Evan Turner is the creative mind behind the story in The Bumlings, a book inspired by a card game his son created. Photo: Supplied.
While the rest of us were busy perfecting a sourdough loaf or re-watching The Office for the seventh time during the COVID lockdown, the Evans family was creating Go Bum.
It started as a cheeky version of the classic Go Fish card game. In the game, created by Evan Turner and his then-seven-year-old son Levi, players match bums of everything from robots to cats.
Go Bum quickly hit the shelves of national retailers, before an animal version of the game followed. A myth-inspired edition is set to be released soon.
Six years later, the game is making another transformation, with a book version being released this month.
“I think from the very start we were onto something special, but it’s been a tonne of hard work and quite a few years to get where we are,” Evan told Region.
It was “surreal” when Scholastic Australia reached out to ask if he’d be keen to create a book version of the game.
It took about 18 months to create the book, whose story follows a search effort after Teeny Tiny Bum goes missing.
“I never saw myself as an author, but it’s something that I’ve really enjoyed.
“I’m a pretty creative person and getting to expand the game to a whole world, filled with characters and coming up with stories, has been a really fun experience.”
Evan described keeping to the word limit for a children’s book as being “surprisingly tricky”.
“When you’re trying to get lots of fun jokes in there, it can be really tricky. Every word counts.
“I definitely got lots of input from my wife and kids. My wife actually got a nice joke in there – that made it into the final cut.”
To bring the game to life on paper, Evan partnered with Netherlands-based illustrator Dewy Venerius.
He says he was “thrilled” at the prospect of creating new designs to go with the original game’s 25 different bums.
“She turned our illustrations [from the game] into the wonderful illustrations that you see.”
The book is available online and in physical stores. Photo: Supplied.
Evan is hopeful that the book sparks an interest in reading among kids, pointing to the works of “great Australian authors” like Andy Griffiths and Aaron Blabey that inspired him.
“If we can do something similar with The Bumlings, I would just be ecstatic at the idea of kids getting into reading from something I’ve done.”
About six years on from the initial release of Go Bum, Evan is excited for other families to read – and enjoy – the book version.
“I think it’s a little bit surprising but also a little bit not,” he said of the game’s success.
“When I first sat down with Levi, and we played the first game of Go Bum together, it was all very hand-drawn and very homemade. But when he said, ‘Dad, do you have stinky bum?’ … I could just see the possibilities opening up.”
After all, while there are some jokes in the book for parents, the focus is on getting youngsters to grin.
“I think kids love books where they are fully engaged. I think what’s most important is that they’re enjoying the process,” he says.
“I really hope that The Bumlings is one of those books where parents or grandparents and their young ones can laugh together.”
The Bumlings is available for purchase from September from physical and online retailers, as well as Scholastic Book Club and Scholastic Book Fairs. A book launch will be held at Harry Hartog Tuggeranong (in the South.Point Shopping Centre) later this month.
