Good Times On Grandfather Mountain (Orchard Paperbacks) [Paperback]

Jacqueline Briggs Martin (Author), Susan Gaber (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Series: Orchard Paperbacks

Old Washburn always looks on the bright side of life. He is perfectly happy, sitting on the porch of his farm on Grandfather Mountain whittling. "I can whittle my way out of any trouble," he says. This original folk story illustrated with vigorous rustic paintings offers a true tall-tale hero whose philosophic calm no catastrophe can shake. Full-color illustrations.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Old Washburn is a combination of Pollyanna and Job in this rustic narrative, which exudes a singular down-home style and flavor. Claiming that he can "whittle my way out of any trouble," the bearded craftsman lives to prove it as one by one his animals--led by a bovine beauty named Blanche Wisconsin--all abandon him; his crops fall prey to locusts and raccoons. Remaining optimistic would be difficult for some, but Old Washburn decides to make corncob whistles out of the crop remnants. Finally alone and homeless on his mountain, the old-timer reflects that, with no chores to tend to, "I'll whittle and glue and make myself a fancy fiddle." The sweet music produced entices not only his neighbors (who set about helping their friend), but even Blanche and her errant animal companions. Employing unusual perspectives and extreme closeups to impressive effect, Gaber's watercolors imbue this cautionary country tale with a folksy flavor that suggests good times indeed. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-- Old Washburn, sanguine to the extreme, always looks on the bright side. When his cow runs away, he cheerfully turns the milk pail into a drum. When the pig escapes, he good-naturedly turns the fencepost into drumsticks. When a storm blows his cabin down, he uses the wood to whittle a fiddle. His neighbors are drawn by his music and while some of them dance, others help him to rebuild. Finally, his cow, his pig, and the other farm animals hear Old Washburn's music and head for home. Martin has written a pleasantly optimistic story without the burden of didacticism. Nicely told in lilting language, it is a treat to read aloud. Watercolors in a pleasing palette humorously depict Washburn's farm as a laissez-faire kind of place. The old man himself has his long gray hair caught back in a rainbow-colored ribbon. His cow, Blanche Wisconsin, is comically shown with a rainbow floating in one ear and out the other as she listens to the music. A variety of interesting perspectives and droll closeups make this an excellent choice for group sharing--along with a few choruses of ``Old MacDonald Had a Farm.'' --Kate McClelland, Perrot Memorial Library, Greenwich, CT-
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (March 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531070875
• ISBN-13: 978-0531070871
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,292,641 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jacqueline Briggs Martin is the author of Snowflake Bentley, winner of the 1999 Caldecott Medal. She grew up on a farm in Maine and now she lives in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.