Bah Humbug!

By Andy Geppert

A & U Children 2026

Reviewed by Zewlan Moor 

The latest Christmas picture book is by Andy Geppert, the author-illustrator of the popular Australian Backyard Buddies and Meep. 

This book is about a bug’s perspective on Christmas. Specifically, a cranky humbug. Sadly, Geppert has not painted him as an iridescent Christmas beetle, however the green foil title on the cover goes some way towards making up for this. 

 

Humbug is a drab, brown bug who looks more like a cockroach, which might explain why he keeps eating the illustrations on the pages. He has a bright green beard that makes him look distinctly like the Christmas Grinch. 

Humbug spends most of the book saying, “Bah, humbug!” to all the things that make Christmas so magical, including picking the perfect tree and hiding under tinsel. By eating his way through these illustrations he is bent on destroying the joy of Christmas, until even he sees that he has ruined everything.

Can a friend’s forgiveness and conscious reframing of his actions change Humbug’s view of Christmas? 

There are some pleasing spreads and page turns, especially those featuring Australian bottle-brush tinsel decorations, that will delight readers young and old who enjoy the anticipation of a bush Christmas.

Zewlan Moor is the author of Nothing Alike, The Bill Dup and Our World: Philippines. Her latest book, Say Hello Like an Armadillo is out in the US/UK in June 2026 and Australia in Summer 2026-7. Pre-order or add it to your Goodreads Want To Read shelf now!