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The Bunyans
A portrayal of a larger-than-life folk hero and his family introduces young readers to Paul Bunyan, his giant wife Carrie, and their king-sized children, Little Jean and Teeny, as they carve out famous sites in early America.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
10 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Audrey Wood
78 books299 followersAudrey Wood studied art and drama at the Arkansas Art Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. She has owned an operated a book and import store, taught chldren's drama and art, and traveled throughout Mexico and Guatemala studying Indian folk art. She now lives in Hawaii with her talented family (husband Don and son Bruce, who have both collaborated with Audrey by illustrating some of her books).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
December 30, 2025
beautiful
November 13, 2015
The Bunyans is an American Folklore picture book that can be enjoyed by all grade levels; however, if I had to choose a grade level, I would say it is most appropriate for 3rd grade. Illustrated beautifully and very colorful, this book is an American folktale that explains how the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan and giantess Carrie McIntie married. They then had two giant children Little Jean and Teeny both of whom carved and created the natural wonders of the United States (Bryce Canyon, Niagara Falls, the Big Sur coast, Old Faithful etc). Humorously written and illustrated the giant children create these U.S. staples for "fun" because they were bored, or because they needed somewhere to wash the bears out of their hair (Niagara falls). Readers of all ages will get a kick out of this book!
I would use this book as an introductory text to various geographic locations in the United States. I would first read the book to students and after, I would ask if any of them had heard of any of these places before. We would have a discussion about what they have and have not heard of- maybe even where they have and have not visited. I would then transition into the specific locations of these natural wonders (Niagara Falls in Canada, Old Faithful in Wyoming, Continental Divide in Colorado, and the Big Sur coast in California).
This could also transition into a small project (individual or group) where students could choose one of the places mentioned in the book and do some research on that place. They could then make a simple poster of where the place is located, what the temperature is like there, when and if people can visit it, etc. It would be a great way to explore natural wonders in the United States through books.
This book is a fun, interactive, and enjoyable way to allow students to have a good time while integrating geographic content!
I would use this book as an introductory text to various geographic locations in the United States. I would first read the book to students and after, I would ask if any of them had heard of any of these places before. We would have a discussion about what they have and have not heard of- maybe even where they have and have not visited. I would then transition into the specific locations of these natural wonders (Niagara Falls in Canada, Old Faithful in Wyoming, Continental Divide in Colorado, and the Big Sur coast in California).
This could also transition into a small project (individual or group) where students could choose one of the places mentioned in the book and do some research on that place. They could then make a simple poster of where the place is located, what the temperature is like there, when and if people can visit it, etc. It would be a great way to explore natural wonders in the United States through books.
This book is a fun, interactive, and enjoyable way to allow students to have a good time while integrating geographic content!
November 5, 2021
You already know the story of Paul Bunyan, but what about his family? Paul marries the giantess Carrie McIntie and started a big, loving family of Little Jean and Teeny. Through raising their kids, the giants learn that their kids are much of a hassle that they created America's natural wonders in the process. Would you believe that the creation of Niagara Falls was due to Teeny needing a heavy shower to get rid of bears in her hair? Or removing sand from Little Jean's shoes would cause the formation of Colorado's Great Sand Dunes? Truly that the giant family's gift to the world has left their mark in the American landscape.
I remember reading The Bunyans back when I was a kid and had loved reading about their adventures. Now as an adult, the story is nostalgic, and yet it is as solid as before when it was published. Audrey Wood kept enough details in the text without making it too complicated for kids to understand and David Shannon's art is as timeless as ever, still a fresh style even in today's art!
I remember reading The Bunyans back when I was a kid and had loved reading about their adventures. Now as an adult, the story is nostalgic, and yet it is as solid as before when it was published. Audrey Wood kept enough details in the text without making it too complicated for kids to understand and David Shannon's art is as timeless as ever, still a fresh style even in today's art!
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February 13, 2020Really good book I really like Paul Bunyan.
April 3, 2014
The story of Paul Bunyan is rooted in Minnesotan culture and is an obvious tall tale. Many students may have already heard of his story or even visited parks named after him or have already been on the Log Chute at the Mall of America. However, this story is interesting because it takes the perspective of Paul’s wife and kids, and how they formed some of the natural wonders. I chose this book because I really enjoy stories that take the alternate point of view than the traditional story, which in turn actually helps get students engaged in the original version. This book could be used as a foundation to a unit about Minnesota culture, history, or landscape.
October 7, 2013
The Bunyans / Audrey Wood / 1996
Genre: fiction, folktale
Format: picture book
Plot Summary: A rip-roaring look at the over sized Bunyan family, whose massive sizes and misadventures were the cause of many of America's natural wonders.
Considerations:no red flags
Review Citation: School Library Journal, December 1996, Vol. 42, p110, 1p
Selection Source: Children's Core Collection
Recommended age: 6-9
Genre: fiction, folktale
Format: picture book
Plot Summary: A rip-roaring look at the over sized Bunyan family, whose massive sizes and misadventures were the cause of many of America's natural wonders.
Considerations:no red flags
Review Citation: School Library Journal, December 1996, Vol. 42, p110, 1p
Selection Source: Children's Core Collection
Recommended age: 6-9
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December 11, 2012While this is a tall tale it has many aspects that may be helpful in a social studies geography lesson. It does a great job of explaining not only the story of how Paul Bunyon came to be, but also how many landmarks came to be in America! It mentions Niagra falls, Sand dunes, the Continental Divide, Bryce Canton and Old Faithful! It also has beautiful pictures to accompany the text!
November 12, 2018
Book level: 5.1
Lextile:980
Fountas & Pinnell: P
Book summary: You may have heard of Paul Bunyan, but you may not be aware that he had a family. This book follows the life and adventures of this bigger than life than life family which may have resulted in some national wonders.
Genre: Traditional literature. This literature is typically passed down to generations and this particular american folktale is tied to our area of the country. I have personally heard this tale quite awhile ago and I have had my photo taken with the Paul Bunyan statue in Brainerd, MN. This story also claims to be able to explain how some natural wonders were created.
Mentor writing traits:
Organization - this book walks through the life of Paul Bunyan and his family. It starts with how Paul met his wife, when his children were born, and ends when his children grow up and leave home. There is an obvious chronological order in which this story is written. In the storyteller's note, she catches our attention by (re)introducing us to Paul Bunyan with his great size and strength and the fact he has a family. She uses the following to 'hook' us, "And you probably know that Paul was taller than a redwood tree, stronger than fifty bears, and smarter than a library full of books. But you may not now that Paul was married and had two fine children."
Presentation - The physical appearance of this book is set up to convey a home-like sense of comfort. Most pages of text are placed on what looks like a hand-embroidered piece of cloth that reflects what is going on in the text. One example is the passage where Teeny Bunyan accidentally dumped syrup on her head and on that page is a embroidered pancake stack covered in syrup.
Classroom integration/mini-lessons/content connection:
This book can be used as a mentor text for organization. It can be read aloud to a class and they can have a grand discussion how the structure of the writer is developed and why the organization was important. The teacher can ask, 'what would happen if this story wasn't organized? Would you understand it? What meaning could you have gotten from it?'
This book can be used a mentor text for presentation and while this is read out loud to a class, students can be asked to see what they noticed about the look of the pages in the book. What do they notice? If they don't notice the cloth and sewn images on some of the text pages, the teacher could point that out. The class can discuss why they think those pages are set up that way. Students could write a short personal story (it doesn't have to be very long) on a paper that is set up to look like an embroidered piece of cloth. They can decorate it to reflect what is in the text.
Another fun idea is to use this for a geography lesson of the natural wonders featured in the book. This is a good example of a text to life connection and a fun way to explore a US map.
Lextile:980
Fountas & Pinnell: P
Book summary: You may have heard of Paul Bunyan, but you may not be aware that he had a family. This book follows the life and adventures of this bigger than life than life family which may have resulted in some national wonders.
Genre: Traditional literature. This literature is typically passed down to generations and this particular american folktale is tied to our area of the country. I have personally heard this tale quite awhile ago and I have had my photo taken with the Paul Bunyan statue in Brainerd, MN. This story also claims to be able to explain how some natural wonders were created.
