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Murmel, Murmel, Murmel
What in the world is Robin going to do with the baby she finds in her sandbox? “Murmel, murmel, murmel,” is all Robin hears coming from a hole in her sandbox. When she reaches down and out pops a baby, she finds herself in a real fix: who will take care of it? Robin’s too little! Off she goes, searching her neighborhood for someone who needs a baby. The woman with seventeen cats doesn’t want the baby. Nor does the grumpy man by the bus stop. It looks as though all hope is lost, until a friendly truck driver passes by. He offers to trade his truck for the baby—an exchange Robin can’t refuse.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1982
20 people are currently reading
1197 people want to read
About the author
Robert Munsch
290 books1,702 followersRobert Munsch was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Fordham University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and from Boston University in 1971 with a Master of Arts degree in anthropology.
He studied to become a Jesuit priest, but decided he would rather work with children after jobs at orphanages and daycare centers. In 1973, he received a Master of Education in Child Studies from Tufts University. In 1975 he moved to Canada to work at the preschool at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. He also taught in the Department of Family Studies at the University of Guelph as a lecturer and as an assistant professor. In Guelph he was encouraged to publish the many stories he made up for the children he worked with.
Munsch's wife delivered two stillborn babies in 1979 and 1980. Out of the tragedy, he produced one of his best-known books, Love You Forever. This book was listed fourth on the 2001 Publishers Weekly All-Time Best selling Children's Books list for paperbacks at 6,970,000 copies (not including the 1,049,000 hardcover copies). The Munsches have since become adoptive parents of Julie, Andrew and Tyya (see them all in Something Good!)
Munsch has obsessive-compulsive disorder and has also suffered from manic depression. In August 2008, Munsch suffered a stroke that affected his ability to speak in normal sentences. He has recovered enough that he is able to perform live, but has put his writing career on hold until he is fully recovered.
He studied to become a Jesuit priest, but decided he would rather work with children after jobs at orphanages and daycare centers. In 1973, he received a Master of Education in Child Studies from Tufts University. In 1975 he moved to Canada to work at the preschool at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. He also taught in the Department of Family Studies at the University of Guelph as a lecturer and as an assistant professor. In Guelph he was encouraged to publish the many stories he made up for the children he worked with.
Munsch's wife delivered two stillborn babies in 1979 and 1980. Out of the tragedy, he produced one of his best-known books, Love You Forever. This book was listed fourth on the 2001 Publishers Weekly All-Time Best selling Children's Books list for paperbacks at 6,970,000 copies (not including the 1,049,000 hardcover copies). The Munsches have since become adoptive parents of Julie, Andrew and Tyya (see them all in Something Good!)
Munsch has obsessive-compulsive disorder and has also suffered from manic depression. In August 2008, Munsch suffered a stroke that affected his ability to speak in normal sentences. He has recovered enough that he is able to perform live, but has put his writing career on hold until he is fully recovered.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
February 25, 2019
Hmm... Wariness and cynicism have kind of ruined this one for me. It was one of my favourite Munsch books when I was a kid. I didn't even have the English version; I had the French version, in which the baby said, "Gla, gla, gla." (It loses something in translation, I think.) In any case, I loved the story and thought it was pretty funny. Especially the ending. But now, reading it as an adult with an awareness of abduction and child trafficking and pornography, I just can't feel the same enthusiasm for it that I once did.
Five-year-old Robin finds a baby in a hole in her sandbox. The baby can only say, "Murmel, murmel, murmel," so it can't really help Robin in figuring out where it's supposed to be. So she goes around and asks various people--from a cat lady with seventeen cats to a workaholic with seventeen jobs--if they need a baby. Some of these encounters are a little more uncomfortable than others... especially the last two, which are a surly man who wants to know if he can sell the baby and the truck driver who eventually takes it. The truck driver basically buys the baby from Robin with a truck (which is especially ridiculous, but I always liked that part of the story when I was a kid) and I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about the whole thing. What did he "need" the baby for? What's he really hauling around in his fleet ofseventeen sixteen trucks? I'm not sure I want to know.
Some of Munsch's books have held up better than others. While Murmel, Murmel, Murmel is cute if you look at it through an innocent lens, it starts to lose some of its charm from a more cautious 21st-century point of view.
