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The Wuggly Ump
Edward Goreys mordant masterpiece The Wuggly Ump charts the fate of three wholesome children whose happy days weaving chains of flowers are cut short when the mysterious Wuggly Ump hurtles from its den in search of tasty tots.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1963
1 person is currently reading
211 people want to read
About the author
Edward Gorey
480 books2,036 followersBorn in Chicago, Gorey came from a colourful family; his parents, Helen Dunham Garvey and Edward Lee Gorey, divorced in 1936 when he was 11, then remarried in 1952 when he was 27. One of his step-mothers was Corinna Mura, a cabaret singer who had a brief role in the classic film Casablanca. His father was briefly a journalist. Gorey's maternal great-grandmother, Helen St. John Garvey, was a popular 19th century greeting card writer/artist, from whom he claimed to have inherited his talents. He attended a variety of local grade schools and then the Francis W. Parker School. He spent 1944–1946 in the Army at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, and then attended Harvard University from 1946 to 1950, where he studied French and roomed with future poet Frank O'Hara.
Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.
Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 1, 2018
This story cracked me up. This was actually a story in color. It is pretty simple and it is for kids. I let the kids read this one and they laughed and laughed at it. It was hilarious.
There are 3 kids and the rhyme shows them and this monster who gets closer and closer. The kids are eaten at the end. We were all rolling with laughter at the end. They thought it was great.
This is one of my favorites of Edward's. A great and fun little story.
There are 3 kids and the rhyme shows them and this monster who gets closer and closer. The kids are eaten at the end. We were all rolling with laughter at the end. They thought it was great.
This is one of my favorites of Edward's. A great and fun little story.
November 5, 2024
“Sing jigglepin, sing jogglepen. The Wuggly Ump has left its den.”
I loved this sweet, little dose of Gorey ghoulish fun. It’s a simple story really. A story of a hungry creature and the children he
The Wuggly Ump’s tale is told with small, detailed illustrations and wickedly-whimsical rhyming lines. The words are an absolute joy to read aloud. Ridiculous sounding words like kerbash and kerblump make appearances. Along with simple words like unpleasing and fuss. Fuss! Why don’t I use that word more?
This tiny, yellow edition can fit oh-so perfectly in your hand or your pocket. Pick it up and see!
May 14, 2016
Encontré este libro de pura casualidad a un precio bajísimo y no dudé ni un segundo. Me resulta prácticamente imposible ignorar algo que tenga relación con Edward Gorey, y más a precios ridículos, así que con este no fue la diferencia. Y cuando lo compré, me senté en un banco de un parque y lo leí en algo así como cinco minutos, porque es, como mínimo, en lo que se lee una historia de las que Gorey nos tiene acostumbrados.
Como no podía ser menos, me resultó una historia con tintes inocentes, pero con un giro perturbador. La historia es muy simple, y para sintetizar, trata de unos niños que están jugando muy felices en el exterior, mientras una hórrida criatura los acecha. Realmente se va poniendo cada vez más oscura a medida que pasan las páginas, y el arte, como siempre, sublime y tan Gorey que mi corazón se agita cuando tengo este libro en mis manos.
Como no podía ser menos, me resultó una historia con tintes inocentes, pero con un giro perturbador. La historia es muy simple, y para sintetizar, trata de unos niños que están jugando muy felices en el exterior, mientras una hórrida criatura los acecha. Realmente se va poniendo cada vez más oscura a medida que pasan las páginas, y el arte, como siempre, sublime y tan Gorey que mi corazón se agita cuando tengo este libro en mis manos.
October 8, 2014
A breezy sunshiny bit of sing-song morbidity
January 1, 2020
Nice illustrations (as always), but only so-so. I liked the suspense, but not the ending. In any case, perfect for my 50th and final book of 2019.
May 30, 2023
A rare book with some color by Gorey. Each image is accompanied with a rhyming couplet. It's features 3 children being pursued by a mystical monster called the Wuggly Ump. Eventually the Wuggly Ump swallows the children whole in a lackadaisical way only Gorey can portray.
October 23, 2024
Me encanta las notas de humor negro que tiene el libro.
Necesito leer más cosas del autor.
Necesito leer más cosas del autor.
March 23, 2025
three wholesome children playing and singing amid the impending doom of the wuggly ump. of course nothing ever ends well for children in edward gorey's stories.
August 27, 2013
When I turned the first page of this little novel I thought " Wow an Edward Gorey that's not entirely disturbing". I was envisioning a cuddly that had come to fill these children's lives with Joy. Then hell froze over and pigs flew...
