The Bubble Machine

Joan Buchanan is a writing instructor and storyteller, and the author of
Taking Care of My Cold! and The Nana Rescue.

As an allegorical fairy tale, The Bubble Machine is largely successful.
“In a quiet country, far, far” away, gentle King Pip rules a
seemingly problem-free land. Clementine, his daughter, wants to catch
bubbles without breaking them. Her philosophical father comments,
“Impossible, my dear. ... There are a great many things of beauty that
you can never hold in your hands.” Mook Chook, “the
magician-turned-gardener,” overhears and, wanting to impress, decides
to make a machine that pumps out indestructible bubbles. An egalitarian,
the king orders bubble machines made for everyone in his kingdom. After
a while, the yellow bubbles create an impenetrable dome in the sky,
causing climate catastrophes. Mook Chook comes up with a solution, but
only a partial one.

Frances Morgan’s translation of Jean-Pierre Guillet’s text abounds
with playful, active language. Sentences are varied, with imperatives
such as “Ping! Bang! Whoosh!” peppered among simple, lengthier
constructions. Within the bounds that the author establishes, the plot
makes sense. Unfortunately, the ending comes abruptly and is somewhat
unsatisfying, perhaps due to the sudden intrusion of the present tense.
The realistic epilogue explaining the importance of clean air also feels
like overkill. The story would have been better had the fantasy been
maintained, and, in keeping with the style, had a traditional, western
happy ending been provided.

Gilles Tibo’s whimsical illustrations have an appealing childlike
quality and are suited to the book’s text. Recommended.