Munch bunch

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The Munch Bunch is the title of a series of children's books, written by British author Denis Bond (under the pen name Giles Reed) and illustrated by Angela Mitson. They were published between 1979 and 1984 by Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. in the UK and Rourke Publications, Inc. in the US. The Munch Bunch are a group of unwanted vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts who were swept to the corner of a shop but ran away together and set up home in and around an old, forgotten garden shed.

There was also a 1980 marionette/puppet-based television show, produced by long-time Gerry Anderson associates Mary Turner and John Read for ITC Entertainment, that featured the characters from the books.

The books went out of print in the mid-to-late 1980s after a fire at Studio Publications destroyed all the original artwork and the brand name only survived as a range of yoghurts. These had been launched circa 1981 with Bond's characters as well as a few non-book characters such as Jenny Cherry and Charlie Chocolate but by the 1990s had struck out completely in their own right retaining only the logo and a few character names.

A completely different series of Munch Bunch books was published in 1998 by Ladybird Books in the UK to tie in with the yoghurts. Denis Bond had nothing to do with these and the characters were different although a few were similarly named eg Sally Strawberry.

Bond's original books continue to sell second-hand on Amazon, eBay and other websites.

Original character series 1979-82:

• Aubrey Aubergine (UK only - Eddie Eggplant in US)
• Adam Avocado
• The Banana Bunch
• Barnabus Beetroot (Barnabus Beet in the US)
• Billy Blackberry
• Bounce (spring onion)
• Button and Tiny (mushrooms)
• Casper Carrot
• Chunky Pineapple
• Corky Coconut
• Corny-on-the-Cob
• Dick Turnip
• Eddie Eggplant (US only - Aubrey Aubergine elsewhere)
• Emma Apple
• Lizzie Leek
• Lucy Lemon
• Merv Marrow (UK only - Zack Zucchini in US)
• Nurse Plum
• Olive
• Olly Onion
• Peanut
• Pedro Orange
• Pete Pepper
• Penny Parsnip
• Percy Prune
• Pippa Pear
• Professor Peabody
• Rory Rhubarb
• Rozzy Raspberry
• Runner Bean
• Sally Strawberry
• Scruff Gooseberry
• Spud
• Supercool (cucumber)
• Suzie Celery
• Tom Tomato
• Wally Walnut
• Zack Zucchini (US only - Merv Marrow elsewhere)

1979 group 'Munch Bunch' book series:

• Meet the Munch Bunch
• The Munch Bunch at the Seaside
• The Munch Bunch Go Camping
• The Munch Bunch Have a Party

• The Munch Bunch Welcomes New Friends (1982)

1982-83 series:

• Pete Pepper's Trip to the Zoo
• Casper Carrot's Big Mistake
• Lucy Lemon and the Birthday Post
• Aubrey Aubergine and the Grandfather Clock
• Spud's Sports Day
• Adam Avocado and the Picnic Basket
• Barnabus Beetroot's Blue Umbrella
• Penny Parsnip Starts a School
• The Banana Bunch Have Half a Holiday
• Button and Tiny Buy Bicycles
• Nurse Plum's Busy Week
• Peanut Goes to the Circus
• Emma Apple's Jumble Sale (1985)

1984 series:

• Spud and the Big Red Balloon
• Sally Strawberry and the Painted Snake
• Olly Onion's Fancy Dress Party
• Casper Carrot's New Blue Jumper
• Dick Turnip and the Crazy Clowns
• Rozzy Raspberry's Wallpaper Machine
• Billy Blackberry's Secret Tunnel
• Corny-on-the-Cob's Not so Funny Day
• Rory Rhubarb and the River Monster
• Merv Marrow's New Police Car
• Scruff Gooseberry and the Wishing Well
• Emma Apple's Late Birthday Party

Yoghurt tie-in series 1998 (incomplete?):

• Andy Apricot
• Barney Banana
• Bertie Blackcurrant
• Ollie Orange
• Sally Strawberry (different character though identically named)

[edit] Website links

[[1]] Has various Munch Bunch rarities for sale