Bubba and Beau Meet the Relatives (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Arthur Howard (Illustrator) "The relatives are coming!..." (more)
Key Phrases: Mama Pearl, Big Bubba, Aunt Sapphire (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-Bubba and Beau return for more hilarious adventures. In this installment, the relatives are coming to see the baby, the dog, Mama Pearl, and Big Bubba at their home in the country. Mama hands out orders and soon toys are swept under beds, the pup's bones are put away, and scrumptious treats are prepared. Bubba and Beau are gussied up in fancy new duds to meet Grandaddy Bubba, Grandma Ruby, Aunt Sapphire, and Cousin Arlene and her little dog, Bitsy. After the babies are hugged and passed around, they crawl to Bubba's favorite place-the mud hole-where they get good and filthy. There is only one thing to do-fill up the bed of the pickup truck, don swimsuits, and have a relaxing family soak. With interjections such as "Sister, that mud hole was better than pickled eggs," Appelt's folksy narrative dances through the five short chapters, and careful pacing and dialogue add to the fun. Howard's illustrations extend the jokes; readers will laugh out loud at Mama Pearl as she hides clutter in closets and at the hilarious depiction of Cousin Arlene and her "froufrou city" Pekingese. Comparisons to Cynthia Rylant's The Relatives Came (S & S, 1985) are obvious, but this book more than holds its own.
Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Mama Pearl and Big Bubba are busy cleaning and cooking before the arrival of relatives, so baby Bubba and his dog, Beau, squish and squash in the nearest mud hole until they are discovered. Consternation! Bath! Scratchy sailor suit! The relatives arrive, including gussied-up baby Arlene. After the babies have been admired and photographed, they quietly crawl away--to enjoy the mud hole. The story doesn't end there; it just gets better until the relatives' truck pulls away to the sound of "Y'all come back now, ya hear?" With the down-home southern vernacular, the cowboy boots and hats, and the Lone Star decorations on Big Bubba's truck, the setting is surely Texas, but the audience for this amusing picture book extends far beyond state lines. Divided into five short chapters, the flavorful text begs to be read aloud. With equal parts warmth and creativity, Howard brings the story to life with his witty pencil drawings, brightened with colorful washes. Varying composition and page design, he creates a series of scenes portraying the characters in a comical yet affectionate light. The third book in the Bubba and Beau saga. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1 edition (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152166300
• ISBN-13: 978-0152166304
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #346,717 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 Fun for kids & parents!, April 8, 2005

By	R. Posey "mommy" (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We started by checking out the Bubba and Beau books from the library, but quickly found we read them every day and the books were due back. So, we bought the books, and (as Appelt would put it) honey, it was better than pickled eggs! Meet the Relatives has to be my personal favorite of the 3. Can't help but read it with a slight twang. We enjoy it so much, we're sending the books to cousins to enjoy...

4.0 out of 5 stars Super cute, May 18, 2009

By	Jill O'Neal (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bubba and Beau Meet the Relatives (Paperback)

The other reviews are right on, these books are adorable, and my children and I just love them. There is just one thing that is bothersome to me, for which I gave it 4 stars. And that is that the author uses the word "hate" in the book, referring to how Beau feels about his scratchy outfit. I don't believe that it's an apppropriate word to use around young children, and wouldn't want my children to repeat it. Since we love the book, it's not a problem, I just change it to "don't like" everytime. But I wanted to mention it for the benefit of other parents.

5.0 out of 5 stars As funny as the first, December 27, 2008

By	reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bubba and Beau Meet the Relatives (Paperback)

I love the original Bubba and Beau book .. mostly for it's goofy southern twang. Often the follow on books try to hard to maintain the same feel but only ended up a bad imitation of the first. That is NOT the case here. This book maintains the same tongue in cheek humor and makes the kids giggle. Both my 4 and 2 year old daughters like this book and the funny drawings that accompany the story!