The Gammage Cup

This is one of my favorite books from childhood. I'm sure that colors my perceptions but I still find it an absolutely wonderful story.

Set in the Land Between the Mountains, the Minnipins live in their twelve villages, each full inhabitants wearing their green cloaks, living in cottages with green doors, and doing their best not to stand out from the what a "proper" Minnipin should be. All except for five individuals in the town of Slipper-on-the-Water: Gummy, Walter the Earl, Curley Green, Mingy and Muggles (no, you Potter-heads, that's with a capital 'M'). These choose to be different from their fellow citizens, each for his or her own reason—some because they want to be different, some because they don't really care that they are show more different, and some out of protest because they feel that no one should be prevented from being different.

Driven from their village out of fear that they will ruin its chances of winning The Gammage Cup for the Best Village, the five discover that the age-old enemies of the Minnipins, the Mushrooms, have found a way into the valley and are planning an invasion. Of course, our five rise to the occasion, defeating the enemy and saving their village.

Kendall writes very well, showing you her world instead of telling you about it, and the story draws the reader along irresistibly, full of puns and playful games with everyday words. The characters in the story are beautifully written, each fully fleshed out and well-rounded; the reader cannot help but fall in love with them. There is a clear message in this story of protest against intolerance and conformity for its own sake. The adult reader might find it a trifle heavy-handed (given that it was written at the end of the McCarthy hysteria, it should not be surprising), but younger readers will likely take it in stride. Some readers find an allegorical relationship between the invaders and Cold War Soviets, and are disturbed by the matter-of-fact complete destruction of the former. Personally, I find this a stretch and think that, sometimes, a Mushroom invader is just a Mushroom invader.

For me, the real strength of this book, beyond the writing, is the timing of the message. It's targeted at an age where children are starting to struggle between the desire to become individuals and fears of standing out. I might not put this book (and its sequel, The Whisper of Glocken) in the absolute top rank of young fantasy—the top four or five books of the genre—but it pushes hard up against them.

I've seen the cover art on the current edition and it's absolutely horrendous; don't let it dissuade you. show less

Certainly an original fantasy. I feel that the lessons of conformity come through much stronger than the adventure against the mushroom people, and that the missing stories of the other villages (and for that matter the other villagers in this one) would be more interesting than magic swords. Young me would definitely have agreed. 'We' also wonder if it's true that the mushroom people had to be slaughtered... this is a rather gory story in parts.

I hope somebody is reading it and is up to discussing it. I might have to reread it, given the fondness many GR members feel for it, as I feel I must be missing something.

The Premise:

Muggles is content to lead a peaceful life, dwelling alone in her cozy cottage with her candymaking job and her neatly organized heaps of clutter.

But one day, her cheerful, quiet existence is interrupted by a strange and unsettling sight in the middle of the night. She's half-convinced it was all a dream.

But the next day--after an unexpected chance-meeting and other unusual occurrences--Muggles is gradually but inescapably drawn into the center of a series of events, conflicts, and adventures that will turn her little village upside down.

And with these things comes the threat of a mysterious and terrible danger that could destroy Muggles's whole world. . . .

My Thoughts:

I'm so glad I decided to reread this childhood show more favorite for the first time in several years. The Gammage Cup did not disappoint--it's every bit as wonderful and well-written as I remembered. Iremains a glowing, magical, and unique tale that will satisfy anyone who loves a good children's fantasy story. I enjoyed it just as much as I did when I was younger--even now that I'm an adult and a writer with more critical taste than I had back then.

Muggles and each of her friends are endearing, brave, and totally unique. Each of several unusual and totally unlikely heroes finds an essential part to play as they're caught up in an adventure, and each of them shows great and often unexpected courage. I love each of the main characters so dearly. And their story is magical, delightful, and exciting.

The Gammage Cup is such a bright, warm, joyful book--especially because the warmth and cheer comes through hardship, danger, and relational strife. I love that the main characters choose to determinedly and optimistically forge ahead despite adversity.

This book is so well-written. The writing style itself is at once sophisticated, accessible, and homey. Muggles and her narration have a keen and perceptive way of seeing the world and describing it in a perfect, precise, unique and down-to-earth way. The characterization is masterful--each character is vivid, lifelike, and unique--ranging from sweet to prickly, from ordinary to pompous, and from conniving to courageous. The themes and morals are penetrating, subtle, and full of truth and wisdom--and never heavy-handed or preachy. The plot is skillful and engaging, with riveting suspense and danger that build to an intense climax. The characters and humor are entertaining and often amusing.

