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Buttons
Brock Cole's first picture book in nearly ten years Once there was an old man who ate so much his britches burst and his buttons popped one, two, three, into the fire. "Wife! Wife!" he cried. "We are undone! My britches have burst and my buttons are burnt, every one! After putting her husband to bed, the wife enlists the aid of her three daughters in replacing their father's buttons. The eldest promises to find a rich man who will give her buttons in exchange for her hand in marriage. The second daughter decides to join the army for the sake of the buttons on a soldier's uniform. And the youngest is going to run through the meadows with her apron held out before her, hoping to catch a few buttons falling from the sky. Which of these young ladies will succeed in restoring the family fortunes? The answer is the essential and satisfying stuff of fairy tales. Brock Cole's whimsical prose and pictures make this original story feel like a hundred-year-old classic.
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First published January 1, 2000
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About the author
Brock Cole
29 books30 followersBrock Cole was born a year before the Second World War in a small town in Michigan. Because of his father's work, his family moved frequently, but he never regarded these relocations as a hardship.
"I thought of myself as something of an explorer, even though my explorations never took me very far. I had a deep and intimate acquaintance with woodlots, creeks, lakes, back streets, and alleys all over the Midwest."
He attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, and received a doctorate from the University of Minnesota. After teaching philosophy for several years at the University of Wisconsin, he began writing and illustrating books for children.
"I had always wanted to write, and I loved to draw. I had small children, who were a wonderful audience. Children's books seemed a perfect fit."
His first book, The King at the Door, was published in 1979. Among his other picture books are The Winter Wren, The Giant's Toe, and Alpha and the Dirty Baby.
He now lives in Buffalo, New York, where his wife, Susan, teaches at the State University of New York. His sons both live in Athens, Georgia. Joshua teaches French history at the University of Georgia, and Tobiah is a painter and works as a waiter. Joshua is married to Kate Tremel, a potter and a teacher, and they have a little boy named Lucas.
Brock Cole's acclaimed first novel, The Goats, was published in 1987. It is set in the Michigan countryside of his childhood and captures the story of two loners' struggle for self-identity and inner strength after being made the targets of a cruel prank. In a Horn Book Magazine editorial, Anita Silvey wrote: "The Goats reaffirms my belief that children's literature is alive and thriving." Betsy Hearne, editor of The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, lauded The Goats as "one of the most important books of the decade."
In Brock Cole's second novel, Celine, sixteen-year-old Celine, a budding artist, is living with her young stepmother, only six years older than Celine herself, while her father is teaching in Europe. Celine dreams of escaping this situation, but she becomes involved with caring for Jake, her seven-year-old neighbor, who is going through his parents' divorce.
Since he began his writing career, Brock Cole and his wife have traveled a good deal, living for one year in Washington and another in Germany, as well as spending frequent summers in Greece and Turkey.
"To be honest, I simply tag along after Susan. It's her research which takes us all over the place. I enjoy it immensely, though. There's something about sitting down to work at a rickety table in a strange city that clears the head. It's the best thing for a writer, or for this one, anyway."
"I thought of myself as something of an explorer, even though my explorations never took me very far. I had a deep and intimate acquaintance with woodlots, creeks, lakes, back streets, and alleys all over the Midwest."
He attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, and received a doctorate from the University of Minnesota. After teaching philosophy for several years at the University of Wisconsin, he began writing and illustrating books for children.
"I had always wanted to write, and I loved to draw. I had small children, who were a wonderful audience. Children's books seemed a perfect fit."
His first book, The King at the Door, was published in 1979. Among his other picture books are The Winter Wren, The Giant's Toe, and Alpha and the Dirty Baby.
He now lives in Buffalo, New York, where his wife, Susan, teaches at the State University of New York. His sons both live in Athens, Georgia. Joshua teaches French history at the University of Georgia, and Tobiah is a painter and works as a waiter. Joshua is married to Kate Tremel, a potter and a teacher, and they have a little boy named Lucas.