The Wuggly Ump is actually a rather large fellow with jagged teeth that likes to snack on umbrella's, doorknobs...and children. I don't really understand why a creature that likes to eat inanimate objects would suddenly have a craving for flesh of young humans but whatever.
Meanwhile a group of children are playing merrily in the fields, weaving daisy chains and generally enjoying life. However we all know that in Edward Gorey's world children are not permitted to live a long happy life so along comes the Wuggly Ump to devour them whole.
I'm not entirley sure what the moral of this story is but I think it's that if you're a kid who behaves, eats all your dinner and say your prayers before bedtime a hideous monster will arrive at your front door and eat you. So behave like a little tyrant and everything will turn out OK.
Or perhaps it's that life can and will fuck you over no matter how well behaved you are....
The Wuggly Ump is actually a rather large fellow with jagged teeth that likes to snack on umbrella's, doorknobs...and children. I don't really understand why a creature that likes to eat inanimate objects would suddenly have a craving for flesh of young humans but whatever.
Meanwhile a group of children are playing merrily in the fields, weaving daisy chains and generally enjoying life. However we all know that in Edward Gorey's world children are not permitted to live a long happy life so along comes the Wuggly Ump to devour them whole.
I'm not entirley sure what the moral of this story is but I think it's that if you're a kid who behaves, eats all your dinner and say your prayers before bedtime a hideous monster will arrive at your front door and eat you. So behave like a little tyrant and everything will turn out OK.
Or perhaps it's that life can and will fuck you over no matter how well behaved you are....
November 15, 2012
Really loved this one. What is so great about this one is, it takes your typical rainbows and butterflies children’s book and turns it on its head. This is Dr. Seuss meets Edgar Allen Poe? Great singsong quality and narrative progression
August 1, 2015
Gorey goes (parodies?) Dr. Seuss in The Wuggly Ump, in which three children are visited by the titular creature, of which fantastic and slightly unsettling tales are rumored (think Carroll's Snark).
July 23, 2010
Great use of color and I hope somebody out there has a tattoo of the final illustration.
March 2, 2012
My my... Such terrible, awful, monstrous things can happen on such normal seeming days!
January 29, 2013
Very disturbing....but in a sing-song and rhyming way.
October 13, 2013
E.A. Poe meets Dr. Seuss. What's not to like?
July 7, 2014
The wuggly ump is unexpectedly upbeat for such a bizarre story. It's more of a true version of The three little pigs that every kid should read. Don't open the door for strangers.
October 18, 2014
My first and favorite Edward Gorey book.
June 1, 2015
hati-hati dengan orang yang belum kamu kenal
review lengkap http://www.kubikelromance.com/2015/05...
review lengkap http://www.kubikelromance.com/2015/05...
September 2, 2015
It's good as far as it goes, but maybe a little too short and a little too straightforward.
January 8, 2016
Death: It happens to the best of us, kids.
(Reread in Amphigorey; reviewing separately.)
(Reread in Amphigorey; reviewing separately.)
November 12, 2025
سوال : چگونه در ۵۰ روز ۲۲ کتاب بخوانیم؟
پاسخ: ...
این کتاب #کودک خیلی باحاله. بهترین کتاب گوری نیست ولی یکی از باحالترین هاست :)
اینم متن شعر کتاب «The Wuggly Ump»
THE WUGGLY UMP BY EDWARD GOREY
Sing tirraloo, sing tirralay,
The Wuggly Ump lives far away.
It eats umbrellas, gunny sacks,
Brass doorknobs, mud, and carpet tacks.
How most unpleasing, to be sure!
Its other habits are obscure.
Sing jigglepin, sing jogglepen,
The Wuggly Ump has left its den.
We pass our happy childhood hours
In weaving endless chains of flowers.
We pass our happy childhood hours
in weaving endless chains of flowers.
Across the hills the Wuggly Ump
Is hurling on, kerbash, kerblump!
When play is over, we are fed
On wholesome bowls of milk and bread.
Sing hushaboo, sing hushaby,
The Wuggly Ump is drawing nigh.
The moon is full: its silver beams
Shine down and give us lovely dreams.
Sing twiddle-ear, sing swaddle-or,
The Wuggly Ump is at the door.
It's making an unholy fuss:
Why has it come to visit us?
What nasty little wilful eyes
for anything of such a size!
How uninviting are its claws!
How even more so are its jaws!
Sing glegalump, sing glugalump,
From deep inside the Wuggly Ump.
پاسخ: ...