Mentor writing traits:
Organization - this book walks through the life of Paul Bunyan and his family. It starts with how Paul met his wife, when his children were born, and ends when his children grow up and leave home. There is an obvious chronological order in which this story is written. In the storyteller's note, she catches our attention by (re)introducing us to Paul Bunyan with his great size and strength and the fact he has a family. She uses the following to 'hook' us, "And you probably know that Paul was taller than a redwood tree, stronger than fifty bears, and smarter than a library full of books. But you may not now that Paul was married and had two fine children."
Presentation - The physical appearance of this book is set up to convey a home-like sense of comfort. Most pages of text are placed on what looks like a hand-embroidered piece of cloth that reflects what is going on in the text. One example is the passage where Teeny Bunyan accidentally dumped syrup on her head and on that page is a embroidered pancake stack covered in syrup.
Classroom integration/mini-lessons/content connection:
This book can be used as a mentor text for organization. It can be read aloud to a class and they can have a grand discussion how the structure of the writer is developed and why the organization was important. The teacher can ask, 'what would happen if this story wasn't organized? Would you understand it? What meaning could you have gotten from it?'
This book can be used a mentor text for presentation and while this is read out loud to a class, students can be asked to see what they noticed about the look of the pages in the book. What do they notice? If they don't notice the cloth and sewn images on some of the text pages, the teacher could point that out. The class can discuss why they think those pages are set up that way. Students could write a short personal story (it doesn't have to be very long) on a paper that is set up to look like an embroidered piece of cloth. They can decorate it to reflect what is in the text.
Another fun idea is to use this for a geography lesson of the natural wonders featured in the book. This is a good example of a text to life connection and a fun way to explore a US map.
November 16, 2017
Rating: 4.0 Reading level: 5.1
Summary: “The Bunyan’s ” is the fictitious folktale about the life of Paul Bunyan and his family. The story begins with Paul and then explains how he met his wife, Carrie and their adventures with their son, little and their daughter Tiny.
Characteristics that support the Genre: This book is rich in its illustrations and further support the text of the story. This book also talks about various physical landmarks throughout the United States and could be useful in a social studies lesson.
Mentor Writing traits
1. Organization- There is a sequential ordering of the plot (Paul meeting Carrie, having kids, family adventures, kids growing up, Paul and Carrie growing old together). And the story comes to a happy ending with Paul and Carrie growing old together and their children going off on their own.
2. Word choice: There is a lot of similes and metaphors used in the story to help the reader relate to the size of the family and their interactions with their environment.
3. Presentation: The presentation of this book is very unique. It shows the family and their interaction with the environment. The contrast of physical landmarks to the size of the Bunyans helps the students to conceptualize just how "big" they really were. The pictures are varied in size and shape and really help to chronicle the story of the Bunyan's.
Classroom Integration: I think this book would be really great for social studies (studying physical land formations). I think this would also be useful for perspective taking.
Summary: “The Bunyan’s ” is the fictitious folktale about the life of Paul Bunyan and his family. The story begins with Paul and then explains how he met his wife, Carrie and their adventures with their son, little and their daughter Tiny.
Characteristics that support the Genre: This book is rich in its illustrations and further support the text of the story. This book also talks about various physical landmarks throughout the United States and could be useful in a social studies lesson.
Mentor Writing traits
1. Organization- There is a sequential ordering of the plot (Paul meeting Carrie, having kids, family adventures, kids growing up, Paul and Carrie growing old together). And the story comes to a happy ending with Paul and Carrie growing old together and their children going off on their own.
2. Word choice: There is a lot of similes and metaphors used in the story to help the reader relate to the size of the family and their interactions with their environment.
3. Presentation: The presentation of this book is very unique. It shows the family and their interaction with the environment. The contrast of physical landmarks to the size of the Bunyans helps the students to conceptualize just how "big" they really were. The pictures are varied in size and shape and really help to chronicle the story of the Bunyan's.
