Can I tell you about the Bottersnikes and Gumbles? It is the most wonderful story that I'm now reading aloud to my class. I made friends with the librarian on my first day (remember when they told you specifically to make friends with the secretary and custodian of any school where you teach? I added the librarian and most recently, the tech person . . . ). He and I share a ridiculous love for literature, and he feeds me books like a supplier on the streets! He gave me this book, written in the 60's, and told me it was one of his favorites as a child. It is a classic timeless Aussie tale.
The Bottersnikes are mean, lazy, silly, and ugly. The Gumbles are sweet, helpful, charming, and clever. Bottersnikes are bumpy, round creatures with long tassle tails, pointed ears that turn red and hot when they are angry (they are usually angry) who like to eat pictures from magazines and nails. Gumbles are squishy, pliable, smooth beings that can be molded and unmolded into any shape. The Gumbles are often caught unawares as they help those in trouble. Bottersnikes trap them and squish them into jam tins to be released later and used as slaves. Fortunately for the Gumbles, Bottersnikes often fall asleep in the middle of their antics or muck up the capture because they are too busy arguing or sitting on each other's heads out of spite.
It is such fun to read at the end of a busy day, but it would be more fun if I could imitate the beautiful Australian accent that this story deserves. The good news is that there are two more stories with more Gumble adventures that follow.
My friend, the librarian, is currently searching for a copy I can take back with me . . .
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