Humpty Dumpty's Great Fall

by Alan Durant (artist), Leah-Ellen Hemming (Illustrator)

Humpty Dumpty's Great Fall Nursery Crimes is a series of four books for Band 9 of the Start Reading programme. Full description

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Alan Durant is the author of books for a wide age-range, from picture books such as Burger Boy to top-end teenage thrillers (Blood, Flesh and Bones). Having worked as a copywriter at Walker Books, he is now a full-time author.

He's married, with three children and lives just outside London. He does a lot of school visits throughout the UK and abroad and also runs writing workshops.

Reviews

[Edward Sojuwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, miss Muffet, sit down on the tuffet
This fairy tale is different than you're used to.
Sit your spider friend upon that shelf
And let's introduce the big egg himself
His name is Humpty
Pronounced as Humm-Puh-Tee
All you Grimm's in the top ten
Allow him to get grumpy!!!


And he will, for here finally is the story that fills important gaps in the Mother Goose Universe. Humpty has his fall for a VERY good reason. He's the king of all FairyTale Town, and boy is this ruler one hard boiled badass. The cat with the fiddle tried sharing his wall. Humpty drops kitty into the well! The world famous Jack and Jill are heading up that hill to TRY getting some water, but they don't get far, as King Humpty sends them both on that downhill run you heard about. Finally the dog and the cow arrive with Mr. Dish and Ms Spoon, and Cow bets she can clear that moon in seconds. Which moon? HUMPTY'S MOON FROM HIS EGGSHELL WHITE BUTT!!! (He's asleep, having done playing Benedict Egg Arnold for today). One jump later, readers see for themselves why Humpty fell,and great was the fall of him....into the waiting arms of all the king's horses and men, waiting to get some eggs Sunny side up with ketchup and sausage! All the pieces are coming together at last...the story, not so much Humpty. But please check the book out and read it to kids, but don't give the plot away, cos...why be me? I'm kinda scrambled, too!!!
Four enthusiastic stars!!!
Here's your chance to do the Humpty!!! One more time!!!

[1000springs · Rating 4 out of 5]

ひえー。。。なんか驚くほどムチャクチャな話だなあ(^-^;

[Breezy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very different version of Humpty Dumpty, far from the classic. Not only is this about Humpty, but Jack and Jill are thrown in as well as the Hey Diddle, Diddle rhyme. Basically, Humpty Dumpty is a bad egg and a huge bully. My son and I had a laugh over the silliness of it. He's a little young to understand the difference between this and the classics, but I enjoy watching him when he is absorbed in a book.

[Susanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Humpty Dumpty is mean. When he falls off the wall, the others half-heartedly try to put him together and then leave him to scramble in the sun. And in the end, he's eaten for dinner.

Um, no.

[Jasmine Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was hilarious!