Hannah Mae O'Hannigan's Wild West Show [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Lisa Campbell Ernst (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Junior Library Guild Selection

From the day she was born, Hannah Mae O'Hannigan has dreamed of being the root-tootinest cowgirl ever. Too bad for Hannah Mae, she lives smack-dab in the middle of a city.

But Hannah Mae's Uncle Coot lives way out West, and Hannah Mae is sure-as-sunshine determined to make it to his ranch. So with the help of her parents, Hannah Mae trains for the life of a rodeo star. She practices her horse ridin' with Sassafras -- a sweet pony from the pony-ride in the park. Her stuffed animals are perfect for ropin' practice, and she masters cow herdin' by rounding up a bunch of pet-store hamsters.

Finally Hannah Mae is ready to lasso her destiny. But when she gets to Uncle Coot's ranch, she is given only ranch-hand chores. Thanks to a mysterious herd on the horizon, Hannah Mae learns that with some quick thinkin' and some sure ridin', she can be the cowgirl who saves the day (and the frontier)!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-Hannah Mae never gives up on her dream of becoming a cowgirl, despite the fact that she lives in the city. Her roping skills are deftly honed by tying together drapery cords; her herding skills are carried out with a "herd" of hamsters. She's a cowpoke, through and through, and her talents come in mighty handy when she visits Uncle Coot, way out West. Although a bit long for storytimes, this delightful tale is sure to please wanna-be cowboys and girls. Ernst's art and the oversized format suggest the soft, muted tones and expansiveness of the prairie. Written with a subtle sense of irony, this blue-ribbon choice, so comically endearing, is irresistible. Yeehaw!-Andrea Tarr, Corona Public Library, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-2. Droll pastel, ink, and pencil artwork and Old West humor from the halcyon days of TV cowpokes are the hallmarks of this outlandish picture book. When Hannah Mae is born to her staid, city-slicker parents, her "Uncle Coot from way out West" sends her a peachy pink cowgirl hat. From her earliest years, Hannah Mae studies Cowpoke Monthly and rides her pony, Sassafras, in the park, and she practices herding and feeding (with hamsters, as there are no convenient cows in the city). When she and Sassafras take the train to Uncle Coot's ranch, Uncle puts Hannah Mae to work doing chores--but no herding just yet. Her expertise with hamsters eventually comes in handy in a most unexpected way, providing a career for herself and a new role for her family. Goofy cowboy lingo, pretty Popsicle colors, and animals and people with similar saucer-eyed expressions are pleasing elements that will help round up an audience. Great for reading aloud. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 37 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; 1st edition (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068985191X
• ISBN-13: 978-0689851919
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,658,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hannah Mae O'Hannigan's Wild West Show, June 17, 2004

By 

Elizabeth Oliveira (Greenville, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hannah Mae O'Hannigan's Wild West Show (Hardcover)

This book is wonderful! It's ideal for children of all ages that dream of being cowboys or cowgirls. My 7, 5 and 4 yo love this book. A delight to read aloud. It is packed full with humorous pages.

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book!, July 30, 2011

By 

Cayle S. Fuller (Lees Summit, MO United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hannah Mae O'Hannigan's Wild West Show (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my first born child who is now 12 because her name was Hannah! This has become a popular favorite amoung all 4 of my children over the years, and their classmates, when I brought this book to 'secret reader' day at their school. It is a very cute story and the writing enables me to read aloud with a country accent that I didn't even know I had! Kids pay attention and are intrigued by the story and the pictures. Highly recommend! Sweet story!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great author, story, and illustrations!, December 30, 2010

By 

L. Ostrowski (Louisville, CO United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hannah Mae O'Hannigan's Wild West Show (Hardcover)

This is one of my five-year-old's favorite books. Mine too! We love nearly all of Lisa Campbell Ernst's books, as her stories are fabulous and illustrations are unique and very beautiful. This story is about a city girl's longing to be a cowgirl and her consistent pursuit to be one. When she finally gets the chance to go out "west", she kindly excepts a lesser role on the ranch, but ends up fulfilling her wildest dreams and saves the Wild West from an situation she unexpectingly has been training for her all along.