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Walter Kerr (1915-1998) was a gentle, humorous man who doted over his children. In 1944 he enlisted in the U.S. Army; eight days after his twins were born, he was shipped out to Germany to serve as a medic during the closing days of World War II. He had an interesting life: he won a restaurant in a poker game, moved his family into an apartment above the restaurant, and then shortly after lost the restaurant in another poker game. For many years he was a mail carrier in Denton, Texas. When his two children were very young, he loved to read them stories, but eventually he got bored with the same old ones, and starting making stories up. When his daughter had children of her own, she asked him to write down her favorite story, Sir Blunder. From 1971-1991, he wrote by hand the story, sending his daughter and later his oldest grandson each new chapter. In the course of writing the story, it greatly expanded and became a witty yet serious novel for adults. He always dreamed of seeing the story in print, but he died in 1998 before that happened. His oldest grandson eventually edited and published the manuscript; his great grand-daughter provided the cover illustrations.
Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite
Sir Blunder: A Bedtime Story for Big People by Walter Kerr is a fiction fantasy story for adults. It could be described as a fairy tale for adults. Sir Blunder: A Bedtime Story for Big People starts off with a little bit of background about a princess named Gretel, the young man she loves, James, and the wicked Wizard who casts a spell on them to turn them into an old lady and a donkey respectively. The fairy godmother intervenes though, and turns the Wizard into a dragon. However, this curse can only be broken for Gretel and James when a knight slays the dragon. Thus, we meet Blunder, a lonely, isolated boy who lives in the village next to the forest. Feeling unloved and unwanted, this is his story of how he becomes a strong, courageous warrior and, with the help of comrades such as Princess Otello, Sir One-Eye, and others, he sets out to fight the dragon.
Sir Blunder: A Bedtime Story for Big People by Walter Kerr is an interesting book full of unique and well-drawn characters. I liked the character of Blunder the best, especially as a young boy. His vulnerability and his isolation are portrayed well and I found myself rooting for him instantly. As the story progresses, the plot definitely turns a bit violent and at times dark, so this won’t be suitable reading for very young children. I also wish that the original story of Gretel, James, and the Wizard had been explored more. But still, overall, the colorful cast of characters makes this a fun read.
