The Magic Pudding (Dover Children's Classics)

One of the most completely enjoyable books of my childhood, written and illustrated by Norman Lindsay, whose primary career was as an Australian political cartoonist. Bunyip Bluegum is a spiffily dressed gentleman koala who goes out walking and falls in with Sam Sawnoff, a sailor, and Bill

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Barnacle, a penguin, who by dubious means (set out in one of the many lively poems which add a great deal to the fun of the narrative) had gained possession of a magic "cut and come again" pudding -- a pudding which can turn into any desired dish, and regrows after eating, and what is more, possesses an acerbic personality of its own. Naturally, it is pursued by pudding thieves, against whom the heroes must defend themselves, thieves eventually brought to trial in a fine parody of traditional British-style justice.

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This book has gotten a mention in a lot of other books I've read, so I decided to check it out. It is very funny, particularly the verse bits! I look forward to gifting this to my friends' offspring.

Charming tale of the adventures of Bunyip Bluegum the Koala, Barnicle Bill the sailor and Sam Sawnoff the penguin as they attempt to hang onto the magic (cut and come again) pudding.

This book is great.It is a real classic. It has a nice story line, how bunyip blue gum goes off on an adventure and the magic pudding saves a whole lot of prisoners by getting eaten. Im sure small children would really enjoy it. By Rishi

This is what I think would be called a farce. It shines light on and pokes fun at some of the uglier and funnier sides of human nature, especially those that stand out in Australian history. The idea of ownership and us-and-them, and the absurdity of authority...it's all done in a very funny and

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cheeky way. I did feel that I got a sense of a time and place and a voice in Australia's cultural history, which is why I read the book, but I really didn't enjoy it much. It made me very uncomfortable, and though I don't think the racism and violence in the book were really being condoned by the author - I think he may have just trying to shed some light them it as some of the absurdities of his day -I still wouldn't read this book to my kids, or recommend it to them while they're young.

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Zany. A pudding that everyone wants to steal. You better not take your eyes off that pudding for one second. Even people you trust will do anything to get their hands on that pudding. A delight that was completely unknown to me before two weeks ago. A delight that I loved, despite the fact that I

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really wasn’t clear on the appeal of the pudding or the knavish associations of many of the characters. It isn’t important; it’s just great fun.

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For detaikled description see my other copy. This was my original copy given me in 1960 when I was 10 by my courtesy "Aunt Mary" (Mary M. Purdy, chair of English at Westminster College where my parents met)

"The plain truth was that Bunyip and his Uncle lived in a small house in a tree, and there was no room for the whiskers. What was worse, the whiskers were red, and they blew about in the wind, and Uncle Wattleberry would insist on bringing them to the dinner table with him, where they got in the

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soup. His Uncle refused to listen to reason on the subject of his whiskers. It was quite useless giving him hints, such as presents of razors, and scissors, and boxes of matches to burn them off."

This is a delightful book reminiscent of Lewis Carroll. It doesn't have the brilliance and perfect light touch of Carroll, but it's a fine, tasty morsel, nonetheless. It follows the adventures of three respectable puddin' owners who are beset by a pair of low puddin' thieves. Fortunately, the thieves are caught repeatedly by our heroes, and their snouts are properly punched and bent as punishment.

Please note that the pudding is not a custard pudding, like Americans are used to, but rather a steak and kidney pudding. It's not false advertising, it's Australian.

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Very peculiar children's book. Rhyming dialog! Songs without music (or much reason.) A pudding (Aussie - think meat pie) that has no end, can change flavors, and has a personality and an attitude. A gentleman koala with a problem uncle. Quite peculiar.

A wonderful bit of Commonwealth nonsense, at times as giddily creative and deliciously dry as Lewis Carroll.

An enjoyable bit of nonsense and silliness from 100 years ago

I just didn't enjoy it.

Way too much violence and foul Australian slang for me.