Clyde Robert Bulla’s Followers (99)

Clyde Robert Bulla

Born

in King City, Missouri, The United States

January 09, 1914

Died

May 23, 2007

Genre

Children's Books

edit data

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 · 17,893 ratings · 1,863 reviews · 100 distinct works • Similar authors

	Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Robert Bulla, Peter Buchard (Illustrator) 3.88 avg rating — 3,360 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 by Clyde Robert Bulla, Michele Chessare (Illustrator) 3.77 avg rating — 2,919 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 (Trophy Chapter Book) by Clyde Robert Bulla, Bruce Bowles (Illustrator) 3.93 avg rating — 2,548 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) 3.73 avg rating — 1,816 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 — 1,664 ratings — published 1987 — 28 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) 3.97 avg rating — 637 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
	The Ghost of Windy Hill by Clyde Robert Bulla, Don Bolognese (Illustrator) 3.72 avg rating — 680 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 — 639 ratings — published 1975 — 25 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 4.03 avg rating — 547 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) 3.88 avg rating — 521 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 (Trophy Chapter Books

1 likes

“the room.”
― Clyde Robert Bulla, The Sword in the Tree (Trophy Chapter Books

1 likes

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

1 likes

See all Clyde Robert Bulla's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Book Club/Troubles: Last Name Author Game	192	58	Nov 09, 2011 12:05PM
The Life of a Boo...: Children's Lit!	105	407	Jul 14, 2013 04:29PM
What's the Name o...: ABANDONED. Children's lit: boy living in grey town finds crayon and starts to draw cows or pigs	6	284	Dec 10, 2013 10:07PM
Love YA Books!: Holiday Reads?	12	17	Dec 20, 2013 08:58PM
Classics for Begi...: Children's Classics	47	251	Dec 23, 2015 05:46PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Children's/YA (possibly) about a boy hiding in the attic [s]	8	69	Apr 25, 2016 12:40PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Youth book: boy and friend find hidden cave using an old map. Set in a small rural, mountainous town. Spoiler ahead. [s]	7	33	Aug 22, 2017 12:25AM
Wanderlust Challe...: October 2018 - Sweden's Capital: Stockholm	74	44	Dec 30, 2018 07:45PM

More…