Customer Reviews

Granny Gert and the Bunion Brothers

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the funniest and yet creative picture books I've read in a long time. Parents will enjoy reading the story about how the Bunion Brothers fall in love with Starla, the granddaughter of their new employer. The brothers shirk their duties to fight over Starla's hand and when Granny Gert finds them . . . she threatens to sick Mad Dog on the brothers.

The illustrations are lively and colorful. Children will smile and laugh at all the antics the Bunion Brothers pull to catch Starla's eye. And there is a twist ending to this gem of a picture book.

This is a cute book about two brothers who go to work for a fiesty grandma and they fall in love with her lovely granddaughter, Starla Scissors. As I read the story, I couldn't help but fall into southern accent and different voices. My children laughed throughout the book and we enjoyed the sayings like "Buddy and Buck jumped at the offer like a couple of hound dogs on a ham". My daughter loved the identity of Mad Dog at the end of the story (she is 7).

The illustrations add to the story and are really right on the money. Some may not like the somewhat stereotypical portrayal of these southerners. We just took it as a fun story.

Reviewed by Shannon Bailes for Reader Views (10/06)

This is a delightful book for children that really has no meaning, but is fun. The vernacular used throughout the book is whimsical and illustrates that style of language used by country folk. The illustrations will keep children amused throughout the story. The author uses words such as, "varmints," "walloped," and "flapjack," which are beautiful language words that children do not often have the privilege to read in text, or may not even know what they mean. This offers a great opportunity for learning. The two songs included in the text are quirky and cute--something children love to read.

The plot of the story is two brothers think they find love in the same person, only to find they do not have to fight over her, there is another girl much the same as the first. Most books have a moral, and this would be that you should put nothing before the "brotherly love" that you feel for a sibling, not even a pretty gal!

As a Director of a children's literacy program that promotes quality children's literature, I would recommend this to others to share with their children. It has a quality not found in the run of the mill books that line children's shelves today. It would also open the door for further discussion about caring for each other, and life in another part of the country.

Book received free of charge.

Buddy and Buck Bunion make their escape from Amarillo and meet their match in Granny Gert. She takes them on as hired hands and they become starry-eyed over her very pretty granddaughter Starla.

While doing work around the farm they take turns woo-ing Starla despite Granny Gert's threats to sic Mad Dog on them. Eventually they find themselves rolling around in the dirt as they fight over her. Granny Gert breaks it up and the boys discover love is sweeter when they no longer have to share.

This is a really cute story with lots of Texas-style humor. The songs the boys sing to Starla and her sister are corny as can be but lots of fun.

This is definitely a story the whole family will love.

As seen on www.fandanglemagazine.com