TRADITIONAL LITERATURE- BUBBA, THE COWBOY PRINCE

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. BUBBA THE COWBOY PRINCE. Ill by James Warhola. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590255061

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Take the traditional Cinderella story, change the characters to males, add some western flair and humor, and you have yourself BUBBA, THE COWBOY PRINCE. The mean step daddy and two wicked stepbrothers, Milton and Dwayne, are horrible to Bubba. They make him do all the work, make fun of him, and certainly don’t want him to go to the ball. Bubba’s fairy god cow steps in, fancies him up, and sends him “lookin’ downright purty” to the ball to meet Miss Lurleen. At midnight, Bubba leaves his boot behind.
Miss Lurleen exclaims, “This is the boot of a real cowboy and the man I want to marry.”

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This story follows the traditional plot of the original tale. James Warhola does an excellent job of matching how the characters are illustrated to their qualities of good and evil. The wicked step-daddy is illustrated with dark and brooding colors and lines. Bubba is illustrated to look young, innocent, and taken advantage of. The emotions are clearly seen and felt throughout the story by the characters over-exaggerated facial expressions. Landscapes of blues, browns, and fluffy white clouds help to capture the Texas scenery. The language chosen is rich, and full of both hyperboles and similes that offer wit and humor to the reader. Authentic sayings such as, "Miz Lurleen is the purtiest and richest gal in the county," and "the biggest spread west of the Brazos" help to give the readers a mental picture of the southwest culture.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
BOOKLIST: “Ketteman wisely leaves the plot unchanged, but the story has a distinct western flair and a humorous tall-tale feel………this charming and funny retelling may hold more appeal for young boys than the traditional version may.”

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Well matched flair for hyperbole gives both the narrative and illustrations a one-two punch. Just the ticket for buckaroos lookin’ fer a good read.”

· Nebraska Golden Sower Award, 2001
· Reader’s Choice Awards List in 8 states

5. CONNECTIONS
*This book could be used to compare it to the traditional Cinderella tale. Also, add a few props and it would be a wonderful addition to reader’s theatre.
*Other book variations of Cinderella:
Perlman, Janet. CINDERELLA PENGUIN. ISBN 0670847534
Steptoe, John. MUFARO’S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS. ISBN 0688040454
Young, Ed. LON PO PO. ISBN 0399216197