Bubble Trouble

by Tom Percival

Rueben and Felix are best friends, and what they like doing best is blowing bubbles - the bigger, the better! It all starts to go wrong when Rueben challenges Felix to a bubble-blowing competition. When they sabotage each other's bubble machines, the results are disastrous. It's time to stop fighting against each other and pull together!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Friendship, Animals, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 11, 2014

About the author

Tom Percival writes and illustrates picture books (you know, for kids) as well as illustrating books written by other people. The most well known of these is probably the excellent Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy.

He grew up in a remote and beautiful part of South Shropshire. On reflection this seemed rather more remote than beautiful, owing to the fact that he lived in a small caravan without electricity, mains water or any sensible form of heating. He thinks that he’s probably one of the few people in his peer group to have learnt to read by gas lamp.
Surprisingly enough he has never been called ‘hippy’ (to the best of his knowledge)

Tom now lives in an actual house with his girlfriend and their two young sons.
His favourite colour is turquoise and his favourite number is usually seven.

Tom has three picture books available, Tobias and the Super Spooky Ghost Book, A Home for Mr Tipps, Jack's AMAZING Shadow and a fourth, Herman's Letter will be publishing in October 2012 through Bloomsbury

Reviews

[Kaya W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read for the kiddos. It was just "ok" though. Kids will enjoy lifting the bubble flaps during the story.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw this book floating around on Twitter I knew I had to get it for Elsa. The illustrations looked beautiful and anything with lift-the-flap action is a big hit in our house. I pre-ordered it from Amazon and it arrived the day after publication.

Elsa had a bit of a look through it herself and then we read it together. It's a lovely story about two friends who love to blow bubbles. One day they decide to have a bubble blowing competition and their friendship is tested when they both go to extremes to try and win. I like the message behind this story, it doesn't feel forced upon you which is something that winds me up with children's books. In the end Rueben and Felix learn that working together is best and their friendship is more important than big bubbles!

I really love Tom's illustration style. The pictures will appeal to older children as well as they are quite detailed and funny. I like the judges; a cat in a top hat and an owl with a moustache! What's not to like?!

Of course Elsa's favourite pages are the ones with the flaps. They really bring the story to life and make it fun and interactive for little ones. They are only made of paper though so be warned if your children are quite eager and heavy handed!

Overall we both really enjoyed this book and it has definitely earned it's place amongst our current favourites.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

When two best friends (Felix and Reuben) decide to see who can blow the biggest bubble, trouble begins. The two lose sight of their friendship in order to win. They construct bigger and bigger machines and resort to cheating to be the best. They even bring in judges to make it an official contest. In the end, they discover that friendship and cooperation are more important. The whole crowd works together to blow the biggest bubble ever. Just when readers think these two get it, they read the last couple lines of the book. Lots of humor wrapped around the message.

[Sunah Chung · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is about competition and friendship. Rueben and Felix are best friends, and they do fun things together. One of their favorite plays is to blow a bubble. The problem is that they are getting obsessed to compete with each other. By the end of the book, they realize that they could enjoy blowing bubbles without competing with each other.
Bubble Trouble is constructed to encourage readers’ hands-on interaction while reading the book. The flap features are embedded in several parts of the story so that readers could play lift-the-flap action. It encourages children to engage in reading activity. The illustrations have peaceful and cozy moods in general with pastel colors and images of transparent and colorful bubbles. However, when it comes to a story, I always wondered why problem-solving looks quite easy in a children’s book. In this story, the two main characters realize how silly it was to compete with each other, and they become good friends again. However, in reality, many children could not go back to the “good” friendship, and they may realize the differences between fiction and reality. This book would be still good resources to bring up the issue of severe competition and friendship.

[Sean Congemi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reuben and Felix are best friends. They do everything together, and one of their favorite things to do together is blow bubbles. That's until they try to see you can blow the biggest bubble and it turns into a competition. and they start to fight. They even go as far as cheating to try to blow the biggest bubble. The book teaches young readers that friends are more important than competition and that being competitive can be taken to far some times. The illustrations in this book are well done. Each illustration takes up one page and describes what's going on in that page. They are also pop-ups in this book which will be good for young readers.

