From Publishers Weekly
When baby Bubba is born, his father, Big Bubba, "revved up Earl, his trusty pickup truck, and honked the horn as loud as he could." Likewise, when puppy Beau arrives, bloodhound Maurice "threw his head back and began to bay." The proud human and canine poppas are shown howling together in the bed of the pickup. Following this celebration, Bubba and Beau become inseparable. In brief chapters, the buddies crawl in the mud, inhale the "smelly smell" of their shared blanket and seem stunned after Bubba's Mama Pearl gives them a soapy scrubbing. "Sister, those two got along," writes Appelt (Elephants Aloft), warmly conveying the twosome's attachment. Howard (Hoodwinked), who sketches in a loose charcoal line and transparent watercolor, shows the characters sticking together; a curious Beau watches Bubba and vice versa during the bath sequence. Howard alludes to a Texas setting by placing a state flag on Earl's antenna and longhorns on the hood plus picturing Big Bubba in a ranch shirt, with a belly that overlaps his belt buckle. All the hounds wear bandannas, and Mama Pearl looks comfy in scuffed cowboy boots and a housedress when she hangs out the wash. Appelt's fond voice and Howard's good-humored drawings combine to suggest an easygoing, distinctly Texan family life. Ages 2-5.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-This five-chapter picture book introduces Bubba, a baby boy; his parents; and Beau, their puppy. The author highlights the youngsters' similarities: they're both keen on chewing, neither one is house-trained, and they both disdain soap. It turns out that Bubba has "the best blankie." He and Beau play with it and especially like its smell-until Mama Pearl gives it a wash. "Its cottony-soft turned soggy. Its snappity-snap turned flat." And, worse yet, it smells like soap. Still "in a washing mood," Mama scoops up both the child and the pup to bathe them. Both are shell-shocked until she gives them back the blanket, "pinky-pink" and "toasty-warm." "Best of all, it smelled just like Bubba and Beau-best friends!" This book is a delight. The text is breezy, clever, and concrete. It expands on the emotional turmoil surrounding washing day by creating two characters that thrive not just because of their connection to a favorite possession, but because of the love they have for one another. Howard's loose, jaunty cartoon illustrations capture the heart of the text to a tee. And while the Texas drawl sets a humorous tone, the pictures expand on the fun through the facial expressions and body positioning of the protagonists. With a seamless partnership between text and art, this book is right on.
Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
