Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself

by Matthew Gray Gubler

A charming and inspiring story written and narrated by Criminal Minds actor/director, Matthew Gray Gubler.

Rumple Buttercup has five crooked teeth, three strands of hair, green skin, and his left foot is slightly bigger than his right.

He is weird.

Join him and Candy Corn Carl (his imaginary friend made of trash) as they learn the joy of individuality as well as the magic of belonging.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Humor

136 pages, Hardcover

First published April 2, 2019

Reviews

[Emma Giordano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an adorable picture book!

I've been a massive fan of Matthew Gray Gubler since I was 14 and have spent the last 8 years lusting after him on Criminal Minds (physically, intellectually, and artistically). I'm familiar with his innovative art style, so I was immensely pleased to see him creating a picture book full of his unique illustrations!

I was able to read this book in roughly 5-10 minutes due to the spacious nature of the pages and minimal text. I do wish it had been longer and had more content, but I understand that's not the purpose of this story. It is a short, sweet tale about being weird, accepting yourself, and finding comfort where you belong. I think the subtext of the novel is particularly brilliant and expertly told through short, simple phrases that resonate easily with readers.

If you're a fan of Matthew Gray Gubler, it's a great little novelty story that captures his unwavering individuality. I would love more stories like this from him.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read 2020

This was my final book for the Reading Rush 2020!! Perfect choice. My original review still stands 😌

--

Original review 2019

I love this book just as much as I love the man who wrote it. 🤩

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to read this book every day for the rest of my life! Also, Rumple Buttercup is my new best friend!

Rumple lives in a drain beneath the town, hiding from the people he’s sure will reject him because he’s weird. He spends his time watching people interacting with one another and enjoying their lives but he is desperately alone so he makes his own friend out of trash, Candy Corn Carl.

I adore Rumple and love that this book is a celebration of weirdness. Let’s face it; we’re all weird in our own way. Anyone who has ever felt like they don’t belong, aren’t good enough or are too different to be accepted by others will relate to Rumple and hopefully realise, as Rumple does, that “Everyone is weird and that’s what makes us great”.

I would have read this book no matter what, simply because Matthew Gray Gubler wrote and illustrated it, but it’s so much more incredible than even I expected! This debut has a wonderful message for kids but people who have aged out of childhood also need to be reminded that it’s okay to be different. Let’s celebrate our individuality!

[Tayla ✰]

yes i read this because i’m a slut for matthew gray gubler don’t judge me.

[sAmAnE · Rating 5 out of 5]

چروکس موجودی عجیب با ظاهری نه‌چندان دلچسب است که به‌دلیل تفاوت‌هایش از مردم فاصله می‌گیرد و در یک کانال آب زیرزمینی زندگی می‌کند. در طول داستان، متوجه می‌شود که برخی بچه‌ها او را دیده‌اند و با خودش فکر می‌کند شاید همه‌ی آدم‌ها نقص‌هایی داشته باشند و این اصلاً چیز بدی نیست. او تصمیم می‌گیرد تفاوت‌ها و حتی نقص‌هایش را بپذیرد و باور کند که این ویژگی‌ها دلیل طرد شدنش نیستند. به‌نظر من، خودباوری، شجاعت، و اهمیت پذیرفته شدن از سوی جامعه از نکات اصلی و تأثیرگذار این کتاب هستند.

[smars · Rating 5 out of 5]

u can fucking bet I’m reading this to every little cousin I have and if I ever have kids I’ll read it to them too.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

*:･ﾟ255/108

2021 Review:
I bought Rumple Buttercup for the sole purpose that I absolutely love MGG to pieces. Rumple Buttercup perfectly embodies his personality and I'm glad that he decided to write a sweet children's book. This book is something I definitely want to keep around for any future mini-me's I may decide to have.

Rumple Buttercup is a wholesome story about this little gremlin man who lives in a storm drain. Through the small drain, he can see from he witnesses the world he could only wish to be a part of.

