What do you think?
Rate this book
Whaddayamean
John Burningham comes up with yet again with a book like no other. WHADAYAMEAN is a fascinating look at the damage we are doing to our environment. When God returns to the beautiful Earth we have misused, two small children are instructed to find a way of bringing people to their senses.
1 pages, Library Binding
First published March 4, 1999
About the author
John Burningham
158 books108 followershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bur...
Married to Helen Oxenbury They have one son and two daughters.
John Burningham was born in 1936 in Farnham, Surrey, and attended the alternative school, Summerhill. In 1954 he spent two years travelling through Italy, Yugoslavia and Israel, working at a variety of jobs.
From 1956-1959, he studied at the Central School of Art, after which he designed posters for London Transport and the British Transport Commission. He also spent a year on an animated puppet film in the Middle East. He then became a writer and illustrator of children's books, his first book, Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No Feathers (1963) winning the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1963, an achievement he repeated with Mr Gumpy's Outing (1970).
Since then, he has written and illustrated many children's books. He is also a freelance designer of murals, exhibitions models, magazine illustrations and advertisements.
Married to Helen Oxenbury They have one son and two daughters.
John Burningham was born in 1936 in Farnham, Surrey, and attended the alternative school, Summerhill. In 1954 he spent two years travelling through Italy, Yugoslavia and Israel, working at a variety of jobs.
From 1956-1959, he studied at the Central School of Art, after which he designed posters for London Transport and the British Transport Commission. He also spent a year on an animated puppet film in the Middle East. He then became a writer and illustrator of children's books, his first book, Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No Feathers (1963) winning the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1963, an achievement he repeated with Mr Gumpy's Outing (1970).
Since then, he has written and illustrated many children's books. He is also a freelance designer of murals, exhibitions models, magazine illustrations and advertisements.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 21, 2022
I enjoyed reading this as an adult, although it was very sad and I probably wouldn't read this to a child. God comes to earth and sees what a mess everything is and gives two children the job of sorting things out. Quite a depressing book, particularly as everything is sorted out in this story which makes it all the more heart-breaking as it emphasises how unlikely that is to happen in real life.
Read on open library.
Read on open library.
June 24, 2020
Unsure about this book. Hard to see where the author is coming from. It certainly has a different view of God than I do. It speaks of God as the creator of the world, but then has him as a very absent, ambivalent figure. Is it a genuine view, or a sarcastic dig at those who believe in a creator?
Much of what is said about how humanity has treated the Earth in the pursuit of money, power (religious or political) or personal comfort is true. Encouraging people to speak out against that is also commendable, but I'm just not sure what the second half of the book is trying to achieve. Again, the response of the people appears to be sarcastic, but then they ultimately listen and create a utopia.
Could be used as a discussion starter - but I think I can find many other books for this purpose.
Much of what is said about how humanity has treated the Earth in the pursuit of money, power (religious or political) or personal comfort is true. Encouraging people to speak out against that is also commendable, but I'm just not sure what the second half of the book is trying to achieve. Again, the response of the people appears to be sarcastic, but then they ultimately listen and create a utopia.
Could be used as a discussion starter - but I think I can find many other books for this purpose.
September 30, 2020
This took 4 minutes to read, and I felt like I wasted too much time reading it.
October 16, 2020
A great story book which has interesting underlying messages about climate change. A really powerful story
September 30, 2020
John Burningham's illustrations are always a delight, leaving you wanting to look at them again and again. However, I didn't like the storyline, as I think it send confusing messages for children. It introduces them to the theme of religion though it seems to be about overarching 'religion' rather than any God of any religion. Therefore, the appropriateness of this book depends on what message parents what to send their children about religion and faith.
The theme of environmentalism is an important one to raise, though again quite confusing here. The author seems to be taking multi-dimensional issues and simplifying them for kids, potentially sending an idealistic view of how we will change the world.
Great food for thought in how we can introduce children to these more complex subjects, just not my cup of tea.
The theme of environmentalism is an important one to raise, though again quite confusing here. The author seems to be taking multi-dimensional issues and simplifying them for kids, potentially sending an idealistic view of how we will change the world.
Great food for thought in how we can introduce children to these more complex subjects, just not my cup of tea.
November 22, 2020
This book explores the impact of humans on the condition of the world in which we live. As God looks at this creation and realises the detrimental impact humans have causes he asks two children to make a difference. These children ask all the people, in varied forms of power, to change their ways because God says so. This leads to the ending of conflicts, an end of deforestation and an increase of awareness.
This book would link to Greta and the Giants by Zoe Tucker as it shares the theme of protecting the environment and small people having big voices.
However I think you would have to be careful in using this book as it is based on the view of God and you may have to consider the religions in your own classroom before use and be prepared for questions surrounding God - it could therefore be used to support RE lessons about the creation of the world.
This book would link to Greta and the Giants by Zoe Tucker as it shares the theme of protecting the environment and small people having big voices.
However I think you would have to be careful in using this book as it is based on the view of God and you may have to consider the religions in your own classroom before use and be prepared for questions surrounding God - it could therefore be used to support RE lessons about the creation of the world.
June 8, 2017
Very odd view of the Almighty Creator.
September 23, 2020
My favourite JB book by far lovely pics very relatable to children. Great intro to world issues for kids.
November 13, 2020
A really nice book that can be used to bring up world issues as a topic with children, such as climate change, war and hunger.
January 6, 2016
I almost didn't pick this book up at the library some weeks ago. I thought the title was rather silly. The cover art, however, intrigued me, so I opened the book up to read it. Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. I loved it so much, in fact, that I went out that day and bought a copy for myself.
This book is fantastic! And with this book, John Burningham has become one of my few favorite children's author/illustrators.
This book is fantastic! And with this book, John Burningham has become one of my few favorite children's author/illustrators.
January 26, 2016
I didn't like this book at all. To begin with, I don't like the idea of telling children that god created the earth. Secondly, whilst it's all well and good to teach children that they can do something and make a difference, I think it's giving children a far too idealistic view of the world. If I wanted to say something positive about it then perhaps it could be the catalyst for a debate about if god does exist, why are there all these problems in the world?
February 4, 2017
This man is one of my all time favorite Children's Authors!
Read
October 11, 2017Loved the illustrations. They are worth a lot of time and space and chat. I feel the story can be taken on several levels. It is intrinsically simplistic and is an entry into environmental issues, religion, respect and right and wrong. I enjoyed the confidence the two children share and display and the good their intentions prevail. I will return to Whadayamean sometime somehow...
Read
November 5, 2018Thinks about environment
Need to be aware that it uses God
Need to be aware that it uses God
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews