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Babcock
A fat boy with the blues. A skinny girl who runs marathons. And a con man on the lam. Here's an award-winning novel that appeals to adults and children alike: it’s humane, down to earth, good-natured, sometimes funny and sometimes sad.
Babcock plays electric guitar. He’s writing songs - and trying to figure out the true meaning of rock and roll - but he keeps coming up with the blues. Babcock is trying to start a friendship with a girl, Kirsten, who is as different as can be: Kirsten is skinny; she hates insects. And she's white. Babcock is fat; he speaks to dragonflies. And he’s black.
In some ways Kirsten is like a dragonfly: quick and bright. She never walks; she runs everywhere. Her family has money. Her mother thinks Babcock is a little too "rough." Opposites attract. But can they make music?
Babcock's family is struggling for money. Then Babcock's Uncle Earl moves in - and he moves into Babcock's bedroom with Babcock's menagerie of animals (including Martin Luther Kingsnake.). Uncle Earl is a con man on the lam. Uncle Earl used to play drums for Chuck Berry. Babcock wants to learn "charm" from Uncle Earl. Uncle Earl wants to learn how to live a normal life and marry a normal woman - who happens to be Babcock's schoolteacher. Maybe Babcock and Uncle Earl have something to teach each other.
Babcock's father runs a car repair shop. At night, in the kitchen, he draws cartoons. Some day he wants to quit repairing cars and sell his cartoons. But nobody's buying.
Kirsten is hotheaded. Sometimes she needs protection - from herself. Her mother tries to protect her - from Babcock. For help with his problems Babcock goes to an unlikely source: his Uncle Earl, the man with good charm and bad behavior. But the biggest lessons from Uncle Earl - and, perhaps, from rock and roll - are not what anyone expected.
In short, it’s about character. About making music. About family, hard work, about love and loss. Sometimes there’s laughter. Sometimes the lights are off in the kitchen; papa’s got blues. But always life is rich and deeply moving...
Babcock is part of the San Puerco trilogy, which makes it a companion book to Boone Barnaby and Danny Ain't: more adventures in the scrappy little town of San Puerco.
Babcock plays electric guitar. He’s writing songs - and trying to figure out the true meaning of rock and roll - but he keeps coming up with the blues. Babcock is trying to start a friendship with a girl, Kirsten, who is as different as can be: Kirsten is skinny; she hates insects. And she's white. Babcock is fat; he speaks to dragonflies. And he’s black.
In some ways Kirsten is like a dragonfly: quick and bright. She never walks; she runs everywhere. Her family has money. Her mother thinks Babcock is a little too "rough." Opposites attract. But can they make music?
Babcock's family is struggling for money. Then Babcock's Uncle Earl moves in - and he moves into Babcock's bedroom with Babcock's menagerie of animals (including Martin Luther Kingsnake.). Uncle Earl is a con man on the lam. Uncle Earl used to play drums for Chuck Berry. Babcock wants to learn "charm" from Uncle Earl. Uncle Earl wants to learn how to live a normal life and marry a normal woman - who happens to be Babcock's schoolteacher. Maybe Babcock and Uncle Earl have something to teach each other.
Babcock's father runs a car repair shop. At night, in the kitchen, he draws cartoons. Some day he wants to quit repairing cars and sell his cartoons. But nobody's buying.
Kirsten is hotheaded. Sometimes she needs protection - from herself. Her mother tries to protect her - from Babcock. For help with his problems Babcock goes to an unlikely source: his Uncle Earl, the man with good charm and bad behavior. But the biggest lessons from Uncle Earl - and, perhaps, from rock and roll - are not what anyone expected.
In short, it’s about character. About making music. About family, hard work, about love and loss. Sometimes there’s laughter. Sometimes the lights are off in the kitchen; papa’s got blues. But always life is rich and deeply moving...
Babcock is part of the San Puerco trilogy, which makes it a companion book to Boone Barnaby and Danny Ain't: more adventures in the scrappy little town of San Puerco.
- GenresFiction
187 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 26, 2012
I hadn't heard of Mr. Cottonwood until just recently, and read Babcock after hearing a positive review from a friend. I wasn't disappointed. I felt like I was sitting in someone's living room after dinner, hearing Mr. Cottonwood and a few of his friends tell a true story. Babcock is full of little lessons for younger readers, and probably a few necessary reminders for older ones. Overall I think the story is very useful for a young reader to learn how specific interests and events in life always fit into a broader context. A wonderful and believable story!
November 10, 2015
I loved this book. It was about a boy name Babcock and he always got bullied but he met a girl, KIrsten, one day and they became best friends but her mom wouldnt let them be friends anymore so Babcock tries to fight for their friendship. I definitely recommend this book.
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March 18, 2009Is a story about friendship and young love!! This book is happy and sad at the same time because it deals about death and doing anything for your loved one!!!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews