Little Humpty by Margaret Wild illustrated by Ann James

In the hot, hot desert where the wind whirled and the sand swirled lived Big Humpty and Little Humpty.

Here is another title I have collected as a part of my focus on past CBCA winners and short listed titles. Little Humpty was awarded an Honour prize in 2004 and I have been reading it to Kindergarten groups every year since then.

Little Humpty stares straight at the reader from the front cover - he looks happy and ready for an adventure. On the first end paper we see him with his mother. Little Humpty is white - his hair/fur colour will change as he grows older just as human children's hair changes.

image source: https://umanitoba.ca/cm/vol11/no11/littlehumpty.html

Little Humpty is with his mum but it is easy to see that they are alone in the vast desert. Little Humpty needs someone to play with. His mum tries to keep him amused but Little Humpty has boundless energy. Big Humpty sees Little Humpty trying to play with rock, a scraggy bush and a small pebble. She knows it is time for the camels to trek to the big waterhole.

As they walk along Big Humpty keeps Little Humpty moving forward by playing a guessing game about the animals they will see at the big waterhole such as rolypoly hippos, tramping and trumpeting elephants and crocodiles going snip, snap, snippety snap.  The final end paper is an utterly joyous scene.

I adore the language used by Margaret Wild in this book. Each word is perfectly selected making this book a joy to read aloud and as I like to give each camel their own distinctive 'voice'. Turn the sound off on this video and just take a look at all the illustrations from this book.

"You know, Little Humpty, I love you best in all the world!' With a happy wriggle, Little Humpty said 'Tell me about the world, Big Humpty. Tell me!"

"Little Humpty played on his own for a while. He whooshed on his bottom down a billowy, pillowy dune."

"Big Humpty was awake until the stars went out."

Kindergarten children enjoy stories which employ a repeated refrain and this book abounds with them.  I would pair Little Humpty with Koala Lou by Mem Fox, Puffling by Margaret Wild and Owl Babies by Martin Waddell. Little Humpty truly is a book to treasure and it should be found in every library and home book collection.