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Blurp's Book of Manners
*A CBC Teacher Favorites Award Selection!*
*A Librarian Favorites Award Selection!*
From Caldecott Honoree Cindy Derby comes an uproarious tale about an etiquette coach and the sentient paint blob that just might teach her proper manners.
When etiquette coach Ms. Picklepop teeters off her stool and spills a bucket of paint, a creature emerges. Not a scary one, or an evil one, or anything of the sort. Instead, what comes alive is ...
BLURP!
She'll have to carry on with her lesson, despite Blurp's many, messy distractions. But paint splotches and burps aren't all that disrupt Ms. Picklepop's decorous class. Perhaps through an unlikely friendship, Ms. Picklepop will learn a thing or two about manners herself.
Fall in love with Cindy Derby's newest adorable creation - Blurp - in this colorful, heartwarming, and laugh-out-loud funny tale.
�"Derby's natural inclination to play with paint like a child in a mud puddle comes fully to her aid here...
Our hero is bound to find fast friends with ill-mannered readers everywhere." - Kirkus , starred review
�"Derby breathes fresh air into familiar comedy tropes and 'practice kindness' messaging, while anchoring the book's unleashed sense of color and character in a core there is nothing more wonderful than being treated with respect." - Publishers Weekly , starred review
"Entirely and wonderfully original. Derby's paint-and-photo-collage spreads are somehow both opulent and delightfully gross." -Ìý Booklist Ìý
"A feast of visual humor. This crowd-pleaser is sure to be enthusiastically if not politely received." -Ìý Horn Book Magazine
*A Librarian Favorites Award Selection!*
From Caldecott Honoree Cindy Derby comes an uproarious tale about an etiquette coach and the sentient paint blob that just might teach her proper manners.
When etiquette coach Ms. Picklepop teeters off her stool and spills a bucket of paint, a creature emerges. Not a scary one, or an evil one, or anything of the sort. Instead, what comes alive is ...
BLURP!
She'll have to carry on with her lesson, despite Blurp's many, messy distractions. But paint splotches and burps aren't all that disrupt Ms. Picklepop's decorous class. Perhaps through an unlikely friendship, Ms. Picklepop will learn a thing or two about manners herself.
Fall in love with Cindy Derby's newest adorable creation - Blurp - in this colorful, heartwarming, and laugh-out-loud funny tale.
�"Derby's natural inclination to play with paint like a child in a mud puddle comes fully to her aid here...
Our hero is bound to find fast friends with ill-mannered readers everywhere." - Kirkus , starred review
�"Derby breathes fresh air into familiar comedy tropes and 'practice kindness' messaging, while anchoring the book's unleashed sense of color and character in a core there is nothing more wonderful than being treated with respect." - Publishers Weekly , starred review
"Entirely and wonderfully original. Derby's paint-and-photo-collage spreads are somehow both opulent and delightfully gross." -Ìý Booklist Ìý
"A feast of visual humor. This crowd-pleaser is sure to be enthusiastically if not politely received." -Ìý Horn Book Magazine
48 pages, Hardcover
Published December 6, 2022
1 person is currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Cindy Derby
19Ìýbooks30ÌýfollowersCindy Derby is an illustrator and author based out of San Francisco. How to Walk an Ant is her debut picture book, which has been praised as “[a] freaky, bizarre delightâ€� (Julie Danielson, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast) and named one of "The Most Astonishingly Unconventional Children's Books of 2019" (100 Scope Notes). Cindy's background is in puppetry and she has performed all over the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
April 12, 2023
Ms. Picklepop lives in a beautiful English manor and is an expert on proper manners. She is prepared to teach us, the reader proper manners. As she begins, she spills a bottle of blue ink. The ink blot comes to life and follows her as she attempts to continue to teach us manners. The blue dot (Blurp) follows her from scene to scene taking on more colors and spreading chaos all over the place, including eating a kitten. As Ms. Picklepop continues to try to stick to the script and teach us our manners, she reflects on how she hasn't been following her own advice in regards to how she has treated Blurp. She apologizes and invites Blurp to tea.
