Product Description

The world needs more quiet heroes! With whimsy and warmth, Bob Graham tells the lesser-known tale of a shy little soul who saves the day.

What happened to Humpty Dumpty is the stuff of legend. But how many know of his brave little sister? While the Tumbling Dumpties, the family traveling circus troupe, is doing acts of spectacular daring, Dimity stays far from the spotlight, playing tunes on her tiny flute. But when Humpty falls off the wall where he's writing graffiti, it's Dimity who finds her voice and brings help that even the king's soldiers can't provide. With a wealth of humorous visual details — the egg-carton caravan drawn by a chicken, the bandaging of Humpty's "leakage" after his fall — Bob Graham pays tribute to a famous nursery rhyme figure and brings smiles to his readers once again.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #264450 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-09
• Released on: 2007-01-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 2–Everyone knows the story of Humpty Dumpty. Not so many know the story of his little sister, Dimity. So begins the tale of his quiet, diminutive, and painfully shy sibling who prefers the background to the limelight of her circus family's acrobatics. The perfect foil to her reckless brother's antics, Dimity finds solace and meaning in her flute music. But when Humpty takes his proverbial fall while spray painting graffiti, it is Dimity who comes to his rescue. She runs to the big top and, finding her voice, mobilizes everyone to save her brother. After the rescue, she remains her timid self, but those around her come to appreciate her quiet center. The full-color watercolor illustrations are a delight–from the egg carton mobile home pulled by a hen to the emotional expressions Graham can pull out of an eggshell. The language is lyrical (the spotlight pushed like a bright finger across the tent, gentle as a beetle's breath, high notes fly like swifts on a summer's morning) and makes a perfect read-aloud. This story of a quiet child who shuns attention and remains true to herself will resonate with children and their parents, who know that everyone has special gifts and talents.–Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Perhaps you didn't know that Humpty Dumpty had a sister. Young Dimity (and all the Dumpties) are part of a circus, traveling the highways and byways in an egg carton hitched to a horse. Humpty is a "rascal," but Dimity is timid, preferring to play the flute rather than be part of the Tumbling Dumpties. Children will wait to see how Humpty has his great fall--unexpectedly, he is tagging, spray painting his name on a wall. Despite a grim prognosis, he is saved by Dimity, who comes out of her shell (figuratively) to get the help he needs. The story rambles, but Graham, whose books often turn on understated wit, tweaks out every bit of humor in both the story and the enticingly detailed ink-and-watercolor art. Much of the fun comes from the diminutive egg family interacting with the rest of the world (the "king's soldiers" are British troops), and a lot of the pleasure derives from watching a quiet little sister use her strength and smarts. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Bob Graham is the author-illustrator of many acclaimed books for children, including "LET'S GET A PUP!" SAID KATE, winner of a BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award, and OSCAR'S HALF BIRTHDAY, an American Library Association Notable Children's Book. He lives in Australia.

Customer Reviews

A Little Girl Comes out of her Shell
The story of Humpty Dumpty is known far and wide. Most people, however, have never heard of his little sister, Dimity. She's a shy little Dumpty who prefers to play her flute than take the spotlight with her circus family. When Humpty falls, Dimity will need to overcome her timid nature in order to get help.

Bob Graham's new twist to an old tale is about a shy little girl who must come out of her shell--so to speak--when her brother gets hurt. Through Dimity's actions, Graham suggests that even the most timid of children can be heard when they must, and there's no shame in being a quiet sort if they so choose. Aside from that message, Graham also demonstrates how fun it can be to use your imagination to go beyond familiar old stories.

This is a decent choice for children in the early grades, as well as those of preschool age.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
03/05/2007

A funny new twist on an old, old tale
Another winner by Bob Graham, one of my favorite comtemporary children's book authors. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the Dumpty family, where the rambunctious Humpty falls off a wall while spray-painting his name across the bricks, and shy little sister Dimity sits by herself on quiet hillsides where she can play the flute alone. In this incarnation, the Dumptys are circus performers (an acrobatic act, no less!) although the demure Dimity shies away from the spotlight. She's the one who rescues her little brother, though, when he has his great fall, showing that though she is shy, she can still have great courage. This one's a bit of an oddball lark, different than most of Graham's other books, but no less appealing. A fun reimagining of a classic nursery rhyme, as well. This one was a big favorite in our household, with numerous requests to readitagaindaddy and lengthy discussions about Humpty's mishaps and Dimity's bravery. Chances are, you'll like it, too!

Kids Fascinated!
Checked this out from the library and had to renew it - The kids ages 3.5 yrs and 6.5 yrs) were fascinated by it! They fell in love with little Dimity, and admired her quiet strength. The text is superfluous at times, so I sometimes skipped a few sentences during my 10th plus read-through. Overall, a great find, and an addendum to the classic Humpty tale that they will always treasure.