6.8 /10 1 Votes
Originally published 1998 | 3.4/5 Goodreads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Genres Fiction, Children's literature Similar Morris Gleitzman books, Children's literature | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bumface (ISBN 9780140387971) is a children's novel written by Australian author Morris Gleitzman for readers age 10-12. First published in 1998 it has won several awards and is regularly named in polls as a favourite children's book in Australia.
Contents
Plot summary
Angus wants to be Bumface, a pirate character he has created. Bumface is brave, bold, wild and free. He stars in the stories Angus tells his younger brother and sister.
Instead, Angus is just plain tired from having to change his sister Imogen's nappies and scrape food off the walls. He has to look after his siblings while his famous soap opera actress mother works and chases men.
His father and stepfathers don't have time to look after their own children.
Angus doesn't want to be mum's Mr Dependable or dad's Mr Reliable he just wants to be an ordinary boy.
In the end, Angus gets his own back.
Reception
Kathryn James discusses Gleitzman's playing with social roles in that Angus acts as an adult by shouldering the responsibilities of looking after his siblings, whereas his mother is largely absent and his father leaves the work to Angus.