The Wump World

This story begins with a great introduction paragraph explaining the world the Wumps live in. It describes how it was mostly grassy meadow but it was perfect because the wumps were the only ones living there. This story provides examples on how to give description and perhaps write biographies.

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This story's setting is Wump world and it takes place over some time. Sequencing of events is also important the the retelling of this story.

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Readers who found Dr. Seuss' The Lorax too simplistic a denunciation of pollution (and the causes thereof) will undoubtedly be appalled at Bill Peet's The Wump World, an environmentally-themed picture-book first published in 1970, in which an idyllic world inhabited by peaceful quadrupeds known as

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(what else?) Wumps, is invaded by the evil Pollutians! Soon, the grassy planet has been paved over, cities have risen, the skies are clogged with smoke, and the once-happy Wumps live in miserable exile beneath the surface of their own world. Can things ever be set to rights...?

The answer to that, of course, is yes and no - and that's about the only example of "nuance" in the story. Released the year before The Lorax, this book was definitely a trail-blazer, one of the first children's storybooks to address the issues of pollution and environmental degradation. The story itself is engaging, with classic good guys (gentle Wumps) and bad guys (expansionist Pollutians), and adorable artwork. I found it entertaining enough that I will be seeking out more of Bill Peete's work.

But although The Wump World does a good job of raising awareness about the damage done by pollution (and interplanetary colonization, one presumes) it really does nothing to increase its readers' understanding of that pollution - what causes it, and how to fight it. Many of the pressing environmental problems facing us today have little to do with evil outsiders, and everything to do with bad habits, and unhealthy social and economic structures. With close to half of the human population now living in urban environments, Peet's evident distaste for cities didn't seem very constructive to me. It may be unfair, but I couldn't help comparing this with Pete Brown's excellent The Curious Garden, which chronicles the ways in which a city landscape is improved by gardens.

Still, despite these criticisms, I enjoyed the story, loved the illustrations, and respect Peet's role as a picture-book pioneer. The Wump World is still relevant, and still has a place on the contemporary children's shelf. Just make sure you also have books like The Curious Garden.

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If you are looking for a book that can inform children about environmental issues, the Wump World could be a good storybook. This book is about the Wump World got invaded by other creature that was look for a better place to live. This book is a great book for 3rd - 4rd grade children.

This fantasy book tells the story of the Wump creatures who live in Wump World. They have a very green world, with lots of trees and nature. Then, one day, huge metal spaceships come to their planet full of beings called Pollutians who have come to live there. They immediately begin destroying the

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beautiful green land of the Wumps, and build towers and cement freeways and houses. The Wumps get so scared of the loud machines that they go underground. The Pollutians create lots of trash and waste and smoke, and eventually they complain and decide they need to find a new world to live in. So their space men leave in their spaceships and search for another planet to live on, and come back with good news of a bigger world. All the Pollutians leave Wump World and the Wumps finally come out from underground. But their land is full of cement and buildings, and they are sad. Then, they find their green land, and are hopeful once again.

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In my opinion, this is a great book for teaching science! This book describes a grassy filled world, where the Wumps live, that gets invaded by Pollutians who turn the world into a concrete jungle. Pollution of our Earth, or any world for that matter, can be a tough issue to present to children as

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urgent and important. In this book, children can immediately see the contrasting difference between the grassy world and the concrete city through the illustrations. The illustrations have a lot of detail that depicts how harmful and disgusting a smoky grey sky can be. The water in the illustrations is a mixture of greens and browns instead of refreshing blues. In addition, the book still makes the new world relatable to our world through showing pictures of highways filled with cars. Finally, I think this is a great book because the creative plot allows for a child to become engaged in, what could be considered, a boring topic. By including a “great flock of potbellied monsters” zooming through the sky, the children are intrigued by who the monsters could be; and the suspense of such a terrifying creature flying through the sky makes them wonder what the creature will do to the innocent Wumps. Overall, this story is very engaging and can be a great tool to teach more than one subject!

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A companion to the Lorax? Simple, clear, not quite didactic.

it was great