The Scroobious Pip

by Edward Lear, Nancy Ekholm Burkert (Illustrator), Ogden Nash (Editor)

Illustrated version of Edward Lear's unfinished poem, with Ogden Nash supplying the missing metrical/rhyming words.

Genres: Poetry, Childrens

Hardcover

First published September 1, 1968

About the author

Edward Lear was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, who is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised.
His principal areas of work as an artist were threefold: as a draughtsman employed to make illustrations of birds and animals; making coloured drawings during his journeys, which he reworked later, sometimes as plates for his travel books; and as a (minor) illustrator of Alfred Tennyson's poems.
As an author, he is known principally for his popular nonsense collections of poems, songs, short stories, botanical drawings, recipes and alphabets. He also composed and published twelve musical settings of Tennyson's poetry.

Reviews

[Kaethe]

Available online at Scroobious Pip. This is my favorite, I think, because there is a logic to it: all the other critters trying to figure out what the pip is. And also, because I love the sound of the noises

And sang these words with a rumbling sound-
Chippetty Flip; Flippetty Chip

And sang these words with a chirpy sound-
Chippetty Flip; Flippetty Chip;-

And sung these words with a liquid sound-
Pliffity Flip; Pliffety Flip;-

And sang these words with a whistly sound
Wizzeby wip - wizzeby wip--

And they roared and sang and whistled and cried
Till the noise was heard from side to side-
Chippetty tip! Chippetty tip!

I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of poetry in general, but I love me some light verse. Lear is a master.

[Sarah]

I'll be honest, I didn't appreciate the book's poetry until I was at least 10. But what I did love were the brilliantly detailed illustrations on each page. As another review mentioned, kids can sit and stare and stare at the illustrations trying to look at every square inch to absorb all the animals, creatures, and fauna and flora jumbled together.

I liken the illustrations to the ones in Animalia.

[Thomasin Propson]

Excellent! Beautiful illustrations and a verse that involves the world calling an individual by their preferred name (vs fitting into the more typical designations).

[Jaime]

A classic book that somehow I missed as a kid but I’m glad I got the chance to read this now.

[Dave]

Thought that this book was very interesting and awesome By The Way.

[Regina]

Children’s verse, reminding me of Lewis Carroll’s silly prose, matched up with gorgeous illustrations of the animal kingdoms of land, sea, and air.

[Becky Lockwood]

Edward Lear's original manuscript was unfinished and has been brilliantly completed by Ogden Nash. The l968 edition is illustrated by gorgeous art done by Nancy Ekholm Burkert.

[Ann Michael]

I have downloaded the cover of this delightful volume, the edition "completed" by Ogden Nash and marvelously illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert. The poem is nonsense that both children and adults can enjoy, and Burkert's drawings are delicate, charming without being soppy--in fact, they are beautifully rendered, carefully observed naturalistic animals and plants, each of which exudes curiosity and vivid joy. Alas, the cover is B&W and shows nothing of the engaging illustrations inside. And Lear's poem is silly and timeless, if a bit inaccurate as to contemporary zoology (the whale is a "fish" for example...)

If you can find it, read it out loud to someone under the age of ten.

[Amelia Shapiro]

It's possible no book is more dear to me than this one. My Uncle Bill gave it to me the year I was born, and it was one of the books on which I learned to read. My copy was ruined when it got wet (poorly stored, or moving, who can remember), but I found another online. It's a treasure, and the illustration are beautiful.

[Cheryl]

Delightful. Can't imagine a more fitting illustrator than Burkert. Would have been a five star book for me when I was a child. In case you're concerned, Nash didn't have to do much; it is still mostly Lear's work.

[Jason]

This was one of my favorite books as a child, and I still sherish it. Very vivid imagery, and wonderful prose.

[Phillip Parker]

A lighthearted, nonsense poem by Edward Lear (of The Owl and the Pussycat fame, etc.) with whimsical illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert. This will be fun to read to read to the grandchildren.

[Kest Schwartzman]

Lovely. Just lovely.