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The Walloping Window-Blind
"Like the wacky crew of the ship in Carryl's classic nonsense poem, readers will 'cheerily put to sea' in this captivating picture book.... LaMarche's gleeful illustrations capture the spirit of this rollicking read-aloud.... Pure magic." --Publishers Weekly
24 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1885
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 8, 2021
Adapted from Charles E. Carryl's classic nonsense rhyme, this tale follows a group of children as they set sail on a fantastic voyage on the Walloping Window-Blind. A ship with a highly unusual crew - a hopscotch-playing boatswain, a mad gunner firing cannons into the gale - the Walloping Window-Blind is eventually abandoned, as the fun-loving mariners head ashore on the Gulliby Isles. Here they live, until another ship sails across the Peppermint Sea to pick them up...
Although I hadn't heard of Carryl's poem before picking up this adaptation from picture-book author/illustrator Jim LaMarche, it has apparently been quite popular, since first appearing in 1885. It has been included in a number of children's poetry collections over the years - Burgess Johnson's 1929 A Little Book of Necessary Nonsense , Katherine Love's 1957 A Little Laughter , Louis Untermeyer's 1970 The Golden Book of Fun and Nonsense (illustrated by the Provensons), etc. - and has been recorded as a song numerous times. It has also been given at least four picture-book treatments, that I know of: Paul Galdone's 1963 A Capital Ship; or, The Walloping Window-Blind , Harry Devlin's 1968 The Walloping Window Blind: An Old Nautical Tale , Ted Rand's 1992 The Walloping Window-Blind , and this 1994 version, done by LaMarche.
Leaving that interesting history of transmission aside, I found that I enjoyed The Walloping Window-Blind, appreciating both its rollicking rhyming structure and the silly but entertaining tale that it conveys. LaMarche's accompanying artwork is creative, depicting the seafaring mariners as children, and capturing all of the madcap things they do. I don't know that I liked the illustrations here quite as much as in some of the artist's other titles - it was sometimes a little too dark in tone, preventing me from appreciating the details - but it was still appealing, overall. Recommended to picture-book readers who enjoy nonsense rhyme, as well as to fellow fans of Jim LaMarche. For my part, I'll have to see if I can track down other retellings of this poem/story, to see how they compare.
Although I hadn't heard of Carryl's poem before picking up this adaptation from picture-book author/illustrator Jim LaMarche, it has apparently been quite popular, since first appearing in 1885. It has been included in a number of children's poetry collections over the years - Burgess Johnson's 1929 A Little Book of Necessary Nonsense , Katherine Love's 1957 A Little Laughter , Louis Untermeyer's 1970 The Golden Book of Fun and Nonsense (illustrated by the Provensons), etc. - and has been recorded as a song numerous times. It has also been given at least four picture-book treatments, that I know of: Paul Galdone's 1963 A Capital Ship; or, The Walloping Window-Blind , Harry Devlin's 1968 The Walloping Window Blind: An Old Nautical Tale , Ted Rand's 1992 The Walloping Window-Blind , and this 1994 version, done by LaMarche.
Leaving that interesting history of transmission aside, I found that I enjoyed The Walloping Window-Blind, appreciating both its rollicking rhyming structure and the silly but entertaining tale that it conveys. LaMarche's accompanying artwork is creative, depicting the seafaring mariners as children, and capturing all of the madcap things they do. I don't know that I liked the illustrations here quite as much as in some of the artist's other titles - it was sometimes a little too dark in tone, preventing me from appreciating the details - but it was still appealing, overall. Recommended to picture-book readers who enjoy nonsense rhyme, as well as to fellow fans of Jim LaMarche. For my part, I'll have to see if I can track down other retellings of this poem/story, to see how they compare.
May 28, 2019
Sorry, but I didn't like anything about this one: not the "classic" poem, OR LaMarche's technicolor, grainy artwork. Everyone else seems to love it, so there you go . . .
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February 11, 2015This picture book is Jim LaMarche's adaptation and pictorial vision of Charles E. Carryl's fun, rollicking, nonsensical, sea shanty-ish adventure poem, first written in 1885. My girls, who groaningly interrupted me after the first stanza with "Is this a rhyming book?" soon got into the swing of the poem, greatly aided by LaMarche's funny, imaginative illustrations featuring kids as the captain and crew of the Walloping Window-blind.
This is a poem I remember from my childhood, that I'd all but forgotten until I saw this book at the library. (It was made into a folk song at some point, and I remember hearing it on an LP record when I was young.) The poem has been "adapted" (i.e. changed) slightly from the original, in places, to reflect a more universal, PC appeal. It's not something that would necessarily bother other people, but I don't, as a general rule, like it when the words of an author are "updated" for PC purposes. I understand the reason for it (mostly), but I don't approve. (She said, with her nose in the air.) To me, it's changing the historic record. In all fairness, my peevishness aside, I think the changes are well done, and in keeping with the general spirit of the poem. And I adore LaMarche's kid crew; their facial expressions are priceless.
This is a poem I remember from my childhood, that I'd all but forgotten until I saw this book at the library. (It was made into a folk song at some point, and I remember hearing it on an LP record when I was young.) The poem has been "adapted" (i.e. changed) slightly from the original, in places, to reflect a more universal, PC appeal. It's not something that would necessarily bother other people, but I don't, as a general rule, like it when the words of an author are "updated" for PC purposes. I understand the reason for it (mostly), but I don't approve. (She said, with her nose in the air.) To me, it's changing the historic record. In all fairness, my peevishness aside, I think the changes are well done, and in keeping with the general spirit of the poem. And I adore LaMarche's kid crew; their facial expressions are priceless.
August 26, 2018
Fantastic illustrations bring Carryl's poem alive. What an adventure!
August 19, 2020
Another strange and delightful book we love from Jim LaM
July 25, 2016
LaMarche is one of my favorite illustrators, and he does not disappoint in this whimsical tale, adapted from the original book by Charles E. Carryl wherein a ship of fun loving youngsters hope aboard the Walloping Window Blind for an adventure. No matter how high the waves or how fierce the gale, the caption is never troubled.
Leaving the others to steer the ship, as he ate figs (fig newton cookies, illustrated by LaMarche, and a hot dog (toasted pig) noted in original tale. All is fine as they frolic in the ocean, until the meals are served. White the captain is eating his favorites, the crew has hot-cross buns in liquid form with glue holding it together.
Taking the vessel ashore, they played with the local birds and animals while drinking cinnamon tea. Finding another ship in the distance, they left the shore and set course to hop aboard a new adventure.
Leaving the others to steer the ship, as he ate figs (fig newton cookies, illustrated by LaMarche, and a hot dog (toasted pig) noted in original tale. All is fine as they frolic in the ocean, until the meals are served. White the captain is eating his favorites, the crew has hot-cross buns in liquid form with glue holding it together.
Taking the vessel ashore, they played with the local birds and animals while drinking cinnamon tea. Finding another ship in the distance, they left the shore and set course to hop aboard a new adventure.
March 7, 2016
A poem in the style of Edward Lear. It tells the tale of some children on a fantasical ship and their adventures on sea and land.
Great illustrations.
Great illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews