Tumford the Terrible

by Nancy Tillman

Book HardcoverPublication 5/24/2011 32Reading Age 3 and Up

Genres: Picture Books, Cats, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Poetry, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2008

About the author

Nancy Tillman created her first book, "On the Night You Were Born," to convey to children at an early and impressionable age, "You are the one and only ever you." Since then, Nancy has written and illustrated several bestselling books. She also illustrated It's Time to Sleep, My Love, with Eric Metaxas. Together, Nancy's books have sold in the millions. A former advertising executive, Tillman now writes and illustrates full-time.

Whether she is creating books that remind children of their own unique wonder, or teaching life lessons through an accident prone cat named Tumford, all of Nancy's books feature one important message. You are loved. She lives in Tualatin, Oregon.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/nancyt...

http://nancytillman.com

http://nancytillmanblog.com

Reviews

[Iris · Rating 5 out of 5]

HUGE hit in our staff office. possibly the greatest book of all time

[Jay Mantle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good rhyming book. My cats never apologize. Maybe I should read this to them.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tumford the Terrible is a lovely book by Nancy Tillman with a brilliant message about the importance of saying sorry and meaning it (something which my current reception class have terrible trouble with!).

Tumford is not really a truly terrible cat, but he is always getting into trouble; he knocks things off the table with his paws, spills fish on the village fair Queen and causing mischief at a dinner party (mainly because of his love for food!). It is not the trouble he gets into though which upsets his owners (they will love him no matter what!). The reason they are sad is because Tumford cannot say sorry!! Instead, he runs away and hides instead.

One day, Tumford decides to try and say the word "sorry" and to his delight he finds that it goes down very well, his 'humans' are really pleased with him and so is everyone in the town! Once he says sorry once, Tumford realises that his life because much easier, so he resigns to say it every single time!

The illustrations throughout the book are fantastic, Tumford has a brilliant "I'm not apologizing!" face, and all the images are large and colourful. The text is written in lilting rhyme which gives it a great rhythm that children love.

Recommended for anyone who has a class anything like mine!

[Anna Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations of Tumford are SO CUTE MY GOD.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not terrible at all. No self-respectiong cat will ever apologize!

[Cosette · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know a lot of work went into this book, but it doesn't work. It's a cat. Now, if it were a dog? Maybe... maybe...

[Noel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations in Tumford the Terrible are really cute. The story wasn't bad, but wasn't great either. Tumford is very mischievous and must learn to humble himself and apologize. Undertanding that this is a children's book and you can't let it go on forever, I still felt that the story was rushed and/or incomplete in places. Still a funny story, especially if you have ever been around an ornery cat.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

[Juushika · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read some strange picture books, and this is in the running for the strangest. Not in a good way. The art is photo edited/collage absurdity of a chubby cat in galoshes; the text has a didactic young reader message, but the wording is overlong, but the tone is singsongy to the point of obnoxious. And all of it clashes with the surreal art. The result is a chaotic mess that misses its intended age range while still failing to appeal to adult readers, so, not great; but Tumford himself is fun.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the oddity of a cat in galoshes, it's a good story about saying sorry (and meaning it!). Narration is a little parent-child sounding, so I might not pick it first for a story time read, but it's funny enough and an important enough message that I might find a way to work it in.
As a life-long cat owner, I found it particularly funny. Have yet to have a feline in my life who will say he's sorry (at least not without hiding first) :)

[Clwseattle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tumford the Terrible is about an unrepentant cat who can't/won't apologize when he gets himself in trouble. As he hides from the latest outrageous mess he made he thinks about how apologizing would make him feel happy inside . . . and so he does. The story is a tiny bit clumsy, but kids will love the rhymes and adore the pictures.

"There aren't always cheers when he knocks
over platters,
but he's always loved. . .
and that's all that matters."

Yep!

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definite Pig the Pug vibes from Tumford Stoutt! I really liked Tumford's story as an adult but it was quite lengthy for the intended audience. These illustrations though... they make me want to do The Office's Michael Scott styled "NO, NO, NO" scene. I won't be reading the second book because I can not handle that Uncanny Valley styled art.

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

The world's longest (and possibly most-bizarrely-illustrated) board book. Too. Many. Words. for the intended audience. Would have made an okay read-aloud picture book, I suppose, but it just makes for a poor book of this format.

[Raquel Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bad cat. Tumford the Terrible is about a cat who cannot manage to apologize. He isn't a bad cat, he just is clumsy. He breaks things. His owners promised him a treat if he could apologize, but needs to learn how to first.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learning to say "I'm sorry" is difficult. Reading Tumford the Terrible is fun, especially out loud. The art is a strange amalgam of photographs and digital painting, but strange isn't a bad thing.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a cat that looks just like Tumford, so I couldn't help falling in love with these illustrations right from the start. Luckily for me, my cat does apologize in his own special ways.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes saying sorry is hard when you make a mistake. Tumford the cat knows exactly what it's like to not say sorry, but then he gets an idea that helps him apologize.

