The Great Blue Grump

Krystyna Higgins is the former book review editor for the Catholic New
Times.

A little boy asks his friend, “What is the Great Blue Grump?” In the
manner of a junior naturalist, she proceeds to describe the Grump’s
appearance, habitat, eating habits, and activities. The mysterious
creature is compared with a list of exotic animals whom he does not
resemble: the ring-tailed lemur, the three-toed sloth, the frilled
lizard, the mynah bird. Various clues in both text and pictures
gradually alert us to the concluding “punch line”: the Great Blue
Grump, who is asleep upstairs, is none other than “the best dad in the
world,” bearded and clad in his blue pyjamas.

Kitty Macaulay’s cartoon-style illustrations, which dominate every
page but without overwhelming the large-print text, are lively,
humorous, colorful, and detailed. A young child would enjoy spotting the
bugs’ birthday party, for instance, or the dancing desert lizards.

This is a picture book characterized by gentle child-centred humor and
by a playfulness that is sure to appeal. Recommended.