Munschworks 2: The Second Munsch Treasury

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is also the
author of The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese Women’s Lives, Kurlek, and
Margaret Laurence: The Long Journey Hom

Adults looking for a light-hearted lift and small children searching for
good stories will all be happy with this anthology of five hilarious
tales by a truly great storyteller. Munsch is a master of the absurd and
of the age-old technique of repetition with amusing variation.

“Pigs” takes off from the tried-and-true pattern of a child’s
doing what he or she has been told not to do. Why not, when parents know
so little? Megan learns that both the pigs and her parents are smarter
than she had thought. “Mortimer” is shaped by children’s natural
affinity with noise, confusion, and the resulting attention. “Murmel,
Murmel, Murmel” stars a lost baby and a 5-year-old girl in search of
its caretaker. “Something Good” starts from the hazards that
inevitably accompany taking small children to a supermarket and moves to
a wonderfully satisfying ending.

Four of the five tales are illustrated by Michael Martchenko, whose
zany, full-page scenes vibrate with energy, exasperation, and sheer fun.
Hélиne Desputeaux’s illustrations for “Something Good” combine
rather similar qualities with a unique style of their own.

As reviewers of Munsch’s books often say, Munsch’s tales star
independent children and a “jaunty belief” in child power. Indeed
they do. Highly recommended.