THE JOLLY BUPBUP

A girl does her best to cheer up when her beloved sailboat is washed away in the rain in this delightful children’s book.

Somewhere in the cold north “not very long ago,” a little girl—the jolly Bupbup—lives with her two cats, black and yellow, in her brick house next to the woods. Bupbup looks as jolly as her nature, with rosy fair skin, a round body and big round eyes, and red-orange hair that sticks straight up. But one day, “a very dreadful thing” happens. Heavy rains make the river rise so much that Bupbup’s sailboat floats away. Having no umbrella, she can’t retrieve it, and the cats are no help since they hate getting their feet wet. Afterward, Bupbup heads outdoors to splash around the river in her puddle boots, taking care not to step on any fish: “That would not be kind.” She discovers something hiding under a big tree and wonders if it’s a Twinkle—elusive but good-natured creatures. But instead, it’s her boat, which a thoughtful duck helps her disentangle from the branches. Bupbup, her cats, and the duck go for a nice sail, hoping to partake in a Twinkle tea party. In her debut book, Borrmann shows a light, deft hand and an agreeably old-fashioned tone, cozy but not sentimental. Bupbup’s cheerfulness and compassion together with the story’s humor are greatly appealing. Borrmann uses repetition well, such as the phrase “dreadful thing,” to build anticipation and create rhythm. The opening page shows Borrmann’s facility with verse as well as prose: “Twinkles are glee-hearted, / Just as pleasant as can be, / And you cannot fail to notice that / On Thursdays they take tea.” The kinetic, stylized illustrations (uncredited) are beguiling, composed with skewed proportions that nicely echo the text.

Combines masterful storytelling with fun and affection; deserves to be a children’s classic.