[Melody Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only like it when Mum reads it with an English accent. Daddy does it wrong. Also, Mum thinks this version is missing pages, even though it's a board book.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lesson on the power of just a few words--"I'm sorry."

[Dalton Drexler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for showing the kids that it is okay to apologize. It will also remind kids that everyone makes mistakes. This book is also very well illustrated.

[Charles Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book about a cat, great for a class who loves animals.

[Erica Trollope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows the importance of saying I'm sorry and how much someone is loved!

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Tumford Stoutt’s galoshes.

[Patrice]

BookTree
S&E liked

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could be about any little child.

[Reading Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautifully illustrated and entertaining ❤

[Lindsey Lawntea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my cats and it the cat in galoshes is probably the most adorable thing I’ve seen in a while. These cute illustrations are accompanied by funny, flowing rhymes about a kitty who gets into all sorts of trouble.

[Mary Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Nancy Tillman since I came across On the Night You Were Born while browsing at my local bookstore. Its celebration of the uniqueness of every child, told in lovely language, have made it the gift I choose most often for expectant or adoptive parents. I also share it regularly with my own grandchildren and talk with them about how special they are. Tillman feels that the most important message for children to receive is simply, "You are loved." That message is core to my other favorite from Tillman's published works, Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You. It its pages, children are assured that, no matter how far from home they go or what they do, they will be loved.

In Tumford the Terrible, Tillman goes in a slightly different direction. The message of unconditional love remains, but the story is more humorous, focusing on Tumford Stoutt, the beloved cat of Georgy and Violet Stoutt. Tumford seems to possess a certain carelessness - or perhaps he simply jumps into situations without considering the consequences. Either way, a trail of muddy footprints, broken dishes and spilled paint are likely to follow in his wake. The mishaps can't shake Georgy and Violet's love for their cat (because "love isn't measured in muddy galoshes or broken tea dishes or trampled-on squashes. No, love is a thing that just happens, you see... like the way I love you and the way you love me"). But the Stoutts are saddened by Tummy's inability to apologize when his actions cause destruction of one sort or another. Tummy would rather hide than say he's sorry - that most difficult word. The Stoutts hope that a special treat, offered on the condition that Tummy promises to apologize should the need arise, may get him past his inability to face the music. Tummy gives his promise, but will he keep it?

Tumford the Terrible is a sweet story told in rhyming verse that many young children may identify with. (My guess is that there are plenty of adults that will identify with Tumford as well.) :-) Apologizing can be difficult and there are many people who try to avoid it when possible. But learning to accept responsibility for one's actions or to tell someone you've wronged that you regret your actions is an important lesson. In Tumford the Terrible, Tillman remembers to assure readers that love remains, even when behavior is less than perfect. And making certain that children understand that as well is even more important.

As always, Tillman's lovely artwork is as appealing as her words, making the book a visual pleasure for children and adults. My favorite pieces in Tumford the Terrible are those showing the large black and white cat hiding among teddy bears on a bedroom shelf and strutting to town in his yellow boots.

Nancy Tillman continues to create books that I absolutely love having in my collection. Sharing them with my grandchildren and enjoying them on my own is sheer joy.

Very highly recommended.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In rhyming verse--some of it works quite well, but some lines are a bit awkward--readers meet Tumford, a loveably cat who often does things that get him into trouble. Since his family loves him, that would present no problem if he would simply apologize and admit that he's sorry for his mistakes. But Tumford pretends things never happened or simply hides. The delightful illustration of Tumford pulling the tablecloth out from underneath table settings and a stack of pancakes and the one of him hiding among the stuffed Teddy bears on the mantle provide visual evidence of the wily but too-proud feline's character. When his family takes him to the fair, disaster occurs, and Tumford takes a risk and says those workds he's been unable to say. While I love the personality and antics of this recalcitrant cat, the story itself seems a bit too didactic for my tastes. Still, I read this one to my cats, who were unimpressed and continue to misbehave without any visible signs of remorse.

[Halley Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tumford will amuse young readers with his antics. He is always making a mess of some kind, and his parents don't really mind. However, what they do mind is that he does not apologize. Instead of saying "I'm sorry," he hides. The illustrations show the types of huge messes that Tumford makes, and also show how he hides. They just show the plot, but don't add any extra details. The art style is a little strange. At times the watercolor pictures have what looks like maybe computer generated images integrated, and it just does not mesh well. The beginning of the story is also awkward. At first the author was describing Tumford, and the trouble he causes, but then just goes into this spiel about love. Its flow was off. The message of the importance of apologies is well-intentioned, but the pacing is rushed. It is recommended as additional purchase for readers ages 4-7.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a cute black and white cat who cannot bring himself to apologize. When he has to occasion to say "sorry," he hides instead. But one day, to make his owners proud, he decides to try out the word, and is quite pleased with the effect. His humans are quite pleased, as are the townspeople who know of this troublemaking feline. After the first apology has passed his lips, Tumford realizes that a sincere apology can make life easier.

The story is written in a lilting rhyme which younger students enjoy. The illustrations are engaging and large enough for storytime. Perhaps Tumford's success will inspire our younger listeners to try out an apology on their own before an adult requires it.