These things are seamlessly woven together into a charming, delightful, unique, and imaginative tale. The Gammage Cup is an exciting fantasy adventure full of immense heart and sweetness, with plenty of swords, battles, danger, and daring thrown in.

I adored this book as a child, and I'm no less captivated by it as an adult. It's one of those books that is written for children, but can be enjoyed equally by a whole family or individuals of any age. it's a classic for a reason, and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys wholesome and entertaining children's fantasy. show less

The Minnipins have lost their past.

Long ago, the hero Gammage led them in war against the horrible Hairless Ones. But now -
Bravery? Forgotten. Courage? No more. Heroes? The stuff of storybooks.

Yet sometimes heroes turn up when they are least expected.

Muggles, Gummy the poet, and Walter the Earl are not like the other Minnipins. They dress differently, speak their minds, and - when Walter the Earl finds a package of old scrolls and swords - dare to disagree with the Minnipin leaders. For their troubles, they are banished from their village.

But Walter the Earl found the weapons for a reason: The Hairless Ones have returned. And this time there is no Gammage to protect the Minnipins. This time there are only Muggles and her friends, show more outlaws who must rescue the very people who have cast them out. show less

The Gammage Cup is the story of the Minnipins, a nice little folk who live in the protective circle of the Mountains. As the story opens, a female Minnipin named Muggles (yes, Muggles, J. K. Rowling!) is being drawn into an unplanned revolt. For hundreds of years the imhabitants of Slipper-on-the-Water have lived simple lives, revering their founder and honoring his descendants, the Periods. But new pieces of history have been discovered, presenting facts that are very different from the prescribed history. It's difficult to buck tradition in a place like Slipper-on-the-Water. But what if the Minnipins are in grave danger?

This Newbery Honor book was published over fifty years ago, and it reflects its time. The Minnipins have no qualms show more about going to battle against the Mushrooms, who are depicted as ugly, smelly, and completely evil. In the end they are exterminated by the brave Minnipins, who have been united by the common enemy. After the battle the Minnipins agree to allow for more individuality in their society: you can wear whatever color you want and paint your door however you please. You just can't be a Mushroom; that is, bent on destroying Slipper-on-the-Water. It's easy to cast a cynical eye over this and read all kinds of messages into it, but I think a case can be made either way.

Mark Dunn's Ella Minnow Pea appears to have borrowed rather heavily from The Gammage Cup. Both stories feature isolated communities that idolize their founders and are ruled by a powerful elite class. A major theme in both is the way ordinary people deal with totalitarian rule. In Slipper-on-the-Water, it's a color thing; you are only allowed to wear certain colors, doors must be painted green, etc. In Ella Minnow Pea, the rules are about which letters of the alphabet one may use. In both stories, it is a young, unimportant person who leads the resistance and saves the day.

There are fun little maxims and rhymes scattered throughout the story, like "It is easier to lure a fish than to hit it over the head with a club" and "The turtle whose head / Is within his shell / Thinks the world outside / Is going well." Children would find these delightful; I enjoyed them, but not wildly.

In some ways this is very much a miniature Middle-earth, with Mushrooms for Orcs and Minnipins for hobbits, and funny little folk-rhymes and sayings throughout as hints of the culture. It also contains odd little seeds of the Harry Potter world, like "Muggles" and other things. Perhaps I would have loved it as a child, but it didn't work so well for me as an adult. Ultimately it leaves me feeling rather detached. show less

A fantasy about a small group of nonconformists who are expelled from their village but end up saving them all from invaders come to destroy them all. With really likable characters and a whimsical enjoyment of language, this is a fun read. It's not an essential or universally appreciated book, but if you have a child who enjoys fantasy this one works well for elementary students in particular. (Many fantasy books have themes not appreciated or suitable for young readers.

I read this book years ago for school, and really enjoyed it. There’s something about the simplicity in this story, combined with typical human nature and a small group of people that worked to save the rest, that is appealing and just plain fun to read about. I think Carol Kendall had a lot of fun writing this story, and I know my siblings and I certainly had a lot of fun reading it together recently! If you enjoy fantasy with a twist, this would be an excellent choice. There’s a lot to love here!