The Gammage Cup
Encyclopedia
The Gammage Cup is a children's book by Carol Kendall
. It is a Newbery Honor book and an ALA Notable Children's Book. It was first published in 1959. It was published in the United Kingdom as The Minnipins. The sequel, The Whisper of Glocken
, was published in 1965.
Gummy, a carefree poet, along with Walter the Earl and Curley Green, are three Minnipins who shun the tradition-based existence of the Minnipins and do things such as wear different-colored cloaks and have different color doors. Walter the Earl finds a collection of Ancient Treasures which includes items of warfare like swords and armor.
Muggles is a candymaker who runs the Fooley Museum. One night, she wakes up and sees what she at first thinks is the sunrise, but is actually fires on the Sunset Mountains. At first, she thinks that seeing the fires on the mountains was just a dream, but later on she talks to Gummy and realizes that it was not a dream.
The mayor returns from the annual meeting of mayors with news that there will be a contest to find the most deserving of the twelve villages. The winning village will win the most valuable thing in the valley: The Gammage Cup.
The villagers prepare for the contest. A few people decide to repudiate the contest, and leave the village. le, they explore the old mines in the Sunset Mountains and hear an odd tapping sound which soon emerges is the sound of the Minnipins' enemy, the Mushrooms. Mingy is taken prisoner and Gummy is hit by a poisonous spear.
Walter the Earl warns the village of the threat and gathers an army to fight the Mushrooms. A fierce battle ensues. As the Mushrooms flee back into their tunnel, Mingy sets a heap of sleeping mats on fire, making it impossible for the Mushrooms to escape into the Land Beyond the Mountains. In escaping the flames, the Mushrooms are defeated by the Minnipin army.
An antidote for the poison is discovered and all the injured Minippins are cured.
On their way back to the village, Gummy and Curly Green announce their engagement, as do Mingy and Muggles.
The villagers hang garlands and streamers to celebrate the safe arrival home of the soldiers and the five outlaws, who are now considered heroes, and paint all the doors of the houses a rainbow of different colors. Ltd. gives a speech and so does Muggles, someone strikes up a song and everybody goes out into the meadow beyond the village to celebrate.
While the villagers celebrate, the three judges of the contest arrive. Witnessing the happy scenes, they decide that Slipper-on-the-Water is the most deserving village and leave the Gammage Cup in the town square.
In 2001, a review in Black Gate
described The Gammage Cup as very readable and enjoyable, with a cute turn of phrase and clever notions, though standing "at best in the second rank of the great children's fantasies." The reviewer noted the typical 1950s themes of conformity and the threat from outsiders.
Carol Kendall
Carol Kendall is a children's author who has written books including:* The Gammage Cup * The Whisper of Glocken * The Firelings * Other Side of the Tunnel...
. It is a Newbery Honor book and an ALA Notable Children's Book. It was first published in 1959. It was published in the United Kingdom as The Minnipins. The sequel, The Whisper of Glocken
The Whisper of Glocken
The Whisper of Glocken is a children's novel by Carol Kendall, first published in 1965. It is the second book in the series about the race of small people called the Minnipins, being a sequel to The Gammage Cup....
, was published in 1965.
Story
Slipper-on-the-Water is a Minnipin village in the Land Between the Mountains. Slipper-on-the-Water is special, as it is home to the Periods, descendants of Fooley the Balloonist. They hold high offices in Slipper-on-the-Water and have a "Council of Periods" that rules the village.Gummy, a carefree poet, along with Walter the Earl and Curley Green, are three Minnipins who shun the tradition-based existence of the Minnipins and do things such as wear different-colored cloaks and have different color doors. Walter the Earl finds a collection of Ancient Treasures which includes items of warfare like swords and armor.
Muggles is a candymaker who runs the Fooley Museum. One night, she wakes up and sees what she at first thinks is the sunrise, but is actually fires on the Sunset Mountains. At first, she thinks that seeing the fires on the mountains was just a dream, but later on she talks to Gummy and realizes that it was not a dream.
The mayor returns from the annual meeting of mayors with news that there will be a contest to find the most deserving of the twelve villages. The winning village will win the most valuable thing in the valley: The Gammage Cup.
The villagers prepare for the contest. A few people decide to repudiate the contest, and leave the village. le, they explore the old mines in the Sunset Mountains and hear an odd tapping sound which soon emerges is the sound of the Minnipins' enemy, the Mushrooms. Mingy is taken prisoner and Gummy is hit by a poisonous spear.
Walter the Earl warns the village of the threat and gathers an army to fight the Mushrooms. A fierce battle ensues. As the Mushrooms flee back into their tunnel, Mingy sets a heap of sleeping mats on fire, making it impossible for the Mushrooms to escape into the Land Beyond the Mountains. In escaping the flames, the Mushrooms are defeated by the Minnipin army.
An antidote for the poison is discovered and all the injured Minippins are cured.
On their way back to the village, Gummy and Curly Green announce their engagement, as do Mingy and Muggles.
The villagers hang garlands and streamers to celebrate the safe arrival home of the soldiers and the five outlaws, who are now considered heroes, and paint all the doors of the houses a rainbow of different colors. Ltd. gives a speech and so does Muggles, someone strikes up a song and everybody goes out into the meadow beyond the village to celebrate.
While the villagers celebrate, the three judges of the contest arrive. Witnessing the happy scenes, they decide that Slipper-on-the-Water is the most deserving village and leave the Gammage Cup in the town square.
Critical reception
The Gammage Cup was named a Newbery Honor Book for 1960.In 2001, a review in Black Gate
Black Gate (magazine)
Black Gate is a glossy, quarterly fantasy magazine founded in 2000 and published by New Epoch Press. Using the slogan "Adventures in Fantasy Literature," Black Gate primarily features original short fiction up to novella length....
described The Gammage Cup as very readable and enjoyable, with a cute turn of phrase and clever notions, though standing "at best in the second rank of the great children's fantasies." The reviewer noted the typical 1950s themes of conformity and the threat from outsiders.