From Go Bum to The Bumlings: Canberra’s iconic card game to be turned into storybook
Posted on
What started as a silly activity during the COVID lockdown between father-son duo Evan and Levi Turner became a cheeky, family-friendly adaptation of Go Fish. Now, the Bums are hitting bookshelves nationwide.
Families with silly kids: this one is for you!
Canberra is the proud home of Go Bum, a cheeky, family-friendly adaptation of the popular card game Go Fish, where you match different kinds of bums to win.
After releasing a second edition, gaining international recognition, and selling more than 75,000 copies, Evan is taking the bumling-verse to a whole new level with a silly picture book hitting shelves this September.
“Imagine Mr Men meets Captain Underpants,” he says
The storybook started with him brainstorming what the Go Bum cards would look like as characters, then adding limbs and facial features to the bums for a laugh. A couple of weeks later – as if he manifested it himself – Scholastic Australia reached out to Evan and offered a book deal inspired by Go Bum.
The story follows the disappearance of Teeny Tiny Bum. Clever Bum sets out on a mission to find him by following clues with the help of her Bumling pals such as Pirate Bum, Disco Bum, Beach Bum, and Plumber’s Bum.
From playing cards to the page, the goofy characters were brought alive with their own personalities and arcs represented throughout the story. Expect Tootie Bum to be munching on beans when Clever Bum stops Pirate Bum with his bum-shaped parrot stealing food off the other characters.
“I’ve always wanted a creative life; I love coming up with new things. In my normal day job, I am a public servant, so it was a really fun experience getting to write the story; I never thought I’d be an author,” says Evan
The Bumlings is more than just a fun picture book for kids; it gives an exciting opportunity to get off the screens and spend time with the family by unwinding with an action-packed adventure that is guaranteed to have lots of giggles!
Evan wishes for The Bumlings to find a special home with every reader, especially children who struggle to read or think that reading is not for them.
“Hopefully, by having a funny book to read to them, it will really spark that interest in reading and get them into books. It’s really important for a kid’s development.”
But the bumling-verse doesn’t end there; Magical Mythical Bums, Go Bum’s third edition, is coming out this month! Get ready to play with cards such as Zombie Bum, Thunder Bum, and Spooky Bum, who says “Boooooooty”
And if your kids couldn’t get enough laughter out of The Bumlings, Evan has teased a second Bumlings book to be released next year. Dutch artist Dewy Venerius is currently adding the final touches to the hilarious illustrations we love so much, using her Kawaii-inspired style.
The Bumlings book launch will take place at Harry Hartog Tuggeranong later this month. There will be a reading along with fun activities for the kids.
“I get a real buzz just thinking about all the good times that people have had playing Go Bum,” says Evan
“I really hope that same fun and joy you get being together really comes through with The Bumlings book as well.”