این کتاب #کودک خیلی باحاله. بهترین کتاب گوری نیست ولی یکی از باحالترین هاست :)
اینم متن شعر کتاب «The Wuggly Ump»
THE WUGGLY UMP BY EDWARD GOREY
Sing tirraloo, sing tirralay,
The Wuggly Ump lives far away.
It eats umbrellas, gunny sacks,
Brass doorknobs, mud, and carpet tacks.
How most unpleasing, to be sure!
Its other habits are obscure.
Sing jigglepin, sing jogglepen,
The Wuggly Ump has left its den.
We pass our happy childhood hours
In weaving endless chains of flowers.
We pass our happy childhood hours
in weaving endless chains of flowers.
Across the hills the Wuggly Ump
Is hurling on, kerbash, kerblump!
When play is over, we are fed
On wholesome bowls of milk and bread.
Sing hushaboo, sing hushaby,
The Wuggly Ump is drawing nigh.
The moon is full: its silver beams
Shine down and give us lovely dreams.
Sing twiddle-ear, sing swaddle-or,
The Wuggly Ump is at the door.
It's making an unholy fuss:
Why has it come to visit us?
What nasty little wilful eyes
for anything of such a size!
How uninviting are its claws!
How even more so are its jaws!
Sing glegalump, sing glugalump,
From deep inside the Wuggly Ump.
December 25, 2021
Wrtitten by Gorey, Edward, and one of three dubious picture books in The Poison Cabinet. My grandfather owned this collection and he sure loved to scare me.
This book in particular, scared the living daylights out of me as a youngster. Simply made yes, but from the way it was presented to me, the disturbing pictures haunted me for a long time.
But nevertheless, it’s good and artistic story from a bygone era.
Lastly, I see similarities in the horrorfilm The Babadook. Both in it’s genre and the way things unfold.
Oh, I still remember the horror this dame story inflicted on me...🙂👹
This book in particular, scared the living daylights out of me as a youngster. Simply made yes, but from the way it was presented to me, the disturbing pictures haunted me for a long time.
But nevertheless, it’s good and artistic story from a bygone era.
Lastly, I see similarities in the horrorfilm The Babadook. Both in it’s genre and the way things unfold.
Oh, I still remember the horror this dame story inflicted on me...🙂👹
July 22, 2023
Sing tirraloo, sing tirralay,
The Wuggly Ump lives far away.
It eats umbrellas, gunny sacks,
Brass doorknobs, mud, and carpet tacks.
How most unpleasing, to be sure!
It's other habits are obscure.
Sing jigglepin, sing jogglepen,
The Wuggly Ump has left its den.
The Wuggly Ump loves nothing more than children to snack on so when it leaves its den, you must beware!
FIlled with Gorey's unique humour and imaginative art, this will be a great addition to our collections. 4 stars,
The Wuggly Ump lives far away.
It eats umbrellas, gunny sacks,
Brass doorknobs, mud, and carpet tacks.
How most unpleasing, to be sure!
It's other habits are obscure.
Sing jigglepin, sing jogglepen,
The Wuggly Ump has left its den.
The Wuggly Ump loves nothing more than children to snack on so when it leaves its den, you must beware!
FIlled with Gorey's unique humour and imaginative art, this will be a great addition to our collections. 4 stars,
February 22, 2020
3.5 stars, rounded up. A subversively dark "children's" book is obvious and easy but I still love it--and where The Bug Book flounders, this succeeds. The colors and simpler art ape children's books; panels alternate between a saccharine singsong and a creeping threat, and the places where the elements overlap--the children playing, like Merricat Blackwood, at charms for safekeeping--are particularly strong.
December 27, 2023
Hermoso libro, de un humor negro extraordinario. Soy una gran fan de Edward Gorey. Funciona conmigo y funciona con mis hijos de 6 años. Este libro en especial es uno de mis favoritos, tiene un genial ritmo narrativo intercalando escenas de los niños y del monstruo que se los termina devorando. Es perfecto.
January 2, 2024
This book is one of the least exciting of Edward Gorey's works.
Finally, I came up with his special technique that turns the body upside down!
This is Edward Gorey's specialty!
Many of your works feature paintings where the body is turned upside down.
Check it Out!
Finally, I came up with his special technique that turns the body upside down!
This is Edward Gorey's specialty!
Many of your works feature paintings where the body is turned upside down.
Check it Out!
August 28, 2018
Check out our TinyTakes review on Twitter here:
https://twitter.com/pennycandybooks/s...
https://twitter.com/pennycandybooks/s...
December 8, 2018
Initially as charming and innocent as a children’s book, it turns dark—which children would love but parents might not.
February 21, 2019
What? colour?!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews