Want personalized picks that fit your family?
Set preferences to see our top age-appropriate picks for your kids.
Mister Gumpy's Outing
Common Sense says
Parents say
Kids say
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Get it now on
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this gentle story beams out warmth and quiet humor with a moral lesson.
Stay up to date on new reviews.
User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the story?
The stuff that summer dreams are made of: John Burningham's tribute to a man, his modest little boat, two children, a selection of farm animals, and a lazy midsummer day. The book is a picture-perfect scene of peace and contentment, even when the boat unceremoniously dumps its passengers into the drink. Tea awaits.
Is it any good?
Mr. Gumpy's world is an idyll that extends beyond the page. You can feel the lazy heat of this summer's day, hear the crickets' chirr in the soft air and the sound of Mr. Gumpy's boat as it pushes through the meadow stream.
Matching the loveliness of his story stride for stride are Burningham's illustrations. These are luminous combinations of colored pen and wash and oils. On the left page is the gathering scene in the boat, done in black pen and ink. Stage right appear the successive occupants of the boat, each in turn, drawn loosely but with enormous presence.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about manners. Mr. Gumpy generously welcomes everyone aboard his boat but asks them to behave. Why do they need to behave? What lesson do they learn when they misbehave?
Book details
- Author: John Burningham
- Illustrator: John Burningham
- Genre: Picture Book
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
- Publication date: January 1, 1995
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 7
- Number of pages: 32
Top advice and articles
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.