Bubba, The Cowboy Prince: A Fractured Texas Tale by Helen Ketteman

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ketteman, Helen. 1997. Bubba, the cowboy prince: A fractured Texas tale. Ill. By James Warhola. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590255061

PLOT SUMMARY
Bubba is a young cowboy from with two mean stepbrothers and an equally mean stepfather. When invitations arrive to the dance of the richest lady rancher in the area, Bubba, who has worked hard all day helping his two brothers get ready, is not able to attend. As in the Cinderella fairy tale, a fairy godmother appears and uses her magic to help Bubba. At the dance, Bubba makes an impression on the rich lady rancher. When the clock strikes midnight, the magic of his appearance wears off and he quickly rides away. Miz Lurleen, the lady rancher, uses the boot he left behind to find him and they end up riding off to start a new life together.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is reminiscent of storytelling around a campfire. As a fractured tale, it is another rendition of the Cinderella fairy tale plot. The protagonists gender and location has changed, but the ending remains the same. The characters portray good versus evil (or just plain mean spirited by Texas standards). Set in Texas, the story conveys a cultural peek into western lingo and civilization. Warhola uses space and texture to bring life to a dry Texas landscape in his oil on canvas illustrations.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Review from BOOKLIST: “Ketteman wisely leaves the plot unchanged, but the story has a distinct western flair and a humorous tall-tale feel that is greatly enhanced by the exaggerated actions and facial expressions of the characters in Warhola's double-page-spread oil paintings.”

Review from PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Rustler lingo and illustrations chockablock with Texas kitsch make this ranch-spun Cinder-fella a knee-slappin' tale.”

AWARDS
Golden Sower Award 2001

CONNECTIONS

Related books
Lowell, Susan. 2000. Cindy Ellen: A Wild West Cinderella. ISBN 060274476
Sierra, Judy. 2000. The Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Story. ISBN 0689821883

Boyd, Liz. 1987. The Not So Wicked Stepmother. ISBN 670815896
Johnson, Julie. 1998. My Stepfamily. ISBN 0761308683

Activities

*Use this book to discuss a family unit theme or culture unit.
*Use as read aloud, skit or Readers Theatre for part of Texas Public School Week in March.
*Encourage creative writing, have students create similar “Texas” fairy/folk tales from classics.