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Bib and Bub
color illustrated graphic novel style stories of two pixie characters, their animals friends and adventures with simple rhyming text
- GenresChildrens
27 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1925
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 7, 2020
The Australian children’s author, May Gibbs, is much-loved for her creation of “gumnut babies”. All her books for tiny children are heavily anthropomorphic tales, set in the Australian bush. “Gumnut babies” first appeared in illustrations she made for another author, Ethel Turner, and then on postcards May Gibbs produced, which depicted gumnut babies in uniform to support Australia’s role in World War One. She started writing stories about gumnut babies and gumblossom babies in 1916, and her most famous book about them, “Tales of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, Their Adventure Wonderful” was written in 1918.
As well as these tales May Gibbs also drew cartoons, after several years studying Art in England. Her first Bib and Bub comic strip was published in the “Sydney Sunday News”, from August 1924, right through until 1967.
This is a large format book, containing a selection of those cartoons, coloured by Dan Russell. All the favourites children may know from other stories are here. “Bib and Bub” are a cute pair of gumnut babies: miniature cherubs, smaller than a kookaburra, and defenceless. They can easily be carried off by an owl, and live amongst the foliage of the bush, alongside other Nuts and Blossoms. They are cared for by by various wild animals, such as Mr. Blue-cap Wren, Mrs. Kookaburra, and the kindly Mr. Lizard.
In the stories, there are plenty of dangers around, such as the spotted cat, screaming Native Bears (koalas) or the greedy owl who think gumnut babies are little grubs. The strip stories here though are humorous, and even these creatures seem to present little threat. Each short story is told through cartoons, with handwritten rhyming couplets underneath each panel. We meet Miss Kangaroo:
Mr. and Mrs. Stork, Mr. Roo, Mr. Possum, Mr. Emu, Uncle Tailor Bear, Mrs. Cockatoo, Dr. Stork, Mrs. Duck Bill Platypus, Mum Bunny, Mrs. Cat, Nurse Covey Duck, Mr. and Mrs. Bear, (who are in fact koalas, not bears), the Carpenter Mouse, Mummy and Young Rabbit, Aunt Elephant:
Mrs. Snail, Mr. Duck, Mrs Frog, the Wise Old Owl, Mrs. Puss, Stumpy the Lizard, (who allows Bub and Bob to harness him and ride on his back) the Opossum family in their flat, Mrs. Crane, Old Kookaburra, Postman Kookaburra, Mr Lobster, Miss Butterfly, Mrs. Snake and Mr Centipede. Each double page spread is one story usually ending with a joke at the end, such as the number of shoes left outside his door by Mr. Centipede; Bib and Bub giving their carefully tailored (but uncomfortable for gumnut babies) clothes away to Tramp Rat; Mr. Emu getting the cricket ball stuck in his long neck, after a cricket match, or Bib and Bub deciding to always have coffee instead of tea in future, as they had stayed to tea at so many friends’ houses, that they were quite full up and had to go to bed. There is even an appearance by the dreaded Banksia man - a sort of hairy ogre whom we would call the “Bogey Man” - lurking behind a tree and trying to steal a tasty cake, but he is unnamed. (Perhaps if you don’t name him, you can’t see him.)
The style is recogisable as May Gibbs’, but these pictures are typical cartoons with hard black outlines. Dan Russell also uses bright colours, rather than May Gibbs’ delicate watercolours. This book would probably appeal most to those who love May Gibbs’ stories about Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and all the other gumnut babies, or loved them as a child.
As well as these tales May Gibbs also drew cartoons, after several years studying Art in England. Her first Bib and Bub comic strip was published in the “Sydney Sunday News”, from August 1924, right through until 1967.
This is a large format book, containing a selection of those cartoons, coloured by Dan Russell. All the favourites children may know from other stories are here. “Bib and Bub” are a cute pair of gumnut babies: miniature cherubs, smaller than a kookaburra, and defenceless. They can easily be carried off by an owl, and live amongst the foliage of the bush, alongside other Nuts and Blossoms. They are cared for by by various wild animals, such as Mr. Blue-cap Wren, Mrs. Kookaburra, and the kindly Mr. Lizard.
In the stories, there are plenty of dangers around, such as the spotted cat, screaming Native Bears (koalas) or the greedy owl who think gumnut babies are little grubs. The strip stories here though are humorous, and even these creatures seem to present little threat. Each short story is told through cartoons, with handwritten rhyming couplets underneath each panel. We meet Miss Kangaroo:
Mr. and Mrs. Stork, Mr. Roo, Mr. Possum, Mr. Emu, Uncle Tailor Bear, Mrs. Cockatoo, Dr. Stork, Mrs. Duck Bill Platypus, Mum Bunny, Mrs. Cat, Nurse Covey Duck, Mr. and Mrs. Bear, (who are in fact koalas, not bears), the Carpenter Mouse, Mummy and Young Rabbit, Aunt Elephant:
Mrs. Snail, Mr. Duck, Mrs Frog, the Wise Old Owl, Mrs. Puss, Stumpy the Lizard, (who allows Bub and Bob to harness him and ride on his back) the Opossum family in their flat, Mrs. Crane, Old Kookaburra, Postman Kookaburra, Mr Lobster, Miss Butterfly, Mrs. Snake and Mr Centipede. Each double page spread is one story usually ending with a joke at the end, such as the number of shoes left outside his door by Mr. Centipede; Bib and Bub giving their carefully tailored (but uncomfortable for gumnut babies) clothes away to Tramp Rat; Mr. Emu getting the cricket ball stuck in his long neck, after a cricket match, or Bib and Bub deciding to always have coffee instead of tea in future, as they had stayed to tea at so many friends’ houses, that they were quite full up and had to go to bed. There is even an appearance by the dreaded Banksia man - a sort of hairy ogre whom we would call the “Bogey Man” - lurking behind a tree and trying to steal a tasty cake, but he is unnamed. (Perhaps if you don’t name him, you can’t see him.)
The style is recogisable as May Gibbs’, but these pictures are typical cartoons with hard black outlines. Dan Russell also uses bright colours, rather than May Gibbs’ delicate watercolours. This book would probably appeal most to those who love May Gibbs’ stories about Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and all the other gumnut babies, or loved them as a child.
January 3, 2015
Adorable!!
Australian children were weaned on the books of May Gibbs and I have only ever heard fond critiques from fellow generations.....lol...the "Banksia Men and the Banshees", kept us kids in tow!. :-))
The first book I ever read on my own in its entirety...as a child! It was HUGE in my little hands, and heavy on my HUGE imagination. I fell in love with reading, and books, from that moment in time.
I would highly recommend all of May Gibbs's books for any child's bookshelf and I believe they would be a wonderful addition to the collection for children from, or in other countries to learn about some Australian folklore.
Magic!!
Thank you May Gibbs...and Mum...for planting the seed that would grow into this wonderful world of books and reading...my first true love.
July 15, 2018
Never had quite the draw that Snugglepot and Cuddlepie had I'm afraid! Still cute enough though.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews