The Slightly Irregular Fire Engine or The Hithering Thithering Djinn
| Author | Donald Barthelme |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus & Giroux |
Publication date | August 27, 1971 |
| Publication place | United States |
The Slightly Irregular Fire Engine or The Hithering Thithering Djinn is a 1971 children's book written by Donald Barthelme. It tells the story of a girl who enters a magical house that appears in her backyard and the characters she meets inside.[1] Barthelme collected the visuals used in the book from 19th-century engravings and then constructed the story around the visuals.[2][3]
Plot summary
One morning in 1887, a young girl named Matilda awakens to find a miniature house has appeared magically in her backyard. As she approaches to look inside, the house expands large enough for her to enter. Hoping to find a fire engine toy, she is greeted at the entrance by two doormen. Inside, she meets a rainmaker, a pirate, and the titular djinn, who guides her through the house. Matilda leaves when she hears her nurse calling and asks if the house will be there tomorrow; the djinn says no, but he will leave her a gift before the house leaves. The next morning, Matilda finds a green Silsby fire engine in the yard.
Reception
Despite winning the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 1973,[4] the book was controversial, with one of the judges saying it was "not a notable piece of literature for children".[2] The Boston Globe's review questioned whether the book was the best of the year,[2] and the New York Times said the visuals, with few exceptions, do "nothing but confuse the child reader" and failed to meet a "child's need for a realized story"[3] Jabari Asim had higher praise years after release, saying in 2006 that the book had "much that will surprise and please" children.[5]
External links
References
- ^ Punday, Daniel (2013). "Donald Barthelme and the Emergence of the Dynamic Page". Mosaic: An Interdisciplinary Critical Journal. 46 (1): 113–133. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
- ^ a b c Coolidge, Elizabeth (April 15, 1972). "BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG: Is the prize-winner that good?". The Boston Globe. p. 11.
- ^ a b Lanes, Selma G. (November 7, 1971). "Mouse, Engine and Number 3". The New York Times. p. BRA1. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
- ^ "The Slightly Irregular Fire Engine or The Hithering Thithering Djinn". National Book Foundation. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
- ^ Asim, Jabari (December 10, 2006). "Mysterious visitors and simple pleasures enliven these books for kids". The Washington Post. p. T.8. Retrieved December 24, 2025.