The Three Silly Girls Grubb [AUDIOBOOK] (Hardcover)

~ Ann Hassett (Author) "Once there were three silly sisters named Grubb..." (more)
Key Phrases: Ugly-Boy Bobby

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Who needs billy goats and a troll? The Hassetts (Cat Up a Tree) do just fine without those traditional characters as they infuse the popular folktale with some fresh faces and a zippy sense of fun. When the three silly Grubb sisters sized "small, medium and extra large" miss the bus, they're forced to walk, well, "skippity-skip-skip" to school. Their path to higher learning takes the girls over a bridge under which truant, cranky Ugly-Boy Bobby lurks ("Who's that skipping on my bridge?" he says; the sisters' reply corresponds to their size, " `It is little me,' squeaked the smallest of the three"). Ugly-Boy Bobby tries to grab each Grubb girl's lunch, without luck, until the biggest Grubb makes him a truly lip-smacking offer that will change him forever. The clever collaborators behind this effort clearly express a childlike glee in their eclectic imagery (jelly donuts, a jump rope, a playful pup on each spread) and quick-paced text. Staying true to the genre, the girls' polite tone and resourceful actions win out. And all along, Ugly-Boy Bobby's benign threats and the skewed perspectives from under and atop the bridge keep the humor here afloat. Creamy-hued scenes of a grassy countryside evoke the story's timeless appeal while bright contemporary details (the school bus, backpacks, a lined roadway) offer kids some contemporary points of reference. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-A clever, funny takeoff on the "Three Billy Goats Gruff." Three sisters who miss the bus to school must cross the bridge under which Ugly-Boy Bobby resides, eating bugs and wallowing in the mud. As they cross, "skippity-skip-skip," he demands their jelly donuts, but the first silly girl only has one, the second, just six. It is the third sister who has the most, of course, and the fun is in the solution. There's no violence here; the extra-large girl puckers up her extra-large-sized lips and says, "You may have my dozen jelly-donuts- But first I will plant a dozen mushy kisses on your little-boy nose." That gets him running, all the way to school, and he hasn't missed a day since. The book ends, "Spink! Spank! Spinach! This story is finished." The weird and rollicking illustrations add dimension to the text. Colors are muted, becoming more so as rain falls and the conflict builds amid the flat olive green of the hills and trees; there's playful invention, too, and the spreads have a sense of movement and energy. The characters are squat, almost clownlike, with round faces, beady eyes, and painted-on lips; poor Bobby is truly ugly. This title is grounded in tradition but makes a strong statement all its own.
Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (September 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618141839
• ISBN-13: 978-0618141838
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #294,883 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great take-off on the Three Billy Goats Gruff, May 20, 2007

By	Kathy Minden (Lawrence, KS United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Three Silly Girls Grubb (Paperback)

A wonderfully done version that will especially appeal to girls. Super pictures and a great story line. My students were literally laughing themselves silly.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a cute book!, December 31, 2006

By	JPG (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

I bought this book for my daughter, then 3, shortly after it was published. It quickly became one of her favorites and I have since bought it for a number of other friends. It's a very cute take on the Three Billy Goats Gruff and well worth adding to your bookshelf.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun book!, January 22, 2009

By	Melissa (Bucks County, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Three Silly Girls Grubb (Paperback)

This book is so funny! My almost 4 year old LOVES this story! We have a pretty extensive kid library at my house and this is one of our favorites!