The Wump World by Bill Peet is an allegory of our own mistreatment of Earth, with the destructive Pollutians landing on the unspoiled Wump World to cover it indiscriminately with industry, development and waste, all to the detriment of the innocent Wumps. Generation Green's Recommended Reading List features a wonderful selection of books for children of all ages, as well as suggestions for adults.

  Houghton Mifflin Co; ISBN: 0395311292; (April 27, 1981)

Review by Mary Guthrie (August 2002)
Bill Peet’s The Wump World takes us to a tiny and perfect world, populated only by the gentle and sweet Wumps. But the peace is soon destroyed by the Pollutians, who arrive in strangely primitive looking spaceships. Their intent is anything but primitive though, as the Pollutians are bent on covering every surface of the Wump’s world with freeways and skyscrapers. They’ve already polluted their own world beyond livability.

The story moves from the poor little Wumps, shivering underground and cringing at all the noise pollution, to the clueless Pollutians. Soon they dispatch more exploratory spacemen to find a new world, because the Wump World is almost all used up.

Kids will enjoy the witty illustrations and the shaggy and cute Wump families. The Wump World was published over 30 years ago, but Bill Peet’s message remains relevant today. We can see ourselves in the gentle Wumps, but also in the striving and hurrying Pollutians. Parents will appreciate the strong warning for environmental protection coupled with a cautionary note of hope.

Many who read The Wump World decades ago as small children credit it with helping acquire their strong environmental awareness of today.

To learn more about the reviewer, Mary Guthrie, click here.

To see Generation Green's reading list for kids and intermediate readers, click here.