Brock Cole's acclaimed first novel, The Goats, was published in 1987. It is set in the Michigan countryside of his childhood and captures the story of two loners' struggle for self-identity and inner strength after being made the targets of a cruel prank. In a Horn Book Magazine editorial, Anita Silvey wrote: "The Goats reaffirms my belief that children's literature is alive and thriving." Betsy Hearne, editor of The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, lauded The Goats as "one of the most important books of the decade."
In Brock Cole's second novel, Celine, sixteen-year-old Celine, a budding artist, is living with her young stepmother, only six years older than Celine herself, while her father is teaching in Europe. Celine dreams of escaping this situation, but she becomes involved with caring for Jake, her seven-year-old neighbor, who is going through his parents' divorce.
Since he began his writing career, Brock Cole and his wife have traveled a good deal, living for one year in Washington and another in Germany, as well as spending frequent summers in Greece and Turkey.
"To be honest, I simply tag along after Susan. It's her research which takes us all over the place. I enjoy it immensely, though. There's something about sitting down to work at a rickety table in a strange city that clears the head. It's the best thing for a writer, or for this one, anyway."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 2, 2019
I really, really disliked this book.
November 16, 2018
This is a sweet, rhyming, fairy tale for young children. The actions of all of the characters are completely ridiculous, but very charming. In true fairy tale fashion, each girl is married off "happily ever after" at the end but the point of this story humor and I'm not bothered by the old fashioned-ness of the ending. It's hilarious, and I really appreciated the late Regency era setting. I felt like it added to the whimsy of the story (especially if you read Jane Austen).
October 5, 2021
When the buttons off their rotund father’s britches, his three daughters’ fanciful schemes for procuring him new ones end up landing them all husbands.
This is a very silly story. Did the father really only have one pair of pants? Why didn’t it occur to anyone in this family to simply buy him new buttons? Is there a 24 hour emergency tailor in town? What is with the wacky schemes? Does no one in this household have any common sense?
The text is long for a picture book, making it best suited for older children. The illustrations are a lovely Regency Era England inspired watercolor [?].
This is a very silly story. Did the father really only have one pair of pants? Why didn’t it occur to anyone in this family to simply buy him new buttons? Is there a 24 hour emergency tailor in town? What is with the wacky schemes? Does no one in this household have any common sense?
The text is long for a picture book, making it best suited for older children. The illustrations are a lovely Regency Era England inspired watercolor [?].
August 2, 2017
This story is unlike any other! Incredibly original, completely quirky, and oh so silly! Your children will laugh at the halfwitted antics of three sisters who each try coming up with a plan to assist their dopey father.
Ages 5+
Cleanliness: a girl dresses like a boy in order to join the army so she can get buttons for her father (not feminist). A few pictures showing girls in petticoats or parts of petticoats showing - not revealing. A few couples kiss - this is a romantic comedy.
Ages 5+
Cleanliness: a girl dresses like a boy in order to join the army so she can get buttons for her father (not feminist). A few pictures showing girls in petticoats or parts of petticoats showing - not revealing. A few couples kiss - this is a romantic comedy.
August 14, 2019
So humorous, love the complexity and style of the illustrations.
January 6, 2020
Bleh. No redeeming lesson in this children’s book. I regret reading it to my child.
May 13, 2024
Amazing! Silly, whimsical, original, imaginative, with fantastic art and a happy ending! What's not to like?
March 6, 2017
The father has a problem, so of course the beautiful oldest daughter is expected to solve it by getting married. The other daughters try to solve the problem as well, but they just end up getting married. And what leads to the "love" between all three couples? The physical attributes of the girls, of course! Because what else should men judge women by?
Other than my problems with the gender dynamics in this book, I also find the story to be ridiculous in itself, and none of the characters are very endearing or likable at all.
Other than my problems with the gender dynamics in this book, I also find the story to be ridiculous in itself, and none of the characters are very endearing or likable at all.
December 18, 2011
A man finds himself without any buttons to hold up his trousers when he eats too much and they all pop off. The wife puts him to bed and enlists the help of her three daughters. The first daughter things to doll herself up and go stand on a bridge and see what rich handsome gentleman comes by. She dreams he will offer marriage and she will demand buttons to send home in return.
