Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Bumptious Soup
- Author: Luicy Camilla
- Narrator: Steve Hendrickson
- Length: 00:25:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 20/08/2019
- Publisher: Findaway Voices
- Genre: Kids, Mystery & Fantasy
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
There’s something magical about listening to a children’s mystery while surrounded by nature. I found myself doing just that last week, sitting under an ancient oak tree in Oaxaca’s botanical gardens, letting Steve Hendrickson’s warm narration of “Bumptious Soup” transport me back to that beautiful intersection of childhood wonder and the natural world. The experience reminded me so much of those evenings with Abuela Rosalía, where every insect, every leaf, held a story waiting to be discovered.
Luicy Camilla’s trio of garden mysteries is deceptively simple yet utterly charming. Our titular slug detective Bumptious Soup (what a glorious name!) moves through these stories with the kind of earnest determination that makes me smile – it’s the same energy I once saw in a group of Mexican schoolchildren solving the ‘Case of the Missing Churro’ during a village festival. The mysteries – a missing snail, a deceased bee, a lost bone – might seem small to adult ears, but Hendrickson’s narration captures that beautiful childhood perspective where these are matters of utmost importance.
What struck me most was how Camilla and Hendrickson together create a complete sensory world. When Bumptious examines a crime scene, you can almost feel the dewy grass underfoot (or under-slime, as it were). The narrator’s ability to differentiate characters – giving Clever Ant just the right amount of smug superiority while maintaining Bumptious’s loveable bumptiousness – reminded me of those master storytellers I’ve encountered in markets from Marrakech to Manila. There’s a particular gravelly warmth Hendrickson brings to the slug’s voice that makes him instantly endearing.
As a travel writer who’s spent years documenting how cultures pass stories between generations, I appreciate how this audiobook understands its audience. The pacing is perfect for young listeners – each of the three stories is bite-sized enough to maintain attention, yet substantial enough to feel satisfying. The language dances that fine line between challenging young readers and talking down to them. And the mysteries, while gentle, introduce real problem-solving concepts that remind me of the traditional teaching stories I’ve collected from indigenous communities worldwide.
If I were to offer any critique, it would be that I wanted more – more of Bumptious’s world, more supporting characters to round out the garden community. The stories are wonderful but leave room for expansion. That said, at this perfect 30-minute length, it’s an ideal introduction to mystery for young listeners, and the free availability makes it accessible to families everywhere.
For parents and educators, this audiobook is a gem. It’s the audio equivalent of that perfect children’s book you find at a small village bookstall – unassuming but unforgettable. I’ll be recommending it to my friends with young children, especially those taking road trips (it’s the ideal length to prevent backseat ‘are we there yet?’ syndrome). And if you’re an adult who, like me, still finds magic in garden stories? Let Bumptious remind you how to see the world with wonder again.
With stories to tell and miles to go,
Marcus Rivera
