Bubba, the Cowboy Prince

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

PLOT SUMMARY
This version of the “Cinderella” story is a unique one. In this story roles are reversed as Bubba, a boy, lives with his evil step brothers and step father. He does all of the work around the house. A lovely rancher wants to marry a man so she throws herself a ball to find the right man. Bubba’s fairy godcow makes is possible for him to go to the ball where the rancher falls in love with him. Bubba loses a boot at the ball and when the rancher comes looking for the man that fits the boot she finds Bubba and they live happily ever after.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
BUBBA,THE COWBOY PRINCE, is a Texan fairy tale. This story is a new version of the traditional story “Cinderella”. This story has some rather unique characteristics. The story does not start out “once upon a time” it just goes right into setting the plot. Bubba, the main character is a nice, innocent, hard worker that would do anything for anyone. Bubba’s step father and brothers are the exact opposite. In most tradition fairy tales there is a good character and an evil character. This story is no exception. Bubba is good and the step family is evil.

The rhythm of the story makes it easy and fun to read. It seems to be based upon one or two days and is told as the day goes on. The setting of the story is a ranch in Texas. That is a key piece of information to know when reading the book. Some of the lines written could possibly be harder for those not from Texas to understand. For example,
“lower than a rattlesnake in a gully” and “whiter than a new salt lick” are two analogies used in the story that may not be used anywhere but in Texas. I feel that it gives the story extra charm and a different kind of culture.

The end of the story is formal and informal at the same time. It ends with the ever popular line “They lived happily ever after”, it then continued on to say “roping, and cowpoking, and gitting them dogies along”. This is just another example of how the author took the traditional Cinderella story and made it her own.

The illustrations in this book are half of the fun. The whimsical depictions of the characters and animals bring a humorous side to the story that may have not been there without them. The illustrations are grand and colorful, very visually appealing, especially to the young crowd.

This story was a great example of a tradition tale being retold in a new time and a new way. This is a great way for a new generation to hear the story of Cinderella. I am also quite fond of the fact that this time the girl got to chase down the boy!

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A Cinderella parody features the off-the-wall, whang-dang Texas hyperbole of Ketteman and the insouciance of Warhola, who proves himself only too capable of creating a fairy godcow; that she's so appealingly whimsical makes it easy to accept the classic tale's inversions. Kirkus Reviews

CONNECTIONS
What a great introduction into a Texas unit. Although this would work for a young group of student I would not use it as a material for an older group.

For a lesson with an older group, this book would be a great example of stereotyping. With the use of slang, cowboys, and big hair, students could list all stereotypes in the book and explain why or why not they are acceptable.