The second daughter chooses to join the army because they have many buttons on their uniforms and surely could spare a few. The youngest daughter can't think of anything. Then she has the bright idea to go run back and forth in a field, holding her apron out, hoping to catch any buttons falling from the sky. We're not talking geniuses here, I'm afraid...
Well, the first daughter is pushed into the water by ruffians who come along and mug her. Not to fear; she is rescued by a barge man who falls in love with her, of course, and declares that she must marry him and move to Cologne or he will die of love sickness. The second daughter joins the army just as they are ordered to battle. She catches a young man as he falls from his horse, wounded. She uses her own uniform to staunch the flow of blood. When the soldier wakes up, he falls in love, of course and they immediately begin making plans for the future.
In the meantime, the youngest daughter has been running back and forth in a field waiting for buttons to fall from the sky. Of course, nothing has come from the sky. But one day she is noticed by a cow herd who stops to watch her. And, of course, after a week he falls in love with her. He finds out what she has been doing and decides to help her. So he tells her to run under the tree the next day because he is sure he has seen buttons falling from a particular branch. Well, lo and behold, as the daughter is standing there, buttons come flying down! And, imagine this, there all trouser buttons!
So the father's button issue is solved. The third daughter and the cow heard are married and all the sisters return home for the wedding. The poor groom only has string to hold up his britches, though...
The second daughter chooses to join the army because they have many buttons on their uniforms and surely could spare a few. The youngest daughter can't think of anything. Then she has the bright idea to go run back and forth in a field, holding her apron out, hoping to catch any buttons falling from the sky. We're not talking geniuses here, I'm afraid...
Well, the first daughter is pushed into the water by ruffians who come along and mug her. Not to fear; she is rescued by a barge man who falls in love with her, of course, and declares that she must marry him and move to Cologne or he will die of love sickness. The second daughter joins the army just as they are ordered to battle. She catches a young man as he falls from his horse, wounded. She uses her own uniform to staunch the flow of blood. When the soldier wakes up, he falls in love, of course and they immediately begin making plans for the future.
In the meantime, the youngest daughter has been running back and forth in a field waiting for buttons to fall from the sky. Of course, nothing has come from the sky. But one day she is noticed by a cow herd who stops to watch her. And, of course, after a week he falls in love with her. He finds out what she has been doing and decides to help her. So he tells her to run under the tree the next day because he is sure he has seen buttons falling from a particular branch. Well, lo and behold, as the daughter is standing there, buttons come flying down! And, imagine this, there all trouser buttons!
So the father's button issue is solved. The third daughter and the cow heard are married and all the sisters return home for the wedding. The poor groom only has string to hold up his britches, though...
October 24, 2015
I loved this book.
Well, aside from the fact that we might be--God only knows!--related, I still find Mr. Cole's books to be well-written and un-putdownable. Moreover, he is an accomplished artist! To be able to write, as well as illustrate, is a God-send to any recognized or aspiring author.
Writing for children requires a mindset that correlates with theirs; most of us have long ago left that behind, so this story might seem quite improbable and rather silly, but to the mind of a toddler or youngster this plot is very conceivable, and it is certainly entertaining and will leave him or her with no bad dreams or thoughts that depart from the normal development into adulthood.
Did I love this book? Yes, I loved it; I will read it again and again, and I will read it to my adult children and to my grandchildren (who are too rapidly losing that genre of imagination that heightens our happy dreams and desires). I will read it and re-read it and put it on my bookshelf where my household guests will see it (and when I leave the room to prepare them some coffee or tea or superb Bourbon, they may spy it and pull it down and become so absorbed in an unbelievable/believable tale and its magnificent watercolors that I will hesitate at the door to allow them more time to finish).
And so will you.
Well, aside from the fact that we might be--God only knows!--related, I still find Mr. Cole's books to be well-written and un-putdownable. Moreover, he is an accomplished artist! To be able to write, as well as illustrate, is a God-send to any recognized or aspiring author.
Writing for children requires a mindset that correlates with theirs; most of us have long ago left that behind, so this story might seem quite improbable and rather silly, but to the mind of a toddler or youngster this plot is very conceivable, and it is certainly entertaining and will leave him or her with no bad dreams or thoughts that depart from the normal development into adulthood.
Did I love this book? Yes, I loved it; I will read it again and again, and I will read it to my adult children and to my grandchildren (who are too rapidly losing that genre of imagination that heightens our happy dreams and desires). I will read it and re-read it and put it on my bookshelf where my household guests will see it (and when I leave the room to prepare them some coffee or tea or superb Bourbon, they may spy it and pull it down and become so absorbed in an unbelievable/believable tale and its magnificent watercolors that I will hesitate at the door to allow them more time to finish).
And so will you.
Want to read
December 29, 2009(Farrar, 2000. ISBN 0374310017. Order Info.) Picture Book. 32 pages. Grades K-4.
This is a delightfully silly tale of a man with three daughters who bursts his trousers. The buttons fly into the fire and are burned. He takes to his bed. Not to worry, he has three daughters. The eldest declares that she will dress in her finest clothing and walk back and forth across a bridge until a young man falls in love with her. Thereupon she will demand buttons for her father before consenting to marriage. She does get a young man to fall in love with her but forgets to demand the buttons.
The second daughter plans to disguise herself as a man and join the army where her uniform will surely have enough buttons to spare for her father. The second daughter's plan also fails to get buttons but does get her a husband.
The third daughter decides to go to the meadow with her apron outstretched in order to catch any buttons that might fall from the sky.
It's the youngest and most inept daughter, as it should be, who is at last successful but not before a hilarious text and suitably comic illustrations lead us to the final family portrait. Cole's text is witty as well as silly with a strong dose of understatement giving us a delightfully affectionate tale of a family of sillies.
This is a delightfully silly tale of a man with three daughters who bursts his trousers. The buttons fly into the fire and are burned. He takes to his bed. Not to worry, he has three daughters. The eldest declares that she will dress in her finest clothing and walk back and forth across a bridge until a young man falls in love with her. Thereupon she will demand buttons for her father before consenting to marriage. She does get a young man to fall in love with her but forgets to demand the buttons.
The second daughter plans to disguise herself as a man and join the army where her uniform will surely have enough buttons to spare for her father. The second daughter's plan also fails to get buttons but does get her a husband.
The third daughter decides to go to the meadow with her apron outstretched in order to catch any buttons that might fall from the sky.
It's the youngest and most inept daughter, as it should be, who is at last successful but not before a hilarious text and suitably comic illustrations lead us to the final family portrait. Cole's text is witty as well as silly with a strong dose of understatement giving us a delightfully affectionate tale of a family of sillies.
December 5, 2019
Very comical, slightly original fairy tale of how a father receives the buttons back that snapped off his coat. His three daughters go in search of rich husbands with buttons and as is to be expected, plans don’t always go as originally designed.
January 12, 2017
Brock Cole's first picture book in nearly ten years
"Once there was an old man who ate so much his britches burst and his buttons popped one, two, three, into the fire. "Wife! Wife!" he cried. "We are undone! My britches have burst and my buttons are burnt, every one!"
After putting her husband to bed, the wife enlists the aid of her three daughters in replacing their father's buttons. The eldest promises to find a rich man who will give her buttons in exchange for her hand in marriage. The second daughter decides to join the army for the sake of the buttons on a soldier's uniform. And the youngest is going to run through the meadows with her apron held out before her, hoping to catch a few buttons falling from the sky. Which of these young ladies will succeed in restoring the family fortunes? The answer is the essential and satisfying stuff of fairy tales. Brock Cole's whimsical prose and pictures make this original story feel like a hundred-year-old classic.
Loved the pictures that gave it a feel of pride and predjudice - oddly enough. Cute story
"Once there was an old man who ate so much his britches burst and his buttons popped one, two, three, into the fire. "Wife! Wife!" he cried. "We are undone! My britches have burst and my buttons are burnt, every one!"