The story is cute. I like how prim and proper Ms. Picklepop is as she goes from one fancy room to room to garden. Her prose matches her style and could be a lot of fun to really get into while reading it aloud. Ms. Picklepop is a bit blobish herself in her drawings--these bright characters are overlaid against different kind of backgrounds from two tone colors to photo-like English garden backgrounds. The colors are bright and wholly engaging.
The story is cute. I like how prim and proper Ms. Picklepop is as she goes from one fancy room to room to garden. Her prose matches her style and could be a lot of fun to really get into while reading it aloud. Ms. Picklepop is a bit blobish herself in her drawings--these bright characters are overlaid against different kind of backgrounds from two tone colors to photo-like English garden backgrounds. The colors are bright and wholly engaging.
April 17, 2023
This book was a riot to read - the littles really loved it! This is a hilarious, brilliantly illustrated book with a fantastic message. I'm not at all surprised that this one caught the eye of the Caldecott committee (it's a Caldecott Honor Winner).
If you've ever struggled with an obsessive need to have everything in order, everything in its place, everything PERFECT (or if you've ever been fortunate/misfortunate enough to live with someone who has)... you just might appreciate the message of this book: Life happens! And sometimes, we get so caught up in making everything perfect that we fail to see others around us (who love/admire/care about us) trying to be good. Sometimes we misinterpret what might be others' best intentions and get frustrated, but when we come to see that we might have been wrong, the right thing to do is say you're sorry, make amends, include the chaotic seeming-ne'er-do-well, and lighten up a bit!
If you've ever struggled with an obsessive need to have everything in order, everything in its place, everything PERFECT (or if you've ever been fortunate/misfortunate enough to live with someone who has)... you just might appreciate the message of this book: Life happens! And sometimes, we get so caught up in making everything perfect that we fail to see others around us (who love/admire/care about us) trying to be good. Sometimes we misinterpret what might be others' best intentions and get frustrated, but when we come to see that we might have been wrong, the right thing to do is say you're sorry, make amends, include the chaotic seeming-ne'er-do-well, and lighten up a bit!
November 14, 2022
Children, you've all heard these commands before...."Sit up straight...smile....look a person in the eye..." and Elizabeth Picklepop IV's intentions are very good. She just wants to teach us readers some proper manners. But after she spills a bottle of ink which results in an animate Blurp coming to life, her planned lessons (which, by the way, results in readers receiving a gilt framed certification of completion), everything is a disaster. Each lesson thereafter finds a jetstream of color splashing all over the page as Blurp rudely interferes, drinking ink and spewing colors everywhere. In her exasperated finale, Elizabeth Picklepop IV almost forgets her most important manner: treat everyone with kindness. A real kid-appeal book; children will squeal with delight at Blurp's antics in this latest but very different triumph from Caldecott-honor winner (Outside In, 2019).
February 24, 2023
A rather prim and proper Ms. Elizabeth Picklepop IV is here to teach us all a bit about manners. Of course, things do not go quite as she had planned... You see, she spills her ink which creates a pesky blue ink blob named Blurb. Blurb follows her around, disrupting all of her lessons on manners. And Blurb keeps drinking more ink and becoming more colorful until Ms. Picklepop has had enough! Of course, she hurts Blurb's feelings. But when she realizes she has been unkind, she apologizes.
This was a cute book! Accidents happen; feelings are hurt; treat everyone with kindness and consideration. I think kids will enjoy the silliness.
This was a cute book! Accidents happen; feelings are hurt; treat everyone with kindness and consideration. I think kids will enjoy the silliness.
July 17, 2023
Get ready to laugh along with Blurp!
My favourite thing about this book is the twist that turns the “expert� Ms. Picklepop into the learner as she discovers that empathy and friendship are just as important as decorum.
I am head over heels in love with the illustrations in this book. Cindy’s style incorporates realistic photographic pictures with looser, colourful illustrations that suit the story and feel fresh, contemporary and fun.
