Fungus the Bogeyman
by Raymond Briggs
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Description
Life in Bogeydom is full of snot, smells, slime, scum and other unspeakable things, and Bogeymen live under the ground revelling in allthe nastiness imaginable. Briggs has created a whole new world in this sophisticated cartoon-strip picture book for older children which will entice the most reluctant of readers into books.Tags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
A book that no child should be without. A book to pore over and find new details in. Briggs does a great job of bringing home to you how alien the bogeymen are. Reading it as an adult I got more of the humour, like the censored umbilical cord. The story follows Fungus as he goes about his night while quietly having an existential crisis. There's an interesting commentary on the British class system.
Utterly sublime. Accurately described on Backlisted as "the children's Anatomy of Melancholy". At one level wallowing in awful grossness of the sort that kids adore, at another an account of a midlife crisis. What a remarkable work and one that I can't really imagine a publisher signing off on today.
Typical Briggs - sly humour, pathos, a moral that is so well woven into the story that it isn't moralising. Oh, and a funny story and great illustrations. Clever, clever, clever
Fungus and his bogeyman friends are the cause of all the gross and upsetting things in the world, though those of us who live Up Top know little of their lives. This book sets out to remedy that. So here’s a little sample of this comic:
Fungus inspects his trousers which have been marinading overnight. “Mmmm! These really stink!”
Here’s another as Fungus performs his daily ablutions:
“Ah! Nice cold filthy water! Good head of scum on it this morning.”
You get the idea. Boils...dung...muck...every sort of disgusting thing is in this book.
A 1001 Children’s Book You Must Read.
Fungus inspects his trousers which have been marinading overnight. “Mmmm! These really stink!”
Here’s another as Fungus performs his daily ablutions:
“Ah! Nice cold filthy water! Good head of scum on it this morning.”
You get the idea. Boils...dung...muck...every sort of disgusting thing is in this book.
A 1001 Children’s Book You Must Read.
recommended in BookTalk by Aidan Chambers, not in ILL
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bought on half.com
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read. Ug. I mean, I guess if you're into things that are either existentialist or grody, sure, it's clever. But basically it's a lot like [b:Gnomes|926908|Gnomes|Wil Huygen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1400977076s/926908.jpg|2653871] only denser and dirtier. Fungus doesn't get anywhere with his angst - but then he wouldn't, in only one day, would he? Now, if this were the Field Guide (a la' [b:Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You|277187|Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You|Holly Black|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388374469s/277187.jpg|2410851]) to a series about Bogeys, it might show more have more value to me. 2.5 stars rounded up because it is clever and creative, which counts for a lot in my opinion. show less
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bought on half.com
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read. Ug. I mean, I guess if you're into things that are either existentialist or grody, sure, it's clever. But basically it's a lot like [b:Gnomes|926908|Gnomes|Wil Huygen|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1400977076s/926908.jpg|2653871] only denser and dirtier. Fungus doesn't get anywhere with his angst - but then he wouldn't, in only one day, would he? Now, if this were the Field Guide (a la' [b:Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You|277187|Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You|Holly Black|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388374469s/277187.jpg|2410851]) to a series about Bogeys, it might show more have more value to me. 2.5 stars rounded up because it is clever and creative, which counts for a lot in my opinion. show less
This book is about a Bogeyman whos name is Fungus. Fungus and his family go around scaring kids or simply grossing them out by the green sticky slime, and simply saying BOO. I choose this book because it was differnt from all the other kinds of books that are graphic novels. it isn't really a book I would read to a child unless they know that the Bogeyman really doesnt exsist. The images and drawings in this book are some od the most innteresting ones I have seen in a book. Each frame is soo detailed you could look at it ten different times and pick something new out each time.
A teacher may use this book in the classroom to introduce graphic novels because its an easy read and will most likely keep the kids attention. As a classroom show more activity each student could draw a frme or two of thier own that they would add to the book. This activity could also be counted as a art activity as well as their reading one! show less
A teacher may use this book in the classroom to introduce graphic novels because its an easy read and will most likely keep the kids attention. As a classroom show more activity each student could draw a frme or two of thier own that they would add to the book. This activity could also be counted as a art activity as well as their reading one! show less
A quirky must-read from the creator of The Snowman. And that is all I will say.
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Past Discussions
159. Fungus the Bogeyman by Raymond Briggs in Backlisted Book Club (March 2022)
Author Information

Raymond Briggs was born in London in 1934. One of the most innovative & popular author-illustrators in the world, he has won many awards for his work. His children's books, including the classics "The Snowman" & "Father Christmas" have sold millions of copies worldwide. He lives in England. (Publisher Provided)
Awards and Honors
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Has the adaptation
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Fungus the Bogeyman
- Original title
- Fungus the Bogeyman
- Original publication date
- 1977; 1979 (p/bk) (p/bk)
- People/Characters
- Fungus; Mildew; Mould; Fester; Saliva; Mucus (show all 7); Pus
- Important places
- Bogeydom
- Epigraph
- BOGEYDOM
is dark, dim, unclear, indefinite, indistinct, abstruse, difficult to understand, unexplained, doubtful, hidden, secluded, remote from public observation, unknown, lowly, humble, dull, dingy, gloomy, murky... (show all) ....
NOW READ ON ⇨ - Dedication
- [None]
- First words
- The Sun sinks below the hills.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The Bogeymen are drawing tight their sticky blinds and climbing into their slimy beds . . .
SO, FEAR NOT THE BOGEYMEN BY DAY
BUT, AT NIGHT . .
WATCH OUT! - Blurbers
- Crisp, Quentin
- Original language
- English
Classifications
- Genres
- Picture Books, Graphic Novels & Comics
- DDC/MDS
- 741.5942 — Arts & recreation Drawing & decorative arts Drawing and drawings Comic books, graphic novels, fotonovelas, cartoons, caricatures, comic strips History, geographic treatment, biography European England & Wales
- LCC
- PN6737 .B7 .F8 — Language and Literature Literature (General) Literature (General) Collections of general literature Comic books, strips, etc.
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 505
- Popularity
- 59,192
- Reviews
- 9
- Rating
- (3.94)
- Languages
- Danish, English, Spanish, Swedish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook
- ISBNs
- 12
- ASINs
- 10

































