After putting her husband to bed, the wife enlists the aid of her three daughters in replacing their father's buttons. The eldest promises to find a rich man who will give her buttons in exchange for her hand in marriage. The second daughter decides to join the army for the sake of the buttons on a soldier's uniform. And the youngest is going to run through the meadows with her apron held out before her, hoping to catch a few buttons falling from the sky. Which of these young ladies will succeed in restoring the family fortunes? The answer is the essential and satisfying stuff of fairy tales. Brock Cole's whimsical prose and pictures make this original story feel like a hundred-year-old classic.
Loved the pictures that gave it a feel of pride and predjudice - oddly enough. Cute story
April 21, 2014
Brock Cole always has a way of making his stories sound like fairy tales you heard as a child, and Buttons is no different. Contrary to several other reviewers, I found the story subversively feminist. It wasn't that the daughters' only thoughts revolved around finding husbands (they didn't); it was that one in particular was praised for taking on a traditionally male role, and for the attributes that go along with it.
And, ah, their male counterparts were quite eager to be married as well, once they found the right woman. Seems girls aren't the only ones interested in getting hitched. ;-)
Beautiful illustrations, a whimsical story, and a ending where you can't help but smile. What more could you ask for?
And, ah, their male counterparts were quite eager to be married as well, once they found the right woman. Seems girls aren't the only ones interested in getting hitched. ;-)
Beautiful illustrations, a whimsical story, and a ending where you can't help but smile. What more could you ask for?
July 24, 2010
This is another ridiculous tale by Brock Cole. It is almost like a tall-tale. I'm not exactly sure how else to describe it. It all begins with the father of the family busting his britches and losing his buttons in the fire. That is just about the worst thing that could happen to the family so the mother enlists the daughters for help. All three daughters think of absolutely silly ways to get some buttons for their dear bed-ridden and I'm assuming pants-less father. A very silly story that is ridiculous from beginning to end.
June 29, 2010
This was a book that Natalie's Nana got for her from a school that was discarding books. I wasn't a big fan of the story. The characters were all quite silly, but not in a cute clever way, but rather they lacked intelligence. Even though one sister goes of to be a solider, the female roles were rather old fashioned since the big accomplishment for all the daughters was finding a husband.
October 9, 2012
This was a really ridiculous nonsensical story about 3 daughters who try to help their father find buttons for his pants. I wasn't really a fan of how they all got married and didn't do anything on their own. I did like the sketchy illustrations and colorful, whimsical style. This might be a good tell-aloud story since it has the repetitive pattern and doesn't rely on the images.
May 15, 2012
A delightful fairytale about burst britches that's so ridiculous it's brilliant. I love how Cole takes an ordinary incident and turns it into a life-changing challenge for the three daughters. An extraordinary story with a happy and hilarious ending.
December 2, 2016
Ridiculous, of course. And really, these girls are individuals who we're glad to see married off, as they're not fit for much else. But goodness, if Father would skip a meal, they could easily afford to buy buttons, so the suspension of disbelief this requires costs too much for me.
September 12, 2008
When dad loses all his buttons, his three daughters attempt to replace them through various antics. Very fun story. Cute illustrations. One of my favorites.
August 16, 2008
This book is totally melodramatic and had me in stiches. Three daughters must set off into the world to replace their dad's pant buttons, and eac encounters a different adventure.
February 7, 2009
I love everything about this book. It is such a Shannon book (my niece). I loved the story and adored the illlustrations.
September 11, 2016
Ok story. Along the fairy-tale line.
January 5, 2015
Hard to explain why, but I just loved this book!
March 5, 2013
Father loses buttons off his pants and the only solution (obviously) is to send his daughters out to marry some one with buttons. Fairy tale quality. Colonial-ish illustrations.
June 18, 2013
Silly and thoroughly enjoyable. I like the way the standard fairy tale motifs are used in such an offbeat way. And I always enjoy Cole's illustrations!
August 19, 2014
Utterly delightful. So charming. And lovely illustrations. (The writing practically begs to be read aloud to someone.)
October 29, 2014
When a father loses his buttons he starts a chain of events that is silly and fun. Soft water color illustrations.
July 29, 2015
I want to own this. Ridiculously funny. I love the pictures too.
December 31, 2015
Three daughters give up all their agency so their father can get some damn button smh
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews