Recently, Don, a member of my Enid Blyton Club on Facebook, asked me if it would be OK for him to share a link to his book in the group, as his writing was influenced by Enid Blyton. While I would generally discourage self-promotion, I don’t mind if it’s tangentially related to Blyton, so I said yes.

Don then offered me a digital copy of the book and asked if I would review it. Have I ever said no to a free book? (Well, yes, actually, but it’s a very rare occurrence!) Now that I’ve done my ethical duty in disclosing the gifting of the book, let’s get to the review. It should be short, because it’s a short book.

The Grumbly Jumbly

I have to admit that does sound like something Blyton would name one of her characters. She did like rhymes, alliteration and strange names for her fantasy characters. It’s no Kollamoolitumarellipawkyrollo, but I can only say that’s a good thing as I can actually pronounce and remember Grumbly Jumbly.

Blyton mostly used pixies, gnomes, fairies, brownies and other established creatures in her book, but the Grumbly Jumbly is something quite new. He reminds me of a toddler, the kind who’s having a rage about something ridiculous and you have to try very hard not to laugh because they are both cute and frustrating.

The Grumbly Jumbly is raging because Wiggle Waggle is making a new fairy and –

The rule is, every time a Fairy is created, all Jumblys must have a bath. Grumbly Jumbly did not like this rule – not one little bit.

Just like that raging toddler, Grumbly Jumbly does not want to take a bath. (It’s funny how I keep saying toddler but I have an 8 year old who all of this still very much applies to at times!)

As Wiggle Waggle, aided by little Aggie and the wee drookit dug, harvest all the necessary ingredients to make a new fairy while the Grumbly Jumbly stamps and grumbles about like a toddler (or a certain 8 year old) because he really doesn’t want that bath.

He goes fishing for compliments – with an actual net – which I thought was very funny, but he catches nothing. Probably because he is being all grumbly and jumbly.

I’m intrigued to know about the other Jumblys (or should that be Jumblies? I guess it depends if it’s a name or a species!). Are there non-grumbly Jumblys? Maybe Don will write another book which will answer that question.

I thought that this was a very good first children’s book from Don. It doesn’t – in my opinion – try to imitate Blyton’s style, instead it has its own nice flow, with several parts which I felt had a particularly pleasant rhythm for reading out loud. The story is simple, but with a whimsical quality that stuck with me after reading it.

I did intend to read it to Brodie but never managed to find the time. He is at the top end of the suggested age range the book is for, and he does still enjoy picture books as well as novels. If I do, later, I can update this to say what he thought.