Murmel, Murmel, Murmel

Gwen Zilm was Technical Services Librarian, Okanagan College, Kelowna, British Columbia.

Murmel Murmel Murmel isthe latest in the Munsch for Kids Series of improbable children’s adventure stories written by Robert Munsch. Like previous titles, the text of Murmel Murmel Murmel is brief, humorous, and directed at children roughly four to eight years old. The adults in these stories are treated almost sardonically; they are caught up in their own routines, they lack a sense of humor and imagination, but they provide an amusing contrast to the spirited and adventurous children.

Here, five-year-old Robin digs a very deep hole in her sandbox. When she hollers “Anybody down there?,” the response is “Murmel Murmel Murmel.” Robin has found a baby. The adventure continues as she tries to find an adult to care for the baby.

Watercolour illustrations are by Michael Martchenko, who has illustrated all the titles in this series; they are attractive and colourful. The adults are strained and tense-looking, the children relaxed and casual.

The book is appealing both as a story to be read aloud and as a book for a beginning reader. Sentence structure is varied and conversational. The text is amusing and well paced.

Murmel Murmel Murmel has been chosen by the Children’s Book Centre as one of the hundred best Canadian Children’s Books for 1982.