Grimble
Encyclopedia
Grimble is a children's book by Clement Freud
, published by Collins
in 1968. A sequel, Grimble at Christmas was published some years later. The book was illustrated by Frank Francis
. In the 1970s, the two titles were published in a compendium volume by Puffin Books, with drawings by Quentin Blake
. Grimble at Christmas has been reissued by Cape for Christmas 2008.
Grimble is also the name of a fictitious town in Northern England, which appears in two stories of the Rumpole series by John Mortimer
: Rumpole and the Show Folk and The Return of Rumpole.
for a week leaving him with a fridge filled with bottles of tea, an oven filled with sandwiches, a tin full of sixpence
pieces and a list of five names and addresses of people he can visit to get help with dinner. Each day he visits a new address, though on each occasion his host is out. The book is a humorous account of his life alone for five days.
and (according to the dust jacket) Freud received 23,500 letters about the work, including 64 letters of complaint from domestic science teachers who thought the book disgraceful.
J. K. Rowling
, Neil Gaiman
and Lauren Child
have cited the work as being a favourite book of theirs.
In 2005 it was reprinted in the anthology Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures from the Sky, Parents who Disappear in Peru, a Man Named Lars Farf, and One Other Story We Couldn't Quite Finish, So Maybe You Could Help Us Out to raise money for the youth writing center 826NYC
.
Clement Freud
Sir Clement Raphael Freud was an English broadcaster, writer, politician and chef.-Early life:Freud was born in Berlin, the son of Jewish parents Ernst Ludwig Freud and Lucie née Brasch. He was the grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and the brother of artist Lucian Freud...
, published by Collins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
in 1968. A sequel, Grimble at Christmas was published some years later. The book was illustrated by Frank Francis
Frank Francis
Sir Frank Chalton Francis KCB was an English academic librarian and curator. Almost all his working life was at the British Museum, first as an assistant keeper in the department of printed books, and later as secretary of the museum, keeper of printed books and, between 1959 and 1968, director...
. In the 1970s, the two titles were published in a compendium volume by Puffin Books, with drawings by Quentin Blake
Quentin Blake
Quentin Saxby Blake, CBE, FCSD, RDI, is an English cartoonist, illustrator and children's author, well-known for his collaborations with writer Roald Dahl.-Education:...
. Grimble at Christmas has been reissued by Cape for Christmas 2008.
Grimble is also the name of a fictitious town in Northern England, which appears in two stories of the Rumpole series by John Mortimer
John Mortimer
Sir John Clifford Mortimer, CBE, QC was a British barrister, dramatist, screenwriter and author.-Early life:...
: Rumpole and the Show Folk and The Return of Rumpole.
From the dust jacket
"What would you do if:- you did not have a fixed birthday?
- your parents usually communicated with you by notes?
- you came home from school on Monday to find that your parents had gone, without warning, to Peru?"
Plot
Grimble is a boy of "about 10" who has parents that can be described as eccentric. Returning from school one day, he discovers that they have gone to PeruPeru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
for a week leaving him with a fridge filled with bottles of tea, an oven filled with sandwiches, a tin full of sixpence
Sixpence
Sixpence may refer to:*Sixpence *Sixpence *Sixpence *Flat cap, also called a sixpence*Sixpence None the Richer, an American pop/rock band...
pieces and a list of five names and addresses of people he can visit to get help with dinner. Each day he visits a new address, though on each occasion his host is out. The book is a humorous account of his life alone for five days.
"Grimble" in popular culture
The book was read on the BBC children's television show JackanoryJackanory
Jackanory is a long-running BBC children's television series that was designed to stimulate an interest in reading. The show was first transmitted on 13 December 1965, the first story being the fairy-tale Cap o' Rushes read by Lee Montague. Jackanory continued to be broadcast until 24 March 1996,...
and (according to the dust jacket) Freud received 23,500 letters about the work, including 64 letters of complaint from domestic science teachers who thought the book disgraceful.
J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling
Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
, Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
and Lauren Child
Lauren Child
Lauren Child MBE is an English author and illustrator. She is best known for writing the Charlie and Lola books and Clarice Bean novels....
have cited the work as being a favourite book of theirs.
In 2005 it was reprinted in the anthology Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs, and Some Other Things That Aren't as Scary, Maybe, Depending on How You Feel About Lost Lands, Stray Cellphones, Creatures from the Sky, Parents who Disappear in Peru, a Man Named Lars Farf, and One Other Story We Couldn't Quite Finish, So Maybe You Could Help Us Out to raise money for the youth writing center 826NYC
826nyc
826NYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write...
.