“Only where children gather
― Mignon McLaughlin
is there any real chance of fun.”
Mignon McLaughlin could not be more right. Unencumbered by the unneeded complications of the adult world, children are the ones who are truly able to enjoy all that the world has to offer. Viewing the world from an innocent child’s perspective is a magical experience. Children are considered to be God’s personification on this earth. They are untainted by the jaded view of the adult world. So, raising a child is not only a special task but also a tough one. Now, you may ask why. Well, the answer is pretty simple. To make sure that our children grow up to be upstanding individuals, we have to ensure that their innocence is not lost in the process.
Books are one of the best ways to build character. Fascinating stories not only present the little ones with a view of magical worlds but also teach them some valuable lessons in an intriguing manner. Very few books are able to capture the attention of children while also leaving them with something to think about. Aleksandra Tryniecka’s multi-award-winning family Christmas novel, Bunky and the Walms: The Christmas Story, is one of those special books that not only fascinates you but also imparts a number of significant lessons.
Let us have a look at the top 10 interesting facts about the magical world of Bunky and the Walms: The Christmas Story.
A Bunkyful Birthday
Bunky and the Walms: The Christmas Story officially became a part of the published literary world on October 13, 2021, although it shows as October 31, 2021 or October 8, 2021 in some locations. It was a special time when all of us got to become a part of the extraordinary world of the Walms. Since then, Bunky Hippo and the Bunky Princess have become an integral part of our lives. Joining them for tea, picnics, or nights of star gazing make us appreciate the little pleasures of life. To celebrate Bunky Hippo and the Bunky Princess’ first birthday, the talented author Aleksandra Tryniecka had hosted a Bunkyful Art Competition this August. The contest had categories for adults and children, with the deadline being 27th August. The winners were declared on August 31, 2022. The winners of this exciting contest were the proud recipients of bunkyful tea and coffee mugs with portraits of Bunky Hippo and the Bunky Princess.
The Inspiration Behind the Walms
In 2019, Aleksandra, along with Chris, visited London for a conference. While on a walk-through Brent, they happened upon Walm Lane. They kept wondering about the origins of Walm Lane. This brought about the idea of creating the Walms’ world. Their precious blue hippo mascot was the prototype for Bunky. The blue hippo that Aleksandra got in London had an uncanny expression. His face had a look of joy interspersed with grumpiness. The adorably sulky hippo made her ponder how the highs and lows of life make us true heroes. This made Aleksandra revisit the imperfections of humanity. Consequently, she modeled our very own Bunky Hippo after the blue mascot.
The Essence of Bunky’s World
Bunky’s story is inspired by reality. The world of Bunky is a reflection of a beautiful Christmas. This world is safe and inviting with the cozy presence of friends and family. Filled with color, peace, and warmth, Bunky’s world boasts stunning winter landscapes, star-filled skies, snow-covered streets, and dreams. Walmland is a place where one can peacefully spend time with friends and family while admiring nature and sipping hot chocolate. It is a place that immediately comes to mind when one thinks about Christmas, the season of joy and sharing.
What Makes Bunky the Ideal Protagonist?
Our very own blue Bunky Hippo is perfectly imperfect. He is noble and does his best to stay faithful to his values. His imperfections make him all the more special. Unlike conventional protagonists who may be beautiful, and perfect, or may possess superpowers, Bunky is a hero whose biggest battles are his daily internal struggles. Like any other flesh and blood human being, Bunky Hippo makes mistakes and learns from them. This makes him relatable and someone to whom we can look up to. Through Bunky’s story of transformation, readers will get to know the importance of being grateful for the little things in life.
Bunky’s Favorites
Our little blue Bunky Hippo is noble yet quirky. Calling the mice in their house mouses is one of his many unusual habits. Let us have a look at some of our beloved hippo’s favorites. Bunky likes to drink chocolate syrup with milk. Our sporty hero loves ice skating and taking long walks to enjoy the beauty of nature. He admires the stunning spruce-lined scenery that he comes across while walking from his house to the pond. Bunky adores dinosaurs. His favorite dinosaur is the long-tailed and long-necked diplodocus. If we are lucky, we can hope to meet one in one of Bunky’s future adventures as well. Bunky loves traveling. However, his favorite place to be is at home among his beloved friends and family.
