Muddigush

Muddigush by Kimberley Knutson

MuddigushThe snow is melting where I live.  Maple sap is running and sugar houses work to turn sap into syrup.  Hillsides and yards have stretches of white patches – and lots of mud.  Around here, we call this mud season.

Knutson captures a child’s joy in playing in mud and muddy water in her picture book, Muddigush.  Knutson brings the muddy experience to life with her silly descriptive words.

“That sludgy mudge

grabs at our boots

making squelchy slimy smucky sounds.

Smucky mush

Smacky mush

Squooshy slooshy muddigush!”

The child and two friends play in the mud – splashing in puddles, making channels in the muddy water, making mudpies, and having a wonderful time.

Eventually the water and mud dry up:  “The sqoosh and the qoosh are gone.”  And the children return to their homes.  The main character child takes off rain gear and boots, then washes hands.

“Muddigush washes clean

and the water turns black

as it gurgles

and slurgles

and snurgles

down the drain.”

Knutson’s collages beautifully illustrate the story.

This is a good book to share with children – then put on rain gear and go outside for puddle splashing or mud pie-making.

7 Comments

  1. Erin Buhr on April 2, 2014 at 4:08 pm

    We love splashing in puddles and mud. This is definitely going on our list of books to find. Thanks!

  2. bookwormbear on April 2, 2014 at 4:16 pm

    We’ve been fans of puddle splashing and messy mud play for a long time – one of the joys of childhood. I hope you enjoy reading the book. Thanks for stopping by!

  3. Christy on April 3, 2014 at 1:41 pm

    The snow is starting to melt where I live, and my kids are loving the weather. I’ll have to see if I can find a copy of the book at my local library.

  4. bookwormbear on April 4, 2014 at 10:44 am

    Spring is wonderful for melting snow and lots of mud for playing (I just give up on the keeping everything clean for a little while). I hope you enjoy your melt/spring – and that you enjoy the book. Thanks for stopping by!

  5. Katie @ Youth Literature Reviews on April 4, 2014 at 11:32 am

    This sounds like such a fun book, I love the whimsical language!
    Thanks for sharing this with the Kid Lit Blog Hop!

  6. PragmaticMom on April 14, 2014 at 12:28 pm

    I love the onomatopia in the poems. We were just talking about words that sound like they are. What fun! My kids would enjoy this book of poems! Thanks for sharing at the Kid Lit Blog Hop! Will share as well on Twitter and Pinterest!

  7. Stephanie@Fairday's Blog on April 30, 2014 at 11:05 pm

    This sounds like an excellent book! I loved puddles as a kid and this is a book I am sure kids and adults will enjoy. Thanks for sharing!

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