A Christmas story, beautifully illustrated, which tries to change a grumpy bug into actually enjoying all there is about the holiday.
Feature image credit: Allen & Unwin
Since Australian author and illustrator Andy Geppert’s first book in 2010, which won the Crichton Award (now CBCA Award for New Illustrator), he has published eight picture books.
Bah Humbug! is a story about a cranky bug who quite literally hates everything Christmas. Humbug is unusual because most other bugs actually love Christmas. When the most wonderful time of the year comes around, Humbug gets very cranky. And when he finds himself in an actual Christmas book, he decides to take matters into his own hands (or teeth). Unfortunately, Humbug is also slowly eating the pages in the book to try and erase all this good cheer. Will he eventually change his mind and if so, why?
Each illustrated double page tells us all the wonderful things that we can be part of at Christmas, like writing a letter to Santa, picking the perfect tree, or listening to carol singers. Humbug’s facial expressions as he continues to destroy the illustrations are fabulous.
The mostly red and green front cover showing a grumpy bug peering through torn wrapping paper perfectly sets up the theme. And the bright red ‘wrapping paper’ illustrations inside the front and back covers are very Christmassy.
This is a lovely story celebrating all things Christmas. The only thing that is disappointing is that this Australian author has chosen to make it a Christmas in the northern hemisphere, with fireplaces, snow, rugged up carol singers and a turducken (chicken inside a duck inside a turkey). In Australia, we have lots of wonderful traditions, but children’s books don’t always reflect our own Christmas. Having said that, I am aware that the main point at the end of the book would not work if there was no snow, and perhaps the winter setting was a good way to pay tribute to Charles Dickens, considering the link between Humbug and Ebenezer Scrooge.
So, Bah Humbug! is a lovely Christmas story, which children will enjoy. It might even prompt them to think about what their favourite part of Christmas is, wherever they live.
Reviewed by Sue Mauger
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Allen & Unwin
Released: September 2026
RRP: $22.99