Blurp’s Book of Manners is a funny and heartwarming story you’ll read again and again.
Click on the link to read more of our reviews on our blog:
My favourite thing about this book is the twist that turns the “expert� Ms. Picklepop into the learner as she discovers that empathy and friendship are just as important as decorum.
I am head over heels in love with the illustrations in this book. Cindy’s style incorporates realistic photographic pictures with looser, colourful illustrations that suit the story and feel fresh, contemporary and fun.
Blurp’s Book of Manners is a funny and heartwarming story you’ll read again and again.
Click on the link to read more of our reviews on our blog:
March 17, 2023
It's a little more like a 2 and a half star book.
I love the idea behind a book about how sometimes kindness is more important than some of the more obscure/arbitrary rules of manners, especially with Ms. Picklepop leaving every single awkward situation by simply excusing herself and running away. There's something about the execution that leaves me wanting, though. Maybe it's the balance between Ms. Picklepop's etiquette lessons and the actual lesson of the book being a little heavier on the former side instead of the latter?
I love the idea behind a book about how sometimes kindness is more important than some of the more obscure/arbitrary rules of manners, especially with Ms. Picklepop leaving every single awkward situation by simply excusing herself and running away. There's something about the execution that leaves me wanting, though. Maybe it's the balance between Ms. Picklepop's etiquette lessons and the actual lesson of the book being a little heavier on the former side instead of the latter?
January 2, 2023
I read a review of this book and the book wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be. In the book, our etiquette coach tries to teach about manners and etiquette, but is interrupted by a rather rude "Blurp." Blurp finds manners in the end, and the ettiquette coach relaxes some and then they find middle ground. Kids will love this, but I'm not sure it is one I want to introduce into my classroom.
October 4, 2024
This book is pretty funny for being a book about manners; between the posh voices, blurp sound effects, and shouting, this would be a great read-aloud book for anytime but especially for storytimes about friendship or tea parties. I love that this book settled on the most important manner of all: being kind and considerate; truly great ending for a book that could have been snobbery masquerading as being funny.
December 9, 2022
A silly book about manners, kindness, and potty humor. Blurp is a blob that keeps interrupting Ms. Picklepop as she teaches a manners class. By the end, she's had enough and loses her cool. But the two make up in the end.
The silliness will attract kids, but the art is the standout. Blurp is cute and colorful, adding a dimension to Derby's illustrations. Unique and beautiful
The silliness will attract kids, but the art is the standout. Blurp is cute and colorful, adding a dimension to Derby's illustrations. Unique and beautiful
January 19, 2023
The wacky, offbeat humor in this one reminded me so much of the early Muppets. Lots of color, craziness, and goofy humor to keep youngsters giggling.
Parents may want to be aware that at one point Blurp swallows a small pet--and isn't reprimanded for it--and this may distress some kids. While he burps the pet back out at the end of the story, this may be a case of too little, too late.
Parents may want to be aware that at one point Blurp swallows a small pet--and isn't reprimanded for it--and this may distress some kids. While he burps the pet back out at the end of the story, this may be a case of too little, too late.
March 19, 2023
Kids will LOVE this book! Mrs. Picklepop maintains her composure while trying to teach proper manners. However, Blurp keeps showing up and “blurping� colors everywhere. Mrs. Picklepop’s last lesson is about being kind, something she realizes she has not been to Blurp but she makes up for it by inviting him to tea - where he blurps colors all over.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2023
Ms. Picklepop teaches readers about manners, but Blurp keeps interrupting each lesson. It's funny while also briefly introducing manners and talks about kindness, especially when others interrupt you and/or do things differently from you. There's also a poop joke! A good reminder to grown ups that children, like Blurp, may struggle with manners.
March 27, 2024
The illustrations in this book were so amazing and I loved the way it brought the message into the book in a fun way for students. Talking about manners in a classroom setting is important as children might not have that conversation at home so this book is definitely needed for elementary school students.
