Bubba and Beau, Best Friends (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Arthur Howard (Illustrator) "Meet Bubba..." (more)
Key Phrases: Mama Pearl

Editorial Reviews

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.

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.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1 edition (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152020608
• ISBN-13: 978-0152020606
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #293,020 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bubba & Beau May Become Your Child's New Best Friends, November 8, 2004

By	Aunt Kiki "Librarian" (Oceanside, San Diego County, CA) - See all my reviews

Appelt's funny and charming tale of the almost simultaneous birth and budding friendship between a boy named Bubba and a puppy named Beau is heartwarming and enchanting. With no apparent idea that they are different species, these naïve babies" bond over their shared first traumas - i.e., the laundering of their beloved "blankie" and their own first baths. Howard's simple charcoal and watercolor renderings of Bubba and Beau could capture the heart of the most hardened soul. Their eyes, expressions, and movements are all enchanting. Howard's equally charming and amusing renderings of the human and dog parents and the Texas ranch where the story takes place provide the "icing on the cake." The result is a book that oozes with life, warmth, security, friendship, and love. Child judges awarded it the 2002 Irma Simonton Black and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature. To accommodate short attention spans, Appelt has even broken the story up into five well-defined chapters. Readers wanting more of Bubba and Beau will not be disappointed - there are already two sequels, Bubba and Beau Go Night Night and Bubba and Beau Meet the Relatives. Highly recommended for ages 18 months to 4 years.

4.0 out of 5 stars A very good bedtime book for your 3 year old, July 28, 2009

By	Velvy Books "VelvyBooks.com" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bubba and Beau, Best Friends (Paperback)

Here are my thoughts about this children's book:

1. Characterization: I think children can really relate the characters in this story. This is crucial because any story where the characters are out of touch--is displeasing for a little child.
2. Sequence of events - the flow of this story is actually very good. The writer spent time breaking down the story into 3 segments.
3. Plot - is ok. It's a very simple story. No major plot here.
4. Suspense - is lacking. Sorry but there is very little suspense in this story.
5. Artwork - I like the artwork. It blends and enhances the story greatly.

Overall I would give this story 4/5. It's a very good bedtime book for your 3 year old.

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute, down-to-earth, and hilarious!, May 7, 2008

By	Emily Taylor "1st Grade Teacher/Scouter Gal" (Northern Utah) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bubba and Beau, Best Friends (Paperback)

Trust me, this book is a heck of a lot more entertaining than it appears to be via that old adage about book covers. Still, I must admit those crazy old Southern names and those exressions on the characters drew me into what turned out to be a truly hilarious story that the working class will appreciate--at least the babies and puppies of the working class folk. The prose demands to be read with a western or southern accent and the names are so stereotyped I cracked up. But under the whole stylized theme was an extremely sweet story about the true meaning of friendship. Hilariously written and adorable.