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The Giggle Club
Meow Monday
Fans of TURNOVER TUESDAY and ONE WINDY WEDNESDAY will be overjoyed to see Bonnie Bumble in action again. In MEOW MONDAY, the young farmer's pussy willows have burst into bloom, and they're raising quite a ruckus! How will Bonnie stop all the meowing?
Once again author Phyllis Root and illustrator Helen Craig reap giggles in a very spirited story about a very funny farm.
Once again author Phyllis Root and illustrator Helen Craig reap giggles in a very spirited story about a very funny farm.
- GenresPicture Books
24 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2000
1 person is currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis Root
107 books71 followers"Picture books are performances," says Phyllis Root, quoting some sage advice she once received. "They're performances that involve a child--something both of you do. And once I started thinking of them that way, I started getting much looser about making up words and playing around with rhythm."
Phyllis Root picked up an early affinity for colloquial language while growing up in Indiana and southern Illinois, "where people actually say things like, 'I got a hitch in my git-along'!" She decided to be a writer in the fifth grade, but it wasn't until she was thirty years old that she took a writing course with an influential teacher who gave her "the tools" she says she needed. "That's when I figured out that you could learn to be a writer," she says. What followed was a series of rollicking stories that take on a new life when read aloud, among them ONE DUCK STUCK, a one-of-a-kind counting book; KISS THE COW!, an affectionate salute to stubbornness; WHAT BABY WANTS, a tale of increasingly ridiculous efforts to quiet an infant that one reviewer compared to an episode of I LOVE LUCY, and LOOKING FOR A MOOSE, a buoyant tale with a final surprise discovery.
The author does "endless rewriting" before a book is finished, but often starts out by writing her stories in her head, a trick she learned as a time-pressed mother when her two daughters were very young. For example, RATTLETRAP CAR--a joyful celebration of perseverance--began with her playing around with sounds ("clinkety clankety, bing bang pop!") and calling up bits of old camp songs.
A master of rhythmic read-alouds, Phyllis Root exhibits a range many writers would envy. Her counting book TEN SLEEPY SHEEP is as serene and lulling as ONE DUCK STUCK is rambunctious. "Counting sheep isn't always easy," she notes. "Once, while we were farm-sitting, my daughter and I had to chase down two runaway lambs in the growing darkness, then count twenty-seven frisky lambs to make sure they were all safe for the night. Luckily, they were." OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY is a quiet, classic picture book about a defining moment in the life of a small child--getting lost and having the pluck to find the way home. On the other extreme, Phyllis Root takes on no less than the whole universe in BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, a powerful, original, down-home creation myth that received rave reviews and won the prestigious BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. Most recently, Phyllis Root penned LUCIA AND THE LIGHT, a timeless adventure about one brave girl's quest that was inspired by Nordic lore.
When she's not writing, Phyllis Root teaches at Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children program. She lives with her two daughters and two cats in a 100-year-old house in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves to read (mostly mysteries with female protagonists) or spend time outdoors gardening, camping, sailing, or traveling. "One of the things I've learned about myself," she confides, "is that when I get really stuck and can't seem to get writing, it's because I've forgotten to take time out to play."
Phyllis Root picked up an early affinity for colloquial language while growing up in Indiana and southern Illinois, "where people actually say things like, 'I got a hitch in my git-along'!" She decided to be a writer in the fifth grade, but it wasn't until she was thirty years old that she took a writing course with an influential teacher who gave her "the tools" she says she needed. "That's when I figured out that you could learn to be a writer," she says. What followed was a series of rollicking stories that take on a new life when read aloud, among them ONE DUCK STUCK, a one-of-a-kind counting book; KISS THE COW!, an affectionate salute to stubbornness; WHAT BABY WANTS, a tale of increasingly ridiculous efforts to quiet an infant that one reviewer compared to an episode of I LOVE LUCY, and LOOKING FOR A MOOSE, a buoyant tale with a final surprise discovery.
The author does "endless rewriting" before a book is finished, but often starts out by writing her stories in her head, a trick she learned as a time-pressed mother when her two daughters were very young. For example, RATTLETRAP CAR--a joyful celebration of perseverance--began with her playing around with sounds ("clinkety clankety, bing bang pop!") and calling up bits of old camp songs.
A master of rhythmic read-alouds, Phyllis Root exhibits a range many writers would envy. Her counting book TEN SLEEPY SHEEP is as serene and lulling as ONE DUCK STUCK is rambunctious. "Counting sheep isn't always easy," she notes. "Once, while we were farm-sitting, my daughter and I had to chase down two runaway lambs in the growing darkness, then count twenty-seven frisky lambs to make sure they were all safe for the night. Luckily, they were." OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY is a quiet, classic picture book about a defining moment in the life of a small child--getting lost and having the pluck to find the way home. On the other extreme, Phyllis Root takes on no less than the whole universe in BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, a powerful, original, down-home creation myth that received rave reviews and won the prestigious BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. Most recently, Phyllis Root penned LUCIA AND THE LIGHT, a timeless adventure about one brave girl's quest that was inspired by Nordic lore.
When she's not writing, Phyllis Root teaches at Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children program. She lives with her two daughters and two cats in a 100-year-old house in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves to read (mostly mysteries with female protagonists) or spend time outdoors gardening, camping, sailing, or traveling. "One of the things I've learned about myself," she confides, "is that when I get really stuck and can't seem to get writing, it's because I've forgotten to take time out to play."
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
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February 8, 2020Apparently Snowy Sunday is part of a seven-book set about an unconventional farmer named Bonnie Bumble and seven days of adventures in caring for her animals and garden. Many children will laugh out loud at the antics, the word-play, and the nonsense. Helen Craig deserves credit for making the story come alive, and for adding even more humor.
In this the pussy willows burst into bloom... what can she do to get them to stop meowing so loudly?
In Thirsty Thursday there's been so little rain that the Black-Eyed Susans are spoiling for a fight. How can Bonnie get the clouds to let down some rain on her farm?
In this the pussy willows burst into bloom... what can she do to get them to stop meowing so loudly?
In Thirsty Thursday there's been so little rain that the Black-Eyed Susans are spoiling for a fight. How can Bonnie get the clouds to let down some rain on her farm?
September 18, 2017
What if pussywillows meowed, dogwoods barked, and milkweed gave bottles of milk?
March 3, 2023
The animals and plants on Bonnie Bumble's Farm just aren't behaving. Preschool and up
August 31, 2024
Read to Rose and Charlotte.
October 3, 2018
Bonnie Bumble's pussy willows are in bloom -- but oh, my, what a racket they make with all their "meow"ing. The hen refuses to lay, the cow won't be milked, and the pig and the sheep cover their ears. At last Bonnie feeds them "milkweed" after which they "catnap". All is well again, that is until the Dogwood blooms!
The children joined us "meowing" and "barking". Too bad this delightfully silly book is out of print!
The children joined us "meowing" and "barking". Too bad this delightfully silly book is out of print!
February 18, 2015
Bonnie Bumble's pussy willow has bloomed and starts to meow up a storm. She has to figure out how to get them quiet again so the farm can have some peace.
This is a silly book that capitalizes on some plant names that lend themselves to puns (the pussy willow blooms kitties and the milkweed blooms bottles of milk, etc.). It would be a good book to use for ESL or young students to illustrate puns. Of course, it is also good for a laugh. The illustrations are lighthearted and kid-friendly.
This is a silly book that capitalizes on some plant names that lend themselves to puns (the pussy willow blooms kitties and the milkweed blooms bottles of milk, etc.). It would be a good book to use for ESL or young students to illustrate puns. Of course, it is also good for a laugh. The illustrations are lighthearted and kid-friendly.
October 18, 2008
This is one DS pulled a little willy-nilly off the shelves at the library (the new books shelf) and turned out to be a really cute one. The story is short and sweet and makes fun of some of our more colorfully names plants, ie pussy willow and milkweed. It's even funnier at the end, but I won't spoil the surprise. Very good for 2y/o up to maybe 6 or so?
December 9, 2012
Cute - for younger kids and older. Great word play on pussy-willow and dogwood. Good repetition, pictures to point at, and action in images for young children to work with and homonyms for older children. Out of scope for city kids unless you teach them the background knowledge. Illustrations kind of lack luster - probably not good for read aloud - maybe for inclusion in nature/science unit.
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July 29, 2011I would like to read this book in the springtime to the preschool and kindergarten students. They would like it. The book has pussy willow blooming and the kitties on the bush are crying, which upsets other animals on the farm. The little boy finds a solution to the problem.
June 23, 2013
I came across this gem of a picture book which seemed just perfect for kids two to six. This book made me smile and seemed such an appropriate read considering we adopted a pregnant cat without knowing so at the time. Find out how this young boy calms and quiets these unusual kitties.
November 2, 2011
Drinking pussy willows? Barking dog wood? *Head scratch*
March 25, 2012
Cute book! Bedtime story!
Meowing pussy willow, needs milk from milk weed...LOL!
Meowing pussy willow, needs milk from milk weed...LOL!
February 4, 2013
This was just too cute!
May 9, 2013
My favorite is still Thirsty Thursday, which for some reason Goodreads doesn't list.
September 22, 2025
not sure kids will get the "pussywillow" thing.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews