The Just-So Woman

by Gary L. Blackwood, Jane Manning (Illustrator), Jane K. Manning (Illustrator)

The Just-So Woman likes everything to be just perfect. In the morning she wakes up before the rooster crows. She does her chores. She feeds the cat. Then she fixes breakfast. That is how she likes things done, and so that is how she does them every day—until one day when nothing goes just the way she expects, and she learns that sometimes "just so" isn't the only way things can turn out just right.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

48 pages, Hardcover

First published November 7, 2006

About the author

He grew up in rural Cochranton, Western Pennsylvania, where he attended school in a one room schoolhouse. He graduated with a B.A. in English from Grove City College in Pennsylvania. While a college student, Blackwood published his first short story, Cliffs of Gold, in Twelve/ Fifteen magazine.

He has sold dozens of stories to children's magazines, and has published thirty-five novels and nonfiction books for adults, young adults and middle readers.

Blackwood is also a widely produced playwright.

Reviews

[Jeimy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I now what the point of the story is, but it is eye-rollingly stereotypical.

[Jennie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rigid female farmer encounters many obstacles in her attempt to make bread and butter for breakfast. While she insists on taking care of every practical concern, the Any-Way Man shows her the value of relaxation.

The watercolor illustrations are attractive but the story is entirely lackluster. I imagine most children would be bored by the bland everyday trials of the Just-So Woman. Also some of the customs are too outdated for this generation of children to understand – molding bullets, churning butter, etc.

[Taya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story implemented a very nice mix of variatino and consistency with the use of its borders and pictures. There were no real defined borders, but the pictures were surrounded by a white background and where the colors faded out, there was the impression of a surrounding blanket of white. This was consistant on every page that was set off with how each picture was found in differnt places on each page. I appreciate the way that the text was always found on the white sections which gave authority to the pictures themselves by allowing them their own space without the overlap of the text.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helps remind us to relax and not take everything so seriously. Fun characters, good message. And kids may learn some things about how life used to be before we could go to the store to buy items.

[Jennifer Oaks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that when everything was going wrong for the main character, she keeps on going. She also seeks help from one of her neighbors as well. It is also a good book to show what the farm life is like.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blackwood has written an engaging, folk-like tale for those children gaining confidence in their reading skills. The watercolor illustrations pair well with the gentle humor and simple plot.