SOLVED. Children's Picture book about kindly elderly couple called Mr. & Mrs. Bumper or something close to that--cannot remember plot just a general cozy vibe while they gardened and hung out. [s]

[Kelley]

My best friend and I remember these as a series of books we called the Mister Bumper books. Neither of us remember what they were about, just that we loved spending time with this plump elderly couple (with round glasses?) and we looked forward to taking the books out of the elementary school library in the mid-1980s. The Bumpers/Bumpuses? had a garden and were maybe neighbors of a kid our age and he/she visited them in the books. The were hard cover and highly illustrated with largish chunks of text on each page.

[Rainbowheart]

Sounds like the Mr. and Mrs. Bumba books.

The first books featuring Mr. Bumba were published in 1964, but Mrs. Bumba was not introduced until 1971. A Long Vacation for Mr. and Mrs. Bumba is the first one with her character.

[Kelley]

Maybe? It’s not clicking in yet but I’m still clicking through the descriptions and pictures.

[Rainbowheart]

Mr. Bumba Plants a Garden is about his garden, and several of the books do feature neighborhood children.

[Kelley]

It has to be this series. I can’t imagine that there is something this close that isn’t it! I ordered two and I’ll get them in a couple weeks. Will look in the local library for more since I could t find a copy of the garden one.

[Kelley]

I am almost positive this is it. Thank you so much. MI just flipped through an Ebay listing for Mr. Bumba Keeps House and my stomach leapt. I don’t know why I put glasses on him in my memory or made him portly but he is still a kindly odd duck which is what I remember most.

[Rainbowheart]

Awesome, glad to help out!

Mr. Bumba Keeps House does look super cute.