Bubble Trouble

By Margaret Mahy and Polly Dunbar

Another hilarious rhyming romp from the team who brought us the popular DOWN THE BACK OF THE CHAIR.

When little Mabel’s bubble gets away from her, it’s her baby brother who gets into trouble. Soon he’s floating out of the house, above the fence, and all over town! And it’s up to Mabel, Mother, and the rest of the townspeople to get him safely back down. Who knew that so much trouble could come from one little bubble?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Apr 4, 2009
• ISBN: 9780547533339

Margaret Mahy

Margaret Mahy was born in New Zealand and has loved telling stories all her life. She has published well over a hundred titles and won several major prizes and awards, including The Order of New Zealand, for her internationally-acclaimed contribution to children’s literature.

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Reviews for Bubble Trouble

[emma_manolis · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was a tongue twister with some odd word choices. This may be the only children's book I have read with the word "nefarious" in it. That isn't a bad thing, just unexpected.

[krausch-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think that this book was O.K. I would not read it to children because it could be very confusing for them to understand. A lot of the words looked very similar to one another. I think children would mispronounce everything because of the wording.

[jessicaedelman · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have mixed feelings about this book and cannot decide whether I enjoy the book or despise it. I enjoyed the illustrations as well as some aspects of the writing but found the flow to be unorganized and hard to follow at times. I also disliked that the story lacked a main message or moral.The book contained an immense amount of rhyming, tongue-twisters, and alliterations that added to the playfulness characteristics of the story but detracted from the comprehension of the story. For example, “Then crumpled Mr. Copple and his wife (a crabby couple) set out arm and arm to hobble and to squabble down the lane. But the baby in the bubble turned their hobble into a joggle as they raced away like rockets – and they've never limped again.” The literary devices are silly and imaginative but very difficult to read and decipher.The illustrations included in this book are very beneficial to the story and accurately depict the text. For example, in the beginning of the story Mabel blows a bubble that encapsulates her baby brother. They accompanying illustration is of a child blowing bubbles across the table and one bubble forming around a baby. The illustrations were especially helpful in comprehending the story when the literary devices became so overwhelming that they detracted from the book. I do not believe that there was one central message or moral included in this book. I believe the purpose of the book was to be silly and introduce rhyming and alliteration. The only message that I was able to draw upon was to be careful when blowing bubbles so that you do not encapsulate your siblings.

[dms02 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fun text makes for a tongue twisting read aloud!

[swelker-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was about a girl who got her brother stuck in a bubble. While the baby was in the bubble he traveled all around town. Eventually the bubble popped, and the baby was safe. This would be a fun book to read in a reading circle with my students. There are a lot of funny words that small children would enjoy. I can get my students to say all of the funny words.

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pandemonium ensues when Mabel's bubble breaks away, enveloping her baby brother, and taking him on an extraordinary flight: "The baby didn't quibble. He began to smile and dribble, / for he liked the wibble-wobble of the bubble in the air. / But Mabel ran for cover as the bubble bobbed above her, / and she shouted out for Mother, who was putting up her hair." The fun takes off from there, as Mabel and Mother set out in pursuit of the baby in the bubble, joined by an ever-growing train of similarly concerned neighbors and townspeople, eventually reaching a crescendo over the local church, where "Oh they giggled and they goggled until all their brains were boggled, / as the baby in the bubble rose above the little town. / 'With the problem let us grapple,' murmured kindly Canon Dapple, / 'and the problem we must grapple with is bringing Baby down.'" All ends well of course, but not before the maximum amount of mischief and fun has been extracted...Only the second picture-book I have read from Margaret Mahy - the first was The Boy Who Was Followed Home - a New Zealander who is one of my favorite young adult authors (The Tricksters is particularly brilliant), Bubble Trouble is non-stop reading fun! Originally published back in 1992 in the collection [book:Bubble Trouble & Other Poems and Stories|1183071], this selection was reprinted in 2008 with new illustrations by Polly Dunbar, and thank goodness, say I! The rhyming text is simply delightful, tripping off the tongue with a rollicking rhythm that makes the foot tap. I loved the text itself, the story being told, and the entertaining illustrations from Dunbar. This book is made for reading aloud, and would be the ideal story-hour selection! I'm so glad it has come back into print!

[awoodham93 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I loved the idea behind this story, but I found it difficult to follow. I really enjoyed the illustrations, and watching as baby floated away in the bubble. I was anxious to turn the next page to see if baby was safe. Eventually the bubble popped and the town caught baby on a soft quilt. I was very relieved to see that baby was okay and that the crisis had been resolved. However, I found the constant use of alliteration to be exhausting. I didnt even want to read the text; I just wanted to look at the pictures. I can imagine that the text might confuse or frustrate a child.

[ymcmillion · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a very cute book!. The words that are used are fantastic and will build any young readers vocabulary. I will use this in my class to engage the students and as a fun book to read to them during read alouds.

[lakertraw · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Bubble Trouble is a rhyming story about a little girl named Mabel who blows a bubble that her baby brother gets trapped inside. Mabel, her mother, and several other town members follow the baby floating in the bubble. They try to figure out how to save him when a mischievious boy in the toy uses a sling and a pebble to pop the bubble. The baby is saved by the quick thinking of the townspeople who use a quilt to catch him.

[aakauff · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A lively story of a baby set afloat by his older sister, the true gift of Bubble Trouble lies in its vibrant and tongue-tripping language. All of the townsfolk join the effort to get the wee one down—“they giggled and they goggled until all their brains were boggled” as they work together to find a solution. The cleverness of the language may detract from the story being told and, in the end, leave some readers feeling apathetic the fate of the baby in the bubble. Some words, presumably chosen for their appropriateness in the context of the rhyming scheme may be a bit advanced for young readers (“cavil” and “nefarious,” for instance). Despite the sophisticated language, the bubbly text is ideal for a fun read aloud. Watercolor illustrations by Polly Dunbar are both utterly original in their collage-like detail and the ideal accompaniment to Mahy’s text. For ages 2-8. Recommended.

[mmwrigh3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

preschool- 1st grade. A good rhyming book. About a little boy who is trapped in a bubble and travels through a city with his mom and sister not far behind. Soon the entire town is trailing behind mom and sister curious about this baby floating around in a bubble. A bit challenging to read aloud, the rhyming can get a bit twisted. Cute illustrations. Multicultural.

[pjw1173 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good mentor text for teaching alliteration. This book is about a baby trapped in a bubble that floats around town with his sister and mother (along with others in the town) chasing after it. The text does get a little overwhelming at times and may give the reader a headache.