformism they've tried to suppress by bullying. Minnipins apparently learn as easily as children do, even when their hair is gray or thinning. As an adult I wish I knew a few Minnipins.
What some people don't like is that the conflict between Minnipins and their evil enemies is presented as a literal battle with swords, spears, and torches. Kendall tried to correct this, with a fresh lot of Minnipin heroes and enemies who are not evil but just clueless, in a sequel, but somehow the archetypal power of her storytelling seems to work better in its traditional form here.
(Another cool thing about Goodreads is that official blurbs that summarize the plots appear on each book page, so I only need to post mini-reviews as comments on those. Hurrah!)
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