Classroom Integration: I think this book would be really great for social studies (studying physical land formations). I think this would also be useful for perspective taking.
April 18, 2019
Date: Feb. 6th, 2019
Genre: Traditional Literature
Grade(s): 2nd-5th
In The Bunyans, Wood shares with readers a new take on folk tale Paul Bunyan. In this story we learn about Paul's family. Readers can follow along as Paul falls in love and has kids. One unique feature of this book is its incorporation of great American landscapes and how the Bunyans formed them. You could use this book to teach folk tales during a reading unit or to introduce American geography. Its highly versatile and fun to read as a class!
Genre: Traditional Literature
Grade(s): 2nd-5th
In The Bunyans, Wood shares with readers a new take on folk tale Paul Bunyan. In this story we learn about Paul's family. Readers can follow along as Paul falls in love and has kids. One unique feature of this book is its incorporation of great American landscapes and how the Bunyans formed them. You could use this book to teach folk tales during a reading unit or to introduce American geography. Its highly versatile and fun to read as a class!
October 12, 2021
Myth, legend, tall tale: I really enjoy how this story illustrates the classic tall tale of the Bunyan family. This story could be enjoyed at all grade levels but is probably most suitable for middle-level elementary students. This American tall tale is one of my favorite because of the way its setting travels across the United States while telling the tale. That is why this story could be used to introduce different geographic locations across America while also depicting the idea of real-life stories vs tales. The illustrations are also detailed and truly bring the tale to life!
September 8, 2017
I loved this tall tale book about Paul Bunyan, his wife and two children. It explains the creation of many things that everyone assumed where natural formations in the United States. These include Niagara Falls, the Colorado Sand Dunes, Old Faithful and many, many others.
Shannon's illustrations bring the family to life and are beautiful accompaniment to Wood's delightful tales.
Shannon's illustrations bring the family to life and are beautiful accompaniment to Wood's delightful tales.
October 20, 2017
This is a very different take on the folklore of Paul Bunyan. In this story he has a family! The tale talks about how he met his giant wife and their life and adventures with their children with very ironic names. It was fun and interesting to read and could be a good topic to discuss with children where they think this tale may have come from.
May 8, 2019
The Bunyans by Audrey Wood is a picture book extending the tall tale of Paul Bunyan; I believe that makes it a tall tale as well. I loved this book growing up and it could be used for so many things in the classroom. It could be part of a discussion of tall tales, extending common stories, geographic lessons, or even a discussion of tourism.
August 31, 2017
Folklore, history, and beautiful illustrations wrapped up into one great book. This is one of those books that can be read to all elementary-aged kids. I think I enjoyed it just as much as my kids did.
August 5, 2018
Not sure how I missed this one by Audrey Wood - and illustrated by my fav David Shannon...but a great read aloud picture book for the early Elementary kiddos...a fun way to introduce discussion on geographic features...
June 28, 2023
i used to LOVE this book but now that i’ve actually read the whole thing and can comprehend it, it’s just okay.
starts off strong with kentucky references 💕 and traveling out west but starts to get a little too quirky towards the end.
my favorite page is the bear scene. hands down. 🐻
starts off strong with kentucky references 💕 and traveling out west but starts to get a little too quirky towards the end.
my favorite page is the bear scene. hands down. 🐻
October 30, 2017
I liked how the beginning of the story of Paul Bunyan was explained. I liked that this book explained how Paul Bunyan met his wife and had his kids. This is a great folktale for children to read.
January 5, 2018
I like the story, but its too long for a storytime.
February 26, 2018
Paul Bunyan gets married and has kids. The kids play, forming the Bryce Canyon and Niagra Falls, among other natural wonders across the US. Cute story.
August 3, 2018
Paul Bunyan, his wife and their children do some ordinary things which result in the formation of Niagara Falls, Bryce Canyon, Mammoth Caves, Old Faithful, Big Sur and the Great Sand Dunes.
January 13, 2019
This story is an addition to the tall tales of Paul Bunyan, pioneer. Paul Bunyan, his wife and two children make more of the natural wonders in the United States and Canada. Great illustrations.