April 28, 2024
Blurp’s Book of Manners is a fun and humorous story about Elizabeth Picklepop IV, who is � trying to teach manners but keeps getting interrupted. The illustrations are just as fun as the story. The overall lesson learned from the story is acceptance and not judging and to recognize and be aware of your own flaws. This story has 48 pages.
July 12, 2024
Love this weirdo mixed media art style. The main character tries really hard to pretend everything is high class, then sees how that doesn't follow her own rules of good manners. It's also fun to know from a podcast with the author-illustrator that it was inspired by her mom's dog trainer refusing to acknowledge the dog's bad behavior at the big show of what the dogs had supposedly perfected.
December 9, 2022
LOVE LOVE LOVE !!!
I love the juxtaposition of etiquette and manners with a hot mess of a friend.
I love the subtle jokes that made me LOL. (It's the details in the drawings and the backgrounds that catch you off guard and make a giggle bubble up from the depths).
Blurp is adorable and charming in its naivete.
I love the lesson in making friends of all kinds, even if we don't do or believe the same things.
Can't wait to tell everyone about this one!
I love the juxtaposition of etiquette and manners with a hot mess of a friend.
I love the subtle jokes that made me LOL. (It's the details in the drawings and the backgrounds that catch you off guard and make a giggle bubble up from the depths).
Blurp is adorable and charming in its naivete.
I love the lesson in making friends of all kinds, even if we don't do or believe the same things.
Can't wait to tell everyone about this one!
Read
December 14, 2022Delightful! I actually flipped through a couple times after I finished reading it to just appreciate the art -- it's so colorful, and there are so many funny little details in the background. Also, Blurp is a mood.
Read
December 14, 2022It is fun to learn proper manners in this new book by Caldecott Honor Winner Cindy Derby. But when an accident happens and a giant blob of paint named Blurp invades the scene, can Ms. Picklepop keep her composure and instruct us in her lessons?
Reviewer #17
Reviewer #17
Read
December 30, 2022Haha this is cute. I think kindergarteners would get a kick out of this. One poop reference but otherwise clean silly humor (I have nothing against poop references; I just know others do). Some good page turns, too.
March 6, 2023
Silly and fun with engaging illustrations. Nice attempt at making something totally weird into something heartfelt. I appreciate it for what it is, but it's not entirely my cup of tea, even tea with Ms. Picklepop.
April 22, 2023
Not sure my 4.5 year old learned any manners, but he definitely thought this book was hilarious, and he enjoyed watching Blurp turn different colors. We read this one nightly during the week we borrowed it from the library.
May 18, 2023
The illustrations were an excellent time (silly, burping creature just happily being itself and creating color chaos - it was very fun) and at the end of the story you're left having learned to be inclusive and accepting of others.
August 10, 2023
A manners instructor is interrupted when a paint blob comes to life. She does a good job of maintaining and explaining manners until Blurp gets stuck to her rear and wont stop making unfortunate sounds. She loses her cool which becomes an opportunity to discuss being considerate.
March 2, 2024
This book is FOR KIDS, not adults who can't see that sometimes a silly book that boils down to grace and compassion can exist outside of our strict (re: old-fashioned) moral code. There's also lots of opportunity for silly voices and sounds making this a really engaging read-aloud.
September 9, 2024
Another hilarious and silly book by Cindy Derby! If you don't do voices for this one, you are doing it wrong! Kids can get a sense of how to behave politely with a strong dash of comedy and beautiful/crazy illustrations. Ms. Picklepop practices what she preaches for a lovely ending. Bluuurp!
December 13, 2022
Laugh out loud funny and super playful way about learning manners and being kind to everyone.
December 15, 2022
This is a book that would benefit from multiple dramatic readers who can bring Picklepop and Blurp to life. A silly, fun book that shows the challenges one may face when trying to be polite.
Read
December 27, 2022 a very creative & raucous introduction
to manners! A great tongue-in-cheek romp!
to manners! A great tongue-in-cheek romp!
January 13, 2023
A fun reminder that sometimes it's more important to be kind than to be prim and proper.
January 20, 2023
Sure to get some laughs.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
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