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The Frumpling

Brief Description
A fresh and irresistible read-aloud tale of friendship from the creators of The TerrakeetThe Frumpling lived a lonely life, this book will tell you why.He smelled and looked so squaffy, every beast just walked on by.Except for one . . .When the bossy Poppletort instructs the... Read More
Format: Hardback
$2299
Elsewhere:
$2799
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Releases 1st July 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "The Frumpling" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A fresh and irresistible read-aloud tale of friendship from the creators of The Terrakeet

The Frumpling lived a lonely life, this book will tell you why.
He smelled and looked so squaffy, every beast just walked on by.

Except for one . . .


When the bossy Poppletort instructs the Frumpling to clean himself up, it takes a whole day. But then all he'll have to wear again are his old smelly clothes. The beasts of Pontin Poole feel terrible for turning their noses up at him for so long and come together to donate bright clothes, scarves and bangles, even shiny rings. When the Frumpling emerges from his bath, everyone is mesmerised by his new look!

An endearing tale of help from unlikely friends . . . and the transformative power of a good wash!

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781761600340

Publisher: Walker Books Australia

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 July 2026

Country: Australia

Imprint: Walker Books Australia

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Jo Beasley

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Width: 250.0mm

Height: 260.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 32

About the Author

Jo van der Borgh grew up in South East London and spent most of her holidays on the coast of South West Ireland in walking boots and boats. She has always had a passion for nonsense poetry and moral tales, so when her job in the commercial world of property lost its appeal she packed it in to pursue a Masters in Creative Writing and Childrenโ€™s Literature at Kingston University. She says this was the most indulgent and enjoyable year of her life. Jo still lives in Greater London with her husband and two teenagers, and teaches young adults, which she finds hugely rewarding. She can be found on Instagram at jo_vanderborgh.

Jo Beasley grew up in England and worked as a graphic designer before going backpacking around Australia in the nineties and ending up in New Zealand. She now lives in Auckland where she works as a freelance illustrator. Jo has two grown-up children and an utterly spoilt dog and cat. She is mad about animals and animal welfare and loves long walks through the bush with her dog Winnie. She keeps a watercolour sketchbook on the go for capturing the simple beauty in her everyday life. Jo can be found on instagram @jobeasleyillustration

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