Miss Rumphius: Story and Pictures

by Barbara Cooney

Book Overview

Alice made a promise to make the world a more beautiful place, then a seed of an idea is planted and blossoms into a beautiful plan. This beloved classic and celebration of nature--written by a beloved Caldecott winner--is lovelier than ever Barbara Cooney's story of Alice Rumphius, who longed to travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and do something to make the world more beautiful, has a timeless quality that resonates with each new generation...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140505393
• ISBN13: 9780140505399
• Release Date: November 1985
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 9.6" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 5 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Love this story!

Adorable book, one of my favorites! I couldn’t wait to introduce this story to my son! Came in great condition too!

Good book

Good condition. Fun story. My girls loved the illustrations and the story itself

Lupine Love

Every year in June a lupine phenomenon occurs in our back yard. About 25 years ago when we first purchased our 1790 center- hall stone colonial, we borrowed a tractor from a neighbor and plowed a quarter acre garden into which we poured a packet of seeds purchased from Vermont Wildflower Seeds. The first year flowers of all sizes and descriptions bloomed. Succeeding years revealed the staying power of one seed--Lupine. Due to our ferocious winds, most of the other seeds blew all over the yard causing locals going by to refer to our domain as The Flower House. My friend Margo is a librarian emeritus who lives 6 months of the year in Florida and 6 months in Berkshire County. She gifted me Miss Rumphius this Spring. It was instant love. Our Boston daughter-in-law intends to use Miss Rumphius as a weeks-long curriculum in her classroom. This amazing book is about loving and giving, accepting yourself, taking great trips and coming home and much more. To read it is to grow.

A great story of making the world a more beautiful place

This book so much packed in its pages: generational relationships, far away places, making a new place your home, hardship, and the beauty of a life lived to the fullest. The writing is splendid and the art work is lovely.

Answers THAT question from a child

Many children ask, in various ways, the meaning of life. And, as adults, we stutter and try to cough out some semblance of a meaningful answer that the child will understand. When my daughter was three, she literally asked, "Why are we here?" I had no idea how to answer.Almost on cue, we read this book a week later, and it answered the question perfectly. This is the story of a woman named Miss Rumphuis. As a child, she sat on her grandfather's knee and posed the very question as my daughter. His answer was one of the most simple, beautiful, and meaningful that I've ever read. I can't imagine anyone in this world arguing against it, no matter what religion (or non-religion), political persuasion, or culture. The answer provides the impetus as to how Miss Rumphuis led the rest of her life. It seems as if nearly every reviewer has already given the entire plot, so it's no surprise that her grandfather's answer to why we are here is to simply make the world a more beautiful place. When my daughter heard that, her reply was, "Mommy, you've already made the world a more beautiful place." When I asked how, she replied, "By having me!" I couldn't begin to argue against such wisdom from one of God's small miracles.This book may appear to be nothing more than a lovely illustrated child's book containing a heartfelt tale. Without a doubt, the illustrations are rich; Ms. Cooney is an extremely talented woman. However, I also believe its message (which is never, ever preachy) is extremely powerful. As such, it is my favorite children's book, and I think every child (and adult) on this earth should read it.

Make the World More Beautiful.....

When Alice was a little girl she lived in a village by the sea, and in the evenings would sit on her grandfather's knee and listen to his stories of faraway places. It was then that she decided that when she grew up she too would travel the world, and then, when she grew old, come back home and live in a house by the sea. Her wise grandfather listened to her dreams and then made her promise to do one more thing. "You must do something to make the world more beautiful." Little Alice grew up; she was called Miss Rumphius now, and set out on her worldwide adventure. She visited tropical islands and beaches, climbed mountains, walked through jungles, and across deserts, making friends wherever she went. And when she was finished traveling, she went home to her house by the sea. But there was still one more thing Miss Rumphius had to do...fulfill the promise she made to her grandfather, and when she saw lupine flowers blooming outside her window, she knew just what she would do to make the world a more beautiful place..... Award winning author and illustrator, Barbara Cooney, has written a sweet and simple story, with a lovely message that reminds us all to take a little extra time and make the world a better place in which to live. Her gentle, eloquent text is enhanced by her beautiful and engaging illustrations that capture the imagination, and send it soaring. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Miss Rumphius is a magical, heartwarming treasure, and a picture book to share with family and friends now, and future generations in the years to come.

Miss Rumphius

The narrator's great aunt, Alice Rumphius, wanted to travel the world and do the one thing her grandfather told her she must do. He told her she must do something to make the world more beautiful. Miss Rumphius travels the world and comes back to live by the sea where the story began. She discovered her way of making the world more beautiful was scattering flower seeds so everyone could enjoy the beauty of the colorful flowers. The story ends with Miss Rumphius telling her great-neice that she must do something to make the world more beautiful.Teacher Notes: This book would be excellent to read if you were doing a unit on plants or the earth. Even though this book is fiction, realistic things happen like the wind and birds scattering flower seeds. Kindergarten and first grade would enjoy having this book read aloud to them. Second and third graders could read it on their own.

Every child, teacher, and librarian should own this book!

This beautiful book is also a biography of the author's great Aunt Alice Rumphius, who when she was a little girl, told her grandfather that she wanted to live by the sea, and visit foreign lands. Her grandfather also encouraged her to do someting to make the world more beautiful. That she did, by planting wildflowers year after year. In the end of the story the author was told by her great aunt to make the world more beautiful, but she still doesn't know how. I think that Barbara Cooney made the world more beautiful by writing this book. I would like to buy one as a present, and I hope this never goes out of print.