Five-year-old Robin finds a baby in a hole in her sandbox. The baby can only say, "Murmel, murmel, murmel," so it can't really help Robin in figuring out where it's supposed to be. So she goes around and asks various people--from a cat lady with seventeen cats to a workaholic with seventeen jobs--if they need a baby. Some of these encounters are a little more uncomfortable than others... especially the last two, which are a surly man who wants to know if he can sell the baby and the truck driver who eventually takes it. The truck driver basically buys the baby from Robin with a truck (which is especially ridiculous, but I always liked that part of the story when I was a kid) and I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about the whole thing. What did he "need" the baby for? What's he really hauling around in his fleet of
Some of Munsch's books have held up better than others. While Murmel, Murmel, Murmel is cute if you look at it through an innocent lens, it starts to lose some of its charm from a more cautious 21st-century point of view.
July 17, 2015
This one is great for little ones who appreciate absurd humor. The story is about a little girl who finds a baby in her sandbox and attempts to pawn the baby off on someone since she's just 5 and can't take care of babies. It reads as a silly riff on the "are you my mommy" type books where a baby animal tries to find its parent, having no luck for a while and then finding a match. It ends on a silly note- the child gives a truck driver the baby and the truck driver gives the child a truck. This is all told matter of factly. Deadpan.
Some adult reviewers seem to be reading this as a grisly true crime story (baby abandoned in sandbox) and a bad lesson (if you find a baby in a hole in the sandbox you should call the police!).
Reading this to my 4 year old, she does not once become horrified about abandoned babies. She giggles and says "babies don't come from a sandbox!" "Babies don't say murmel murmel murmel!" "Kids can't drive!"
I've brought home lots of serious children's books that teach lessons- books with female engineers or pilots (my child should know that girls can be what they want to be!) books about other cultures (important!) books about kindness etc, determination, sharing ad nauseum... My daughter actually requests Murmel Murmel Murmel and other humorous Munsch books while the serious, poetic, aspirational and moralistic ones gather dust.
TLDR-funny book for kids who like silliness. Not quite as funny as 50 below zero. Funnier but less life- lesson-ish than Stephanie's Ponytail.
Some adult reviewers seem to be reading this as a grisly true crime story (baby abandoned in sandbox) and a bad lesson (if you find a baby in a hole in the sandbox you should call the police!).
Reading this to my 4 year old, she does not once become horrified about abandoned babies. She giggles and says "babies don't come from a sandbox!" "Babies don't say murmel murmel murmel!" "Kids can't drive!"
I've brought home lots of serious children's books that teach lessons- books with female engineers or pilots (my child should know that girls can be what they want to be!) books about other cultures (important!) books about kindness etc, determination, sharing ad nauseum... My daughter actually requests Murmel Murmel Murmel and other humorous Munsch books while the serious, poetic, aspirational and moralistic ones gather dust.
TLDR-funny book for kids who like silliness. Not quite as funny as 50 below zero. Funnier but less life- lesson-ish than Stephanie's Ponytail.
August 16, 2011
My favorite part of this whole book is the very last illustration with the girl in the truck.
October 28, 2024
Murmel Murmel Murmel - a tale of human trafficking
April 17, 2024
Some books are just books for entertainment, which means there is no deep meaning behind the book and it does not have anything to teach you but the joy of reading a story. Now days we rely so much on our entertainment to teach us how to feel or give us some deeper life lesson. Those types of books are great, but sometimes it is not to just be entertained. This book is one of those books that lead the reader or listener the opportunity to lean back and enjoy being entertained. There are funny little things throughout the book that appear and reappear such as people did not want the responsibility of a baby because they already had 17 cats, 17 jobs, or 17 kids. The baby’s sweet little murmel, murmel, murmel is super cute too. The book may also stimulate a child’s imagination of what could possibly be found in a sand box. Enjoy!
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April 23, 2022Oh no. We won’t be reading this one anytime soon again. I don’t think it translates well to this day and age. My son was confused and so was I. A little horrified at the idea of someone being given or taking a baby at the end. A baby that came out of nowhere. I know there can be tons of metaphors for this kind of thing for real life but if I had trouble making connections as an adult then I don’t think my little guy gets it much either and he seemed confused.
It’s more than absurd, it almost devalues babies…. It stereotypes working women, it could potentially trivialize adoption and can maybe be an explanation for a surprise pregnancy or maybe none of that in which case - it was just too creepy.
It’s more than absurd, it almost devalues babies…. It stereotypes working women, it could potentially trivialize adoption and can maybe be an explanation for a surprise pregnancy or maybe none of that in which case - it was just too creepy.
April 17, 2024
Nice cute book. This book is mostly an entertainment based book, which means this book does not offer a lot of substance. This fact does not make the book a bad book, rather it makes it an older book from a time when reading was meant to offer some form of entertainment versus life lessons. Entertainment type of books are important to incorporate into kids’ reading lessons. That being said, the book is enjoyable to young kids with fun words and sounds and a theme of 17.
