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Clyde Robert Bulla

Born

in King City, Missouri, The United States

January 09, 1914

Died

May 23, 2007

Genre

Children's Books

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Born to be a Writer
Almost as far back as he can remember, Clyde Robert Bulla wanted to write. Born on a farm in a small town in Missouri, Mr. Bulla's first school was a one-room country schoolhouse. One day his teacher asked each first grade student what he or she would do with a thousand dollars. Young Clyde answered that he would buy a table. His classmates laughed heartily, and his teacher was puzzled. “What I really meant,” says Mr. Bulla, “is a desk or other flat surface on which to write my stories!”

First Stories
Mr. Bulla's first piece of writing was titled, “How Planets Were Born.” The ambitious opening sentence was, “One night old Mother Moon had a million babies.” All through school, Mr. Bulla continued to write stories mostly, but Born to be a Writer
Almost as far back as he can remember, Clyde Robert Bulla wanted to write. Born on a farm in a small town in Missouri, Mr. Bulla's first school was a one-room country schoolhouse. One day his teacher asked each first grade student what he or she would do with a thousand dollars. Young Clyde answered that he would buy a table. His classmates laughed heartily, and his teacher was puzzled. “What I really meant,” says Mr. Bulla, “is a desk or other flat surface on which to write my stories!”

First Stories
Mr. Bulla's first piece of writing was titled, “How Planets Were Born.” The ambitious opening sentence was, “One night old Mother Moon had a million babies.” All through school, Mr. Bulla continued to write stories mostly, but plays and poetry, too. After years of gathering editor's rejection slips, Mr. Bulla sold a magazine story, then several more. Soon after, Mr. Bulla wrote a novel and a publisher accepted it.

The Difficult Years
In the excitement of publishing a novel, Mr. Bulla wrote two more books. Unfortunately, no one wanted to publish them. His luck took a turn for the worse when the publisher of his first book went bankrupt. For several years, he worked at a local weekly newspaper where he struggled with linotype, kept books, collected bills, and wrote a weekly column.

Success!
A couple of Mr. Bulla's weekly columns caught the attention of a well-known author and illustrator of children's books. She wrote to Mr. Bulla, suggesting that he try writing a children's book. He immediately sent her a manuscript for a children's book he'd written a year before. Within one week, an editor of a New York publisher read the manuscript,and it was accepted. The book was The Donkey Cart, published in 1946. Since then, Mr. Bulla has written over twenty books for children, as well as the music for several children's song books.

About The Chalk Box Kid
“When I was young,” explains Mr. Bulla, “I sometimes found it hard to cope in new surroundings, and I was apt to get off on the wrong foot. This is the story of a boy who got off on the wrong foot in a new school and how he tried to cope.” In describing the chalk garden, Mr. Bulla says, “I gave Gregory something I've always wished for: a big, blank wall that I could cover with my own drawings.” ...more

Combine Editions
Clyde Robert Bulla’s books

Average rating: 3.85 · 18,581 ratings · 1,974 reviews · 109 distinct works • Similar authors

	Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Robert Bulla, Peter Buchard (Illustrator) 3.88 avg rating — 3,439 ratings — published 1954 — 31 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Lion to Guard Us: An Acclaimed Historical Novel of Courage and Survival for Children (Ages 8–12) by Clyde Robert Bulla, Michele Chessare (Illustrator) 3.77 avg rating — 3,114 ratings — published 1981 — 23 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Sword in the Tree: A young boy hides a knight's sword in an oak tree and journeys to Camelot in this Arthurian adventure for ages 8-12 (Trophy Chapter Book) by Clyde Robert Bulla, Bruce Bowles (Illustrator) 3.93 avg rating — 2,629 ratings — published 1956 — 23 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Pocahontas and the Strangers by Clyde Robert Bulla, Peter D. Burchard (Illustrations) 3.72 avg rating — 1,860 ratings — published 1971 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Chalk Box Kid 3.80 avg rating — 1,725 ratings — published 1987 — 29 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Ghost of Windy Hill by Clyde Robert Bulla, Don Bolognese (Illustrator) 3.73 avg rating — 709 ratings — published 1968 — 21 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Shoeshine Girl 3.88 avg rating — 675 ratings — published 1975 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Riding the Pony Express by Clyde Robert Bulla, Grace Paull (Illustrator) 3.98 avg rating — 649 ratings — published 1948 — 14 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Daniel's Duck (I Can Read Level 3) by Clyde Robert Bulla, Clyde Robert Bulla 4.02 avg rating — 558 ratings — published 1979 — 21 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Viking Adventure by Clyde Robert Bulla, Douglas Gorsline (Illustrator) 3.89 avg rating — 556 ratings — published 1963 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Clyde Robert Bulla…

Quotes by Clyde Robert Bulla (?)

“making war on us? Are there enemy soldiers”
― Clyde Robert Bulla, The Sword in the Tree: A boy named Shan hides a hidden sword, faces robbers and a wicked uncle, and journeys to Camelot to reclaim his home (Trophy Chapter Books

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“the room.”
― Clyde Robert Bulla, The Sword in the Tree: A boy named Shan hides a hidden sword, faces robbers and a wicked uncle, and journeys to Camelot to reclaim his home (Trophy Chapter Books

1 likes

“wish”
― Clyde Robert Bulla, Pirate's Promise

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See all Clyde Robert Bulla's quotes »

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