The Antagonist
Bunky and the Walms is a unique novel where both the protagonist and the antagonist is our very own Bunky Hippo. Yes, you read that right. Bunky is a noble person who, like most of us, has a lot of inner struggles. His internal battle with himself is the only conceivable antagonist of this story. These battles humanize him and make him all the more relatable to us readers. Overcoming his own inner demons is what makes Bunky a true hero.
Remaining a Child at Heart
Bunky abhors the notion of growing up. He feels that entering the adult world signifies the end of magic and ideals. Bunky is a person who believes in friendship, the beauty of life, and miracles. He does not wish to lose himself after growing up. His Uncle Bill is one adult whom he adores. Even though he had left his childhood days a long time ago, Bill did not let go of his childish innocence. Despite being a member of the jaded adult world, Bill still sees the world through rose-tinted glasses. He readily believes Bunky’s fantastical tale as his childlike heart is devoid of deception. He is a caring and responsible adult who wholeheartedly believes in Christmas and loves to play with toy trains with his nephews. Bunky also believes in being a responsible person. However, at the same time, he wants to remain childlike at heart, away from the possible disillusionment of the adult world. In fact, it is not growing up itself but the conventional idea of it that Bunky opposes. Through Bunky we learn that growing up can be a beautiful and fulfilling process as long as we remain a child at heart.
A Bunkyful Message
The word “bunkyful” is coined by our very own Aleksandra Tryniecka. As per Aleksandra, it refers to the beauty, peace, nobility, modesty, and extraordinariness of the little joys that we often tend to overlook in our everyday lives. Bunky Hippo shows us the importance of being grateful for what we have instead of cribbing for what we don’t. Through him, we learn that it is okay to make mistakes. He underscores the significance of learning from the errors that we make. Bunky and the Walms: The Christmas Story takes the readers on a magical adventure and teaches them the value of appreciating everything that they are given in life.
Bunky’s Hidden Talent
Bunky Hippo is one talented little boy. Unbeknownst to all, he has been writing his own novel. His book follows Bunky Hero as he sets out to win over the Bunky Princess. Bunky’s Bunkyland is a fun place to be wherein dragons and knights abound. Our little blue hippo has the seemingly improbable dream of encountering the characters of his book in real life. It would be interesting to see whether Bunky’s literary world of Bunkyland merges with his fantastical life in Walmland.
And the Bunkyful Journey Continues
The magical world of Walmland does not cease to be with the end of the book. Aleksandra Tryniecka invites us to welcome Bunky Hippo and the Bunky Princess into our real lives. Aleksandra not only illustrated Bunky and his friends but also brought them to life. In the August of 2021, she sewed our very own blue Bunky Hippo with blue fluffy ears wearing his favorite red sweater with snowflakes and a squirrel. She also sewed the beautiful Bunky Princess to give Bunky and us company. Bunky, the Bunky Princess, and Aleksandra have their own website as well. On www.aleksandratryniecka.com, the three of them write about a lot of diverse topics. To give us insights into Bunky’s myriad adventures, Aleksandra also uploads fun videos on her very own Bunkyful Youtube Channel. If that’s not exciting, I don’t know what is.
Plenty of Awards
Bunky and the Walms: The Christmas Story is a winner of not just one but of multiple awards. Included are the following: Outstanding Creator Awards, BREW Readers’ Choice Award for December 2021, BREW Readers’ Choice Award Book of the Year 2021, BREW Readers’ Choice Award – Children’s Fiction of 2021/2022, BREW Book Excellence Award – Children’s Fiction of 2021, and BREW Book Excellence Award Book of the Year 2021.
Conclusion
Aleksandra Tryniecka’s Bunky and the Walms: The Christmas Story is one of the few books that are able to provide you with a literary friend for life. Bunky’s first book invites you for a ride of a lifetime. It takes you on a magical Christmas adventure that is never-ending. Both Walmland and Bunkyland make you feel like a part of something special. The multi-award-winner is a beautiful book that is an ideal Christmas read for both children and adults alike.
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Love to read post like this!
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Aren’t we all a little like Bunky? I know I can be my own antagonist at times. It makes for an interesting reflection.
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