Wed Wabbit

Product Information

Evans achieves vivid, original worldbuilding while maintaining trim prose that’s by turns heart-rending and hilarious, exciting, and well worth a place alongside beloved adventure classics. Kirkus starred review.

WESTLE THEM TO THE DUNGEONS AND TOMOWWOW THEY WILL FACE THE TEWWIBLE WEALITY OF THE PUNISHMENTS WOOM!!! Frank Cottrell Boyce on why reading for pleasure is the most important thing you can pass on to a child Ella and Dr Carrot — and indeed Wed Wabbit —have quite distinctive ways of speaking, what does it tell you about their personalities? Durrell brilliantly injects absurdity into a stagnant life and shows the magic that can happen (whether the hero is up for it or not.) I love books where the characters are reluctant to deal with what’s happening to them, and in a way Adrian Rookwhistle is like a precursor to my unwilling heroine, Sorrel. (Although there are no elephants in Bloom, which I now realise is a mistake.) 3. The Borrowers, Mary Norton (Puffin)

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Fidge and Graham’s personal quests, though a hook to hang the rest of the book from, are not really the funny bits. Those are mostly to do with the Wimblies, who can only communicate in the singsong rhyme scheme of their book, and whose self-conceptions are entirely based around the assumption that each color Wimbly is only good at one thing. (This is, in fact, key to the strategy that ends up overthrowing Wed Wabbit, but I won’t spoil everything for you.) The rhyming provides almost infinite opportunities for wit, and Evans takes full advantage of them. The Wimbley King’s apathy, for instance, is delightfully articulated by the fact that he frequently can’t be bothered to think of end rhymes:

Honestly, I’m nearly 1000 words into the review and we’ve just about sorted the meat of the plot. Wed Wabbit pretty much defies description in that regard, but in the best possible way. It is an intensely weird premise and there is no point in pretending it is not—but then, Evans knows, and is entirely uninterested in, its level of weirdness. The mechanism by which Fidge, Graham and the toys get into Minnie’s book—much less get out again—is never explained and hardly dwelt upon. Wed Wabbit isn’t about believable world-building; it’s about using the structure of a quest narrative (free Wimbley Land from tyranny!) to intelligently parallel an arc of internal emotional development. Both Fidge and Graham need to let go of something that is holding them captive: Fidge, her refusal to give or receive hugs (which here are metonyms for affection and the vulnerability that comes with being demonstrative), and Graham, his terror of everything and his belief in the superiority of intellect above pragmatism or kindness. Both of them, in other words, have their own Wed Wabbits lurking in their hearts.Lissa Evans grew up in the West Midlands. She comes from a family of bookworms and spent most of her childhood trawling through her local library. However, I would not dismiss this book! If you know a young person who would enjoy this book, I would recommend it. It is really interesting in terms of the messages behind it and it is quite a fun book for a young person to read. (There is also quite a lot of problem-solving in it, just in case you are into that!). A book I would not slate in the slightest. People rarely drift into funny writing: most comedy writers that I know have been obsessed with the genre since childhood. As kids, they knew great chunks of Fawlty Towers or Porridge or Red Dwarf off by heart, they wrote scripts in secret, they sought out funny books like pigs seeking truffles, they congregated with others of their kind and attempted to be witty. Fidge and Graham get separated when they end up in the Land of Wimbley Woos, which is basically at war, and everything is so weird and dark and hopeless... And last Minne. The cute 3year-old (now 5) who invented the name of the book and included the humor to rise. Graham, Fidge and some other friends changed a book, a world: WIMBLYLAND!!! The Land Of WimblyWoos that was once controlled by Wed Wabbit

After an accident involving her younger sister, Minerva (known as Minnie), Iphigenia (also known as Fidge) finds herself plunged into the land of the Wimbley Woos accompanied by her annoying cousin, Graham, Dr Carrot (a human-sized plastic carrot mounted on small orange wheels) and Eleanor, a purple cloth elephant in a pink skirt. A dangerous dictator - Wed Wabbit - has taken over the land and is draining it of all colour and hope. Fidge must solve a series of almost impossible clues to make her way home and put everything right again. Will she be able to work things out in time? Author Anna Kemp introduces The Hollow Hills, the sequel to her dark magical tale, Into Goblyn Wood. Yellow are timid, Blue are strong, Grey are wise and rarely wrong. Green are daring, Pink give cuddles, Orange are silly and get in muddles. Purple Wimblies understand The past and future of our land.” Lissa Evans, author of the hilarious Wed Wabbit (shortlisted for the Costa and Blue Peter book awards), shares her top tips for funny writing – whatever your age.For me it’s a rollercoaster of emotions that I’m trying to manipulate the reader into’ - Alex Wheatle on fictional world building, creating new language and seeing yourself in a book Wed Wabbit is a story about the importance of family and friendship. Although Minnie only features in a small part of the book, it is her favourite book - The Land of the Wimbley Woos - and her favourite toys - Eleanor Elephant and Wed Wabbit - which are at the heart of the story. Her love for and understanding of her little sister makes Fidge able to achieve her quest and solve the problems facing the Wimbley Woos. In the process, she learns more about the importance of understanding others and playing to people's strengths.

The Nottinghill Carnival takes central stage in this story about families, memories and the power of dance and festivals. Author Yaba Badoe tells... Minnie, although not physically present for the majority of the time, dominates the story. She insists that Fidge repeatedly must read to her from her favourite book The Land of Wimbley Woos. The Wimbley Woos are all a different colour (signifying their traits) and they speak in rhyme (all the time). Fidge hates the book (obviously!) Minnie also has a favourite toy, a rabbit, which she must have with her constantly.Being a ten year old can be hard – you’re capable of complex thoughts and emotions, yet others (usually adults) can still insist on infantilising you. Evans pokes fun at that tension in this sublimely funny book by placing a clever, spiky heroine into the very childish Land of the Wimbley Woos. In this story of hope and endurance, we follow a scientist and her team during their search for the elusive 'Giant Arctic Jellyfish'. I really liked the message, though: it's important to collaborate and everyone is needed and diversity is great! :)