[Madison Hurlbut · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute book about friendship and competition. Competition can be fun, but it is important that it is friendly. When Rueben the rabbit and Felix the red beaver get carried away in the biggest buddle competition they learn that the bubbles became less fun. The book put together in an engaging matter as the bubbles are portrayed on lift flaps with words under. Because this book is also hands-on, children are likely to want to read it and experience more in-depth.

[Kamryn Buckley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute book about friendship and competition. Competition can be fun, but it is important that it is friendly. When Rueben the rabbit and Felix the red beaver get carried away in the biggest buddle competition they learn that the bubbles became less fun. The book put together in an engaging matter as the bubbles are portrayed on lift flaps with words under. Because this book is also hands-on, children are likely to want to read it and experience more in-depth.

[Katie Bruff · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Bubble Trouble," there are two bestfriends. They are both the same height, both left handed, and love to blow bubbles. One of the friends popped the others bubble and there became a war. They were in a contest and ended up becoming friends again. This is a good book for children to see how you can forgive someone to save a friendship.

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed this from my local library and alas, some of the flaps had been torn off. A wonderful book that teaches children that it's okay not to be the best all the time and what we can accomplish if we cooperate with our friends.

[Abigail Rothwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about how two animals are competing to try to make the biggest bubble of all. Not only, but the book has bubble flaps inside to keep students guessing what is being the bubble. Also, it will keep the students engaged, and caught by surprise with the bubble flaps.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet and entertaining story about two friends who loved blowing bubbles together. When they became competitive, it turned into a problem for their friendship. Some of the bubbles in this book are lift-flaps - so nicely done!

[Kevin Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good read for me and has a fun storyline that also has a good lesson for the reader to take away with. Some of the pages have flaps on them to lift up and this makes it fun for young children to interact with and look at the beautiful illustrations.

[Nathan Ifft · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was a fun read as it has very colorful illustrations. Children will also particularly love this book as it has lift up flaps on the pages to give them more interaction with the book. The plot was fun and touches on competition and friendship.

[Richa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect book to introduce children to competition; way it starts and the way it impacts. And dealing with it beyond the pride till a new silly thing comes up. A nice way to nudge the young readers.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two friends have a competition to blow the biggest bubble until something goes wrong. Then they realize they can make the biggest bubble if they work together.

[Amy Lanur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buku ini favorite anak saya, setiap malam minta dongeng buku ini. Ceritanya sangat menarik dan memiliki pesan moral. Ilustrasinya juga bagus. Love it!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one that I think is fine and fun, but both kids LOVE.

[skcocnaH · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was recommended by a children’s book author that I love. I was disappointed though. I like a LOT of Percival’s books way better than this one

[Elizabeth]

I liked the look of the bubbles! So detailed with their oily appearance.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Used for a STEAM program about bubbles. The story was okay, but the kids really liked the flaps.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Meredith Donahue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book. It teaches children that it's better to work together than to compete with each other.

[Robert Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and entertaining. Artwork reveals something new every time you go back through its pages - including cameos by characters from the author's previous book. Wicked fun here, with some spy-vs-spy, one-upmanship in a bubble war amongst "friends." Love the twist at the end that will set imaginations running. Glorious good fun! Highly recommended.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grades K-3. Reuben and Felix love blowing bubbles together-- until competition drives them apart. They try to outsmart and cheat each other into winning. This results in disaster. Only by working together can they finally set a world record.

Good message for group work and how individuals are stronger working together.

Pair with trouble gum for a bubble theme.

[Megan Thorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book about the friendships and what they go through. Felix and Reuben challenge each other to a bubble blowing match. Both friends sabotage each others machines which leads to a bad ending. They are both mad at each other, but make up at the end. I feel children can relate to this book since when they are young they fight over little silly things like this!

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two friends compete to see who can blow the biggest bubble, with breath, then with wind machines. At first the competition is friendly, but then they start sabotaging each other. After everything blows up, they start blowing bubbles together.

My kids keep missing the point. They mimic the parts where the characters are competing :/

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is creative, the illustrations and flaps are great. My 6 year old son loved it!

[Laela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3 1/2 because of the flaps. Would be a fun read a-loud

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable. Everyone loves a good bubble!

[Elvira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bright colors, playful pictures and a few flap lifts make it fun for storytime. The story is about being to competitive and it getting out of hand.