[Zari.Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

کم کم داشت ردپای کرونا پاک می‌شد که من وارد دبیرستان شدم و رفیقم "آیلین" رو بعد از سه سال دوری به دلیل اینکه مدرسه راهنمایی جداگانه ای بودیم و حتی شهر جداگانه(و البته اگر هم، هم مدرسه‌ای بودیم به دلیل کرونا کلاسا مجازی بود) روز اول مهر دیدم.دیگه کم تر آدمی بود که ماسک می‌زد اما آیلین چرا. و این ماسک زدنش هم اینجوری نبود که یه لحظه بیاره پایین یا موقع غذا خوردن دربیاره .نه. اگر می‌خواست چیزی هم بخوره از زیر ماسک بود و همه ی معلما باهاش سرجنگ داشتن سر این موضوع.حتی یادمه دبیر ادبیاتمون برگشت بهش گفت عزیز جان اگه می‌خوای بینی‌ت عمل کنی و بخاطر اینکه از ظاهر بینی‌ت راضی نیستی،ماسک می‌زنی،باید بهت به عنوان بزرگ‌تر بگم که یه چندسال صبر کن بعد انجامش بده چون ممکنه الان عجولانه تصمیم بگیری.(لازم به ذکره که بنظرم نه فقط بینی‌ش،واقعا کل چهرش زیباست) و به جز خودش منم که دوستش بودم هم تعجب کردم از این حرف که ممکنه با یه ماسک زدن مداوم،ذهن دور و بریامون تا کجا بره. و آیلین در جواب گفت چون تو دوران کرونا همیشه ماسک زده،الان یه جورایی وسواس براش به وجود اومده و اگه ماسک نزنه احساس می‌کنه که ممکنه مریض بشه.اما من که می‌شناختمش می‌دونستم که این موضوع حقیقت داره اما همه ی ماجرا نیست.می‌دونستم که یکمی اعتماد به نفس پایینی داره(اصلا ادعا ندارم خودم اعتماد به نفسم بالاستا!نه اصلا) از اینکه چهرش در معرض دید باشه.

گذشت و گذشت که در این باره چندباری باهاش صحبت کردیم و دبیر ریاضیمون "خانم رازقی عزیز" که نه فقط ریاضی بلکه بنظرم زندگی بهمون درس می‌داد هم باهاش صحبت کرد.(تنها کسی از عوامل اون مدرسه لعنتی که اخر امسال همش به این فکر بودم و هستم که چقد دلم براش تنگ می‌شه.برای صحبتاش،کتاب و فیلم معرفی کردناش،راهنمایی کردناش و...)تا رسید به روزی که بلاخره قبول کرد که اوکی، درسته حرفاتون و خودمم هم دیگه برام سخت شده که همیشه یه چیزی رو صورتم باشه و این حرفا اما الان که وسط ساله نمیخوام ماسک نزنم و همه توجه ها یه دفعه رو من فوکوس کنه .بهتره از سال یازدهم این کارمو ترک کنم و سورپرایز بشه یجورایی برای بقیه.

سال تحصیلی تموم شد و بعد سه ماه دوباره سال تحصیلی جدید شروع شد و دارارارام! آیلین به قولش عمل کرده بود و با خودش کنار اومده بود و ماسک نزده بود.حتی برای منی که بلاخره رفیقش بودم و چهرشو دیده بودم تعجب برانگیز بود.و وقتی معلما چهرشو دیدن اینجوری بودن که تو که چهره زیبایی داری چرا این همه مدت پشت یه نقاب قایم کرده بودی و آیلین حرفی نزد اما از میمیک صورتش همون حسی رو دریافت کردم که چروکس کله غازی دریافت کرد.

این کتابو برای کودکان(و یا حتی کودکانی که دیگه بزرگ شدن)بگیرید و بخونید تا اون ها هم بفهمن که فقط اون غیرعادی نیست. همه ی ما یه سری خصوصیات،رفتار،ویژگی و حالتی داریم که ممکنه از نظر خودمون غیرعادی بنظر بیاد اما از نظر عام نه:)

[Shamim · Rating 4 out of 5]

خیلی کیوت و دوست‌داشتنی بود 🥺❤️
لذت بردم ^^

[Savannah Breckenridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Are you weird? I'm definitely weird. You know what? Being weird is AWESOME because we're all weird in our own weird way. Matthew Gray Gubler provides a strikingly strange yet lovable creature to teach kiddos that no matter who you are or how "different" you are -- you are great! Weirdness is simply a facet of us all that should be celebrated.

[Brooke Averick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigh

[Tegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously I’m biased (MGG will always be a favourite) but this was ridiculously cute and sweet

[آرزو · Rating 5 out of 5]

وای خدا مگه می‌شه این‌قدر بامزه و قشنگ و مهربون؟ قلبمو گرم کرد.

[lucy Ü · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book with all my heart. I'm currently writing a lesson for it for my students, and my reasoning behind it is that everyone deserves to feel like they belong. Everyone deserves to know that their "not normal" is actually what makes them pretty dang great. Everyone deserves to be welcomed and hugged and loved in spite of whatever "weirdness" they may think holds them back. Nobody deserves to feel like they have to hide under a banana peel in order to not be seen.

This book promotes diversity and acceptance and being your wonderfully weird self. and i think everybody deserves to hear that every single day. who you are is great and fabulous and magical because it's just that - it's who you are- authentically and wonderfully weird.

[Bella Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

pls marry me pls🧍🏼‍♀️

[Tayler K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I made the spectacular decision to go ahead and buy the audiobook so I could listen to Matthew read this book to me. 💚

Look, it's MGG. I love it automatically. But this really is a great story about accepting yourself and being kind to others, acknowledging that we're all some kind of weird, and that's what makes us great.

