In 2017, Wild Rumpus became the first ever children’s bookstore to be named Bookstore of the Year by Publishers Weekly. This summer, the Minneapolis bookstore celebrates another achievement: 30 years of inspiring the youngest Twin Cities readers.
With its child-sized purple door within a door, Wild Rumpus has been welcoming generations of readers to its wonder-inducing shop since 1992. Opened by Collette Morgan and the late Tom Braun, the Linden Hills destination takes its name from Maurice Sendak's iconic decree in Where the Wild Things Are: “Let the wild rumpus start!” What a wild rumpus it is, with about 36,000 books in stock, from board books to young adult titles (along with a small selection of books for grown-ups), all in a magical atmosphere dominated by a canoe suspended from what looks like cracks opening onto the sky. A colorful menagerie of animals includes two cats, Eartha Kitt and Booker T.; two chinchillas, Cal(decott) and (New)Berry; two rats, Rosie and Gilda (Rosencrantz and Gildenstern); Dave the cockatiel; Mo the dove; and multiple (unnamed) fish.
Art by Sam Pines @sampinedraws
WILD RUMPUS
2720 West 43rd Street, Minneapolis, MN 44410 | 612.920.5005
Wild Rumpus Staff Picks:
BEAR AND THE WHISPER OF THE WIND
By Marianne Dubuc
Published by Princeton Architectural Press (March 1, 2022)
"Oftentimes, life will give us a sign to try something new. In this case, it comes in the form of a strawberry pie. Although change can be scary, Bear shows us that there is so much beauty in the journey. Dubuc charms again with a gentle reminder to trust your instinct and follow the path your heart knows. It will always guide you home." —Beth, Bookseller
BATHE THE CAT
Written by Alice B. McGinty and illustrated by David Roberts
Published by Chronicle Books (February 8, 2022)
"Here it is: your new favorite read-aloud! Full of fast-paced fun, from the beloved illustrator of the Questioneers series, join the family as they attempt to do the chores. Simple, right? Not when the mischievous cat gets involved. Rhyme along and get your goofies out, but please, whatever you do, don't scrub the fish..." —Beth, Bookseller
KNIGHT OWL
By Christopher Denise
Published by Christy Ottaviano Books (March 15, 2022)
"All Owl has ever wanted in his whole life is to be a knight. Sure, he may be small, but he is just as brave and clever as any knight around. When he gets the chance to live out his dream, he proves that big knights come in small packages. Denise has written a darling twist on the usual knight's tale, and it is filled with gorgeous illustrations, a charming story, and some pizza." — Anna, Bookseller
BLUE: A HISTORY OF THE COLOR AS DEEP AS THE SEA AND AS WIDE AS THE SKY
Written by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond and illustrated by Daniel Minter
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (February 15, 2022)
"This stunning picture book recounts the history, uses, and cultural importance of the color blue, a hue that was surprisingly hard to come by for much of history. Both highly informative and poetically phrased, this gorgeoulsy illustrated book delivers a compelling and far-reaching story of how the color has touched our human story in surprising ways, and how blue shaped our world as we know it." —Claire, Bookseller
THE HAPPY OWLS
By Celestino Piatto
Published by NorthSouth Books (February 1, 2022)
"Written in 1895 by Dutch artist Theo van Hoijtema, Celestino Piatto was asked to illustrate the 1963 German edition, which is the basis for this beautiful English edition. Piatto's owls are so alive and expressive that I couldn't help but be sucked into this story, which is about how to find happiness by focusing on the moment in front of us and the beauty in the changing seasons around us—even if others think our happiness is foolish. A great, unique gift book!" —Timothy, Bookseller
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