Bubba, the Cowboy Prince

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. BUBBA, THE COWBOY PRINCE. New York, NY: Scholastic
ISBN 978-0-590-25506-6.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is a Cinderella story with a major twist--Cinderella is a boy! Set in Texas; Bubba, the Cowboy Prince details the troubles of one downtrodden cowboy who patiently endures cruel treatment at the hands of his step-brothers until a visit from his “fairy Godcow” propels him into a much better life with the beautiful and rich “Miz Lurleen.”

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This little Texas tale turns tradition on its head with its unconventionally male Cinderella. The amusing story follows the basic Cinderella storyline but is set on a Texas ranch, features wicked step-brothers instead of step-sisters and doesn’t waste much time getting to the point where Miz Lurleen discovers the “cute as a cow’s ear” dude she’s been dancing with does not usually look so spiffy. The prose is straight Texas drawl and manages to introduce some unusual vocabulary words like “bolo tie”, “strapping” and “cow patties.” This book just begs to be read aloud. Ketteman does an unusually excellent job at making an old and often over told story fresh and exciting.

James Warhola, nephew of Andy Warhol illustrates this funny tale perfectly, each page displaying some sort of Texas symbol: stars, cowboy boots, jeans and big buckles abound. The wicked step-brother’s personalities are fleshed out in the paintings in ways that are not described within the text.

This book should be required reading for any child discovering the magic of Cinderella stories.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Starred review in BOOKLIST – “With a male in the starring role, this charming and funny retelling may hold more appeal for young boys than the traditional version may.”
KIRKUS – “While spoofing Cinderella is not a new idea, Ketteman and Warhola's (Aunt Hilarity's Bustle) well-matched flair for hyperbole gives both the narrative and illustrations a one-two punch. Just the ticket for buckaroos lookin' fer a good read.”

5. CONNECTIONS
* A great way to introduce variants of the traditional Cinderella story and can also serve as a segue into conversation about Texas cowboys.
Hughes, Shirley. ELLA’S BIG CHANCE. ISBN 0689873999

Side by Side

Marcus, Leonard. 2001. SIDE BY SIDE. Gordonsville, VA: Walker and Company
ISBN. 9780802787781

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This non-fiction book offers a glance into the creation of picture books. Specifically the book details the relationship between author and illustrator by interviewing five different successful picture book teams and relaying the process each team using to work and collaborate.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Leonard Marcus’ book detailing how “Five-Favorite Picture-Book Teams Go to Work” is an often interesting and sometimes dry foray into all of the behind the scenes effort that goes into creating a beautiful and effective picture book. The range of collaboration between author and illustrator are particularly emphasized. Although the book’s jacket cover says the book is for children aged 8 and up, Leonard never ventures into patronizing territory when he writes about the differences of opinion that most authors and illustrators experience at one time or another. The tone of the writing is very adult and no-nonsense.

The illustrations in this book are what make it so special. How else would a reader get to see dummy spreads and other artwork deleted from a book’s final version? The voyeuristic look inside the different stages of creating a picture book made me feel like I was watching extras on a Special Version DVD. The quotes from the creators themselves are sure to satisfy any reader wondering how authors and illustrators get their ideas.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
School Library Journal – “Many of the titles described will be familiar to readers. However, even those who have not seen some of the featured books will be engaged by the creativity and cooperation exhibited here.”
Starred Review in BOOKLIST– “Teachers and librarians who want to promote collaboration in the classroom or just share their enthusiasm for the creative process and those who practice it will find plenty of good material in this well-written and beautifully designed book.”

5. CONNECTIONS
* A wonderful book for older students who are learning about the different types of writing
Marcus, Leonard. WAYS OF TELLING. ISBN 0525464905