And omg, he didn't just write the book, he wrote the book, by hand. It's not typed, it's handwritten. (I do wonder if they made an MGG's Handwriting font to do the copyright page or if he wrote it all out too in really straight lines.) What a gem.

I also appreciate the extra detail of the title being raised and the spine having a little leather texture to it. So fun.

I bought an autographed copy (well, it's just "Gubler" on a Rumple Buttercup bookplate sticker) from Premiere Collectibles.

[Ha-Linh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because Matthew Gray Gubler wrote this and he seems to be a wonderful and adorably weird human being. And also because sometimes it’s reassuring to know that it’s OK to be yourself. I will keep this one and read it to as many little friends as I can.

[verbava · Rating 4 out of 5]

не книжка, а якесь суцільне awwww.

[Shabnam_wr · Rating 5 out of 5]

[ این کتاب راجع به تنهایی و موز هستش🍌]
البته تنهایی رو به خوبی تعریف میکنه.
بعضی اوقات کتاب هایی که یهویی انتخاب میکنی از فیدی پلاس ،شاهکار از آب درمیان.اونقدر قشنگ بود این کتابِ کودک، که تصمیم گرفتم برای یه بچه هم بخونم تا نظر اون رو هم بدونم ، و خب مثل اینکه درست فکر می کردم و خوشش اومد.
تصویر سازی های کتاب خیلی خیلی قشنگه و مینیمال هم هست و مهم ترین نکته واضح بودن اون هاست ، از این نظر که گاهی بچه بدون خوندن متن میتونه قصه رو تعریف کنه یا بگه چه اتفاق هایی افتاده .مثلا همون اول داستان که میخواد شخصیت رو توصیف کنه یا اونجایی که از رو به رو شدن با مردم میگه.
پایان خیلی قشنگی داره مخصوصا ً تصویر آخر.
۱۲۵ صفحه داره این کتاب ولی چون بیشتر تصویر هستش و جمله ها هم کوتاهه ،خیلی کتاب طولانی نیست.

[MAhdis · Rating 4 out of 5]

"چروکس فهمید: همه غیرعادی هستند و اتفاقا همین غیر عادی بودن بهترین ویژگی ماست"


چقدر گوگولی و بامزه و دوست داشتنی بود 🥺🥺 با اون نقاشی‌های بامزه‌ای که انگار یه بچه پنج ساله مسئول کشیدنشون بوده

پ. ن: امشب که منم مثل چروکس تنها و بی‌حوصله و طردشده بودم تو نیم ساعت این کتاب بامزه رو از فیدی پلاس خوندم و کلی احساساتی شدم 🥺💔 کاش میشد همه بخوننش.

[Mehrnaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

تو این کتاب کودک‌خوانی‌ها، این کتاب تجربه‌ی بهتری بود. شاید برای اینکه متن بیشتری داشت و بانمک بود.
ولی خوب تو این دو سه تا کتابی که من خوندم، هر کدوم یه پیام داشتن! نمیشه کلا یه کتاب داستان قشنگ باشه و خیلی پیام اینجوری نداشته باشه؟

[Melissa (thereaderandthechef) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awww this was the cutest (and a bit heartbreaking) 12 minutes ever! Listened to the audiobook and the narrator/author did SUCH an amazing job. Fell in love with Rumple Butter in under a minute! 😍

Huge thanks to PRH Audio for the review copy! Will review soon!

[*JEN the booknerd* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable picture book about not feeling like you fit in.

[Malissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything I was anticipating, plus some.

The audio version is also fantastic.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

It so cute and written by my favorite man alive.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cuppa tea. Text on the preachy side. Not very interesting drawings. But it's probably just me.

[Fatemehshahvari · Rating 4 out of 5]

قشنگ بود:') 🍌

[Cameron · Rating 3 out of 5]

We read this while standing in line and were quite entertained.

3 stars as I am not the target audience.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This message-heavy book is a cross between a picture book and a children's chapter book; there's an illustration on every page/spread, but way too many pages (130+) for a picture book. It would have worked better as a standard 32-pg picture book. The illustrations are amateurish. The theme of "Everyone is weird" is relevant but I feel battered over the head with it. The resolution of insta-friendship feels forced and unsatisfying. Also, the lack of terminal punctuation makes reading the story more difficult, especially for young children just learning the rules of the English language. I think the true audience for this book is the fans of the actor who wrote it, rather than children (though it was shelved in the children's room of the library). I can't help wondering if this would have been published if it were not written by a famous entertainer.

[Abigail Clearfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think one theme for this book is to believe in yourself no matter what. In this book Rumple doesn't think other people with accept him and decides to isolate himself away from all other people. He later finds that people are different and weird like him and that is okay.