March 15, 2021
Best book I’ve read in a while. Muchin manages to captivate the reader with beautiful story telling and vivid characters. A must read.
October 29, 2021
I don't know what to think of this book. When we see a baby, should we give it to someone we don't know? What are you waiting for to call the police?
August 15, 2021
A little girl finds a deep hole with a baby in it. She tries to find someone who can take car of the baby and meets interesting people on her search. The art is charming and full of character.
August 31, 2014
Title: Murmel, Murmel, Murmel Board Book
Author: Robert Munsch
Illustrator: Michael Martchenko
Publisher: Annick Press Ltd
Published: 8-19-2014
ISBN: 9781554516568
E-Book ASIN: B00BT3U4E4
Pages: 32
Genre: Children's Fiction
Overall Rating:
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Reviewer: DelAnne
Five year old Robin finds a baby in her sandbox one day and decides that she will find it a home. When I chose this book for review from NetGalley I thought it sounded adorable and it is funny and kind of quirky. It is told in an easy simple form so that small children can understand it with some lovely illustrations that mirror the story beautifully.
Unfortunately after I read it through first I was reluctant to read it to any of my nieces or nephews. With the media full of the awful things that happen to small children and babies today I did not want to influence them to even think of emulating Robin. This is the first book by Robert Munsch that I have ever read. I like his writing style, but not the overall content of this particular book. That may not bother some, but if this is his usual subject, children placing themselves in parallel or neglected by no supervision, then I am afraid I shall not be reading any others.
If I had not been so disturbed by the way it ended I would have given this book a five out of five, but because I was I am giving it a 3.5 .
Author: Robert Munsch
Illustrator: Michael Martchenko
Publisher: Annick Press Ltd
Published: 8-19-2014
ISBN: 9781554516568
E-Book ASIN: B00BT3U4E4
Pages: 32
Genre: Children's Fiction
Overall Rating:
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Reviewer: DelAnne
Five year old Robin finds a baby in her sandbox one day and decides that she will find it a home. When I chose this book for review from NetGalley I thought it sounded adorable and it is funny and kind of quirky. It is told in an easy simple form so that small children can understand it with some lovely illustrations that mirror the story beautifully.
Unfortunately after I read it through first I was reluctant to read it to any of my nieces or nephews. With the media full of the awful things that happen to small children and babies today I did not want to influence them to even think of emulating Robin. This is the first book by Robert Munsch that I have ever read. I like his writing style, but not the overall content of this particular book. That may not bother some, but if this is his usual subject, children placing themselves in parallel or neglected by no supervision, then I am afraid I shall not be reading any others.
If I had not been so disturbed by the way it ended I would have given this book a five out of five, but because I was I am giving it a 3.5 .
July 30, 2014
Murmel, Murmel Murmel by Robert Munsch is a children’s book about a little girl who finds a baby in a sandbox and must look for someone who wants a baby. She asks people that she sees on the street, an old woman, a lady in fancy clothes, a man at a bus stop, but no one she asks wants the baby. Then a man drives up in a truck and says he wants the baby and the little girl can have his truck.
This is a quirky silly book that young children will enjoy. The adult might be a little concerned about what happens to the baby but children just thinks its a funny book. The book is written with simple sentences using words that a young child will understand. The illustrator, Michael, Martchenko, has done a great job. The illustrations are vibrant and colorful and a good compliment to the story. I would recommend this story to any adult who enjoys reading to their child.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thanks NetGalley and Annick Press for the opportunity to read this book.
This is a quirky silly book that young children will enjoy. The adult might be a little concerned about what happens to the baby but children just thinks its a funny book. The book is written with simple sentences using words that a young child will understand. The illustrator, Michael, Martchenko, has done a great job. The illustrations are vibrant and colorful and a good compliment to the story. I would recommend this story to any adult who enjoys reading to their child.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thanks NetGalley and Annick Press for the opportunity to read this book.
January 6, 2015
Awwwww, is the best way to describe this book.
Strange, funny and sweet is also applicable here since five year old Robin finds a baby in her sandbox and attempts to find who will take care of it!
A wonderful journey into a conversation about parents often need babies in their lives, not knowing they ever did! A wonderful approach to expressing to our little people how fulfilling having a child really is. It's an opportunity to describe the rich experience of deep happiness and joy often leaving 'stuff' behind to fully embrace a child.
Lovely!
Strange, funny and sweet is also applicable here since five year old Robin finds a baby in her sandbox and attempts to find who will take care of it!
