When was the last time you felt embarrassed?Ī few years ago, while trying to play a game of Pebble, Pebble, Geode. There’s just one that’s too hard a rock to swallow, and that’s the one that says we’re not allowed to go the Surface.

I like thinking about “rubies galore.” How can anyone feel empty if they have rubies galore. He had diamonds and rubies and emeralds galoreīut he still felt empty, so he dug ten years more. Gathering crystals and gems of great worth My mother sometimes sings me a lullaby called “The Lonely Dwarf.” It goes like this:

Don’t be offended, they’re just afraid of you, is all. There’s not that much, though, because most dwarves aren’t at all interested in the surface or humans. Library, library, library.) I like to read all I can find about humans and the surface. I guess you humans would call it a “library.” (That is a strange word on the tongue. Yes, I spend a good deal of time in the colony’s record room. Oh, ew! Yuck! These are positively revolting! How do you humans stand such mushy, slimy, sickly sweet foods? I may be an odd dwarf, but not that odd. And the blue pebble-y things? Strawberries and blueberries, you say. No rubies or sapphires? What are those red things you have? They look somewhat ruby-ish. But don’t touch him! He’s only friendly to me.Īre you hungry right now? Can we fix you anything to eat? Maybe we could make you your favorite dish?ĭo you have any rubies? Those are my favorite, but if you don’t have those, sapphires will do. Rocks and gems, mostly, for snacks while I’m searching for tunnels that might lead to the surface, plus a few bugs for my pet bat, Leaf. Will you tell us what you keep inside of it? What? Only if I answer all your questions? Fine, but don’t expect me to be gracious about it. Hey, you’re from the Surface, aren’t you? How did you get down here? Maybe I could follow you up and out. I just really, really, really want to go to the Surface. I know all dwarves are supposed to love living underground, but it has never suited me. The Children’s Book Review: What gets you out of bed in the morning?īorlen: The possibility of escape. Meet a grumpy dwarf who gets tangled up in Snow White’s feud with the wicked queen. The Children’s Book Review | A Chat with Borlen, aka Grump, From Liesl Shurtliff’s Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Red liesl shurtliff