November 23, 2020
I wish the story of Paul Bunyan was better established first. It explored the idea that the Bunyans were responsible for famous American landmarks.
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January 11, 2021Great book. Creative in ideas that could have brought about some of the "natural" wonders of the world, such as Bryce Canyon or Old Faithful. Enjoyed this with the kids. Clean, no issues.
May 22, 2021
Stories of Paul Bunyan have always been a favorite. Ths book with stories about his whole family is just delightful. I love how his little son carves out Bryce Canyon in a day. :)
August 18, 2021
A fantastic tall tale in the style of other Paul Bunyan tall tales, explaining how various geological features of the United States were created.
March 18, 2024
The story is a legend but all the geographic wonders are real. Fun way to discover places in America. Lovely art too!
May 9, 2025
Interesting story on how famous landmarks and formations of North America came to be
April 6, 2021
(Self-Selected Tall Tale)
If someone had read this to me when I was younger I would have believed that the Bunyans created our beautiful landscapes. This story is just told so well that you almost feel obligated to believe anything that is said. The illustrations are also perfect! The proportions between the Bunyans, canyons, and everyday utensils is SO accurate. I 10/10 recommend this book for a classroom near you.
If someone had read this to me when I was younger I would have believed that the Bunyans created our beautiful landscapes. This story is just told so well that you almost feel obligated to believe anything that is said. The illustrations are also perfect! The proportions between the Bunyans, canyons, and everyday utensils is SO accurate. I 10/10 recommend this book for a classroom near you.
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October 12, 2015Title: The Bunyans
Author: Audrey Wood
Illustrator: David Shannon
Genre: Legend
Theme(s): Team work, Never giving up
Opening line/sentence:
One day when Paul Bunyan was out clearing a road through the forests of Kentucky, a great pounding began to shake the earth.
Brief Book Summary:
This book starts off with Paul Bunyan meeting a girl that he knows he instantly wants to marry. They get married right away and have children. Since they are all very large, they go around the US and start making natural monuments such as Niagra Falls, Mammoth Cave, and many other natural wonders.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Horn book- Wood, Audrey and Shannon, David The Bunyans
32 pp. ISBN 0-590-48089-8
(4) K-3 series. This larger-than-life story picks up where the well-known tall tales about Paul Bunyan leave off. Paul is now married and a father, and with the help of his enormous wife, their 'jumbo boy,' and their 'gigantic girl,' Paul carves out a number of natural monuments, including Niagara Falls, Old Faithful, and Big Sur. Rich paintings, some bordered by wood frames, add humor to the tale, although some discrepancies exist in the illustrations.
Picture Books; Tall tales
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
CLCD- Mary Sue Preissner (Children’s Literature) In this charming and hilarious tall tale, find out how Paul Bunyan, Babe, Paul’s wife, and his two children helped to create some of the most beautiful natural wonders in the United States. Did you know that his family was responsible fro the formation of the Bryce Canyon, Niagara Falls, Mammoth Cave, and others? Shannon’s colorful full-page illustrations will delight all, especially during a read-aloud. Some text is printed on pages that look like a counted cross stitch sampler with differing designs on each that also relate to the story. The back jacket flap has a small outline of the US with the locations of the natural wonders named in this tale. 196, Scholastic, $15.95. Ages 7 up. Publisher: Blue Sky Press/Scholastic (New York) Published: c1996).
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
These reviews explain the story perfectly. It is a funny story about a very large family that makes all of these natural wonders in the US. However I feel that this could be very confusing for children because they may actually think that they made them. I also agree with Horn Books review that there are some discrepancies in the illustrations such as Paul Bunyan not always looking like the same character and size.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The illustrations in this book correlate with the story very well, but the pages that have words are done on a cross-stitch looking page. This adds a bit of authenticity to the story. Some of the things told in this story are highly exaggerated and they should not be taken literally or as nonfiction.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
Although this is a picture book, it would be better for older children because there are a lot of words on the pages that have words and they would understand better that it is not a true story. However it would also be a good time to teach your students about Legends and what they entail. It would also be a great way to talk about Paul Bunyan in general and show an extension on his original story.
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