A wonderful journey into a conversation about parents often need babies in their lives, not knowing they ever did! A wonderful approach to expressing to our little people how fulfilling having a child really is. It's an opportunity to describe the rich experience of deep happiness and joy often leaving 'stuff' behind to fully embrace a child.
Lovely!
February 11, 2011
Murmel, Murmel, Murmel by Robert N. Munsch, illustrated by Michael Martchenko, is a hilarious story about a girl, Robin, who finds a baby in a sandbox. After a series of attempts ro find the baby a home, Robin finally succeeds, & receives a special present.
Great illustrations carry this story along. The conclusion reminds me a bit of Fire Station. This can be a good read-aloud.
For ages 4 to 7, humor and baby themes, and fans of Robert N. Munsch & Michael Martchenko..
Great illustrations carry this story along. The conclusion reminds me a bit of Fire Station. This can be a good read-aloud.
For ages 4 to 7, humor and baby themes, and fans of Robert N. Munsch & Michael Martchenko..
January 2, 2013
I chose this for my 3-5 year old creative drama class. I chose this because I adore The Paper Bag Princess and was looking for another interesting female protagonist, Robin is a pretty interesting character. Love the cadence of this book and the premise is fancicul and sweet. The girls chose their own character and then had one line concerning why they could not care for a baby. Perfect to revisit in the cirriculum later!
November 23, 2015
This is a short story written by Robert Munsch. It is about a young girl finding a baby in a hole in a playground sand box. The young girl cannot take care of the baby so she goes out and tries to find someone who does need a baby. Person after person she asks does not need a baby until a fire truck pulls up and the man does need a baby. I thought this book was a fun quick read aloud but was a little disappointed in just how short the story was.
April 26, 2013
Not surprised to see this on the banned books list.
Creepy little story about a 5 year old girl who finds a baby buried in her sandbox and then walks all over town with the baby trying to give it away to complete strangers. *shudders*
Not something I would have read to my children when they were small.
Creepy little story about a 5 year old girl who finds a baby buried in her sandbox and then walks all over town with the baby trying to give it away to complete strangers. *shudders*
Not something I would have read to my children when they were small.
July 28, 2014
Murmel, Murmel, Murmel
Written by Robert Munsch
Illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Robin finds a little baby down in a hole in her sandbox. She tries to find a home for the baby taking it from stranger to stranger. This in itself is a bit disturbing. I was disappointed by this book and the story line. I love Robert Munsch but really felt this book fell short.
Written by Robert Munsch
Illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Robin finds a little baby down in a hole in her sandbox. She tries to find a home for the baby taking it from stranger to stranger. This in itself is a bit disturbing. I was disappointed by this book and the story line. I love Robert Munsch but really felt this book fell short.
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October 4, 2009I've started reading books to my son (he's due to be born in around six weeks). What better way to start than with a classic? If I'm planning on reading more Munsch, though, I need to work more on my voices.
September 3, 2012
This is a story about a young girl who finds a baby in her sandbox! All the baby says is "murmel, murmel, murmel". After many attempts to get rid of the baby she finally comes across a truck driver who says he needs the baby! And trades the baby for a truck! Very amusing cute book :)
September 23, 2012
This is among my favourite of Robert Munsch's books!
I love the baby, I love the use of seventeen (why seventeen, I don't know, but the repetition is great).
Also, I love that the baby says yes. It's kind of a deus ex machina but it's so perfect and I love it.
I love the baby, I love the use of seventeen (why seventeen, I don't know, but the repetition is great).
Also, I love that the baby says yes. It's kind of a deus ex machina but it's so perfect and I love it.
January 2, 2010
My class did a unit on readers' theatre once, and one group did the book "Murmel, Murmel, Murmel". They did such a great job, and the end makes this such a great story.
August 28, 2014
We still wander around the house saying murmel murmel murmel. So I guess you could say that this one sticks with you.
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August 3, 2011if you have not read these to your children or to yourself, you are missing out on childrens literature at its finest
September 26, 2012
Um... a lot more random than I expected. Like in a weird way. I kinda still liked it, and kinda was like "Dude, what??"
February 4, 2013
I like this book because the baby says murmel murmel murmel and comes out of the sandbox. The man had the baby and he gave her his truck. - C, age 4
October 25, 2013
a cute story about a girl who finds a baby in the sand box and go through alot of adventures together.
a very silly read.
a very silly read.
Want to read
January 16, 2014Recommended by Teacher Tom
September 12, 2014
A cute story where a little girl digs a baby up out of the sandbox & tries to find it a family.
December 19, 2014
Notes:
girl finds a baby in a hole and tries to give it away
ending is funny but not really a great book
girl finds a baby in a hole and tries to give it away
ending is funny but not really a great book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews