Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty

Book Cover: 

Book Title: Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty

Book Summary:

Binky a cop in what I call fairy tale land, and he is solving the crimes that people call in with in. Here are stories with a twist, who broke into the the bears house, why doesn’t Snow White doesn't make it to the beauty pageant, an awful giant mysteriously crashes to the ground, Binky discovers who is responsible.

APA Reference:

Levinthal, D., & Nickle, J. (2012). Who pushed Humpty Dumpty?: And other notorious nursery tale mysteries. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.

My Impressions:  This book is a mystery book I wish the stories were longer.  And the story ends kind of suddenly with no real closure, and it felt odd to leave the book hanging that way.  Even the stories seemed to short and could have had some more beef added to them.  Over all it is a good book and great to introduce reading concepts to the students.   

Professional Review:

Once again folk tales and nursery rhymes prove their flexibility and resilience. The premise here (similar to that of Steve Metzger and Tedd Arnold's Detective Blue, rev. 9/1 1) is that the events of fairyland are crimes: "The Three Bears" is a breaking and entering; "Snow White" is an attempted murder; Hansel and Gretel present a self-defense plea. The detective on these cases is Binky, a laconic and rumpled frog cop, a warty Sam Spade. Levinthal has a good time with scene-of-the-crime details, forensics, and witness testimony, and the fun is contagious. The idea provides rich illustrative potential, and Nickle's dramatic, hard-edged paintings, with their hint of grotesque misanthropy (reminiscent of Anthony Browne), are just the ticket, making especially effective use of varied page design and a low, froggy point of view. This is a world where big creatures loom, but Binky demonstrates the power of logic and a good deadpan oneliner. Of the pig who pushed Humpty Dumpty: "He was on his way to a different pen." SARAH ELLIS

Citation:

Ellis, S. (2012). Who pushed humpty dumpty?: And other notorious nursery tale mysteries. The Horn Book Magazine, 88(5), 68-69.

Library Uses: I would have the students add to the stories.  For example the in case of Snow White I would have the students tell me how the evil queen get the apple to Snow White.  When did the dwarfs find Snow White?  I have them try to answer all my questions and possibly their own questions.