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Aunt Nancy
Aunt Nancy and Old Man Trouble
Old Man Trouble can really cause a stir in a household and turn things upside down for Aunt Nancy, but being more clever than he is, she can turn his bad doings into good situations, bringing defeat to Old Man Trouble's mischievous ways.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
Phyllis Root
110 books74 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."
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 28, 2011
Fun story about what to do when you are having one of those days when NOTHING can go right. Be like Nancy and don't let Old Man Trouble get you down; that is exactly what he is hoping for.
February 25, 2020
The oil painting illustrations are the highlight of this whimsical tale about Aunt Nancy and how she outsmarted Old Man Trouble.
Old Man Trouble's shark-toothed grin contrasts with Aunt Nancy's changing emotions as she figures out how to make her troubles leave.
The images switch between full-color pictures to black-and-white silhouettes that mainly feature Nancy and her cat, Ezekiel. The effect is dramatic.
Overall, it's a fun, fast read and I really enjoyed it.
Old Man Trouble's shark-toothed grin contrasts with Aunt Nancy's changing emotions as she figures out how to make her troubles leave.
The images switch between full-color pictures to black-and-white silhouettes that mainly feature Nancy and her cat, Ezekiel. The effect is dramatic.
Overall, it's a fun, fast read and I really enjoyed it.
January 28, 2021
2.5 stars
December 3, 2007
Summary: Aunt Nancy drops her buffalo nickel into a well at the beginning of the day. From that point on, nothing seems to go her way. Old Man Trouble shows up at her house and sends problems her way with every step. Aunt Nancy however makes the best of her bad luck which sends Old Man Trouble the other way.
Response: This was a great trickster tale. The author had great use of language and dialect. This would be great in many classroom settings because it is a fun story, and kids love tricks!
Response: This was a great trickster tale. The author had great use of language and dialect. This would be great in many classroom settings because it is a fun story, and kids love tricks!
January 29, 2015
When the day begins with many problems, Aunt Nancy knows old man trouble is about to pay a visit.
By turning the tables and accepting him into her cabin and being kind and humorous, old man trouble doesn't stay for long.
By turning the tables and accepting him into her cabin and being kind and humorous, old man trouble doesn't stay for long.
May 24, 2011
This is a hilarious book! Thank you Marilyn for the suggestion. Highly Recommended.
July 17, 2019
Loved it. I thought that it was a bit wordy for a picture book, but I also see the importance of the text to deliver this important story. Not especially fond of the illustrations, which brought it down to 4 stars.
March 29, 2019
We loved the Appalachian accent .
August 25, 2025
Old man trouble is creepy though!!
February 11, 2015
Personal Reaction - I like this book because it's hilarious as well as meaningful. Also, the illustrations are water paintings that make the book feel warm.
Purposes-
Read aloud to K-2 children for several potential purposes:
- Aunt Nancy showed how to change bad situations into good ones. She had to allow the old man trouble to come into her house though she knew that bad things would definitely happen. He asked her to do many things to make her feel bad by messing them up. However, she pretended not to realize that and act like nothing happened. Moreover, she took advantage of his tricks. She needed water, but the fountain was dried up. Thus, she pretended that she liked the empty fountain to let the old man trouble fill the water fountain. When he finally left, she listened to flowing of water.
- Children would learn how to change situations. When they are faced with bad situations, instead of escaping from it, they can change them into good situations.
- This book has dialects and varied ways of expressions. It would develop children's language capacity.
- The illustrations show each character's characteristics. They reveal the calm and wise personality of Aunt Nancy, and especially the old man trouble's smile indicates his playful personality.
Purposes-
Read aloud to K-2 children for several potential purposes:
- Aunt Nancy showed how to change bad situations into good ones. She had to allow the old man trouble to come into her house though she knew that bad things would definitely happen. He asked her to do many things to make her feel bad by messing them up. However, she pretended not to realize that and act like nothing happened. Moreover, she took advantage of his tricks. She needed water, but the fountain was dried up. Thus, she pretended that she liked the empty fountain to let the old man trouble fill the water fountain. When he finally left, she listened to flowing of water.
- Children would learn how to change situations. When they are faced with bad situations, instead of escaping from it, they can change them into good situations.
- This book has dialects and varied ways of expressions. It would develop children's language capacity.
- The illustrations show each character's characteristics. They reveal the calm and wise personality of Aunt Nancy, and especially the old man trouble's smile indicates his playful personality.
October 17, 2007
Old Man Trouble brings trouble where ever he goes. Aunt Nancy pretends like it doesn't bother her to get him to leave. This surprises Old Man Trouble. Good sense of humor. I would use this book to read aloud when talking about character.
January 7, 2009
It's the illustrations that make this book special. The story is great but the expressions on Old Man Trouble's face as he struggles to outwit very clever Aunt Nancy are classic. Enjoy this fun, it's just plain fun.
June 13, 2011
Great children's book... and I guess a great adult's book too! Old man trouble comes around and everything goes wrong... Aunt Nancy always sees her troubles in the most positive light. Great lesson since Old Man Trouble comes to visit all of us plenty. : )
February 22, 2016
I reread this story now and again. Delightful story, and a great way to introduce children to the concept of making lemonade out of the lemons of life, and to remind us adults of this power also. This one will put a smile on your face.
September 26, 2007
aunt nancy is a retold story of african folk tales that were not allowed to be told. Slaves retold the stories with new names to keep their traditions alive.
April 17, 2009
This picture book is fun to read out loud--you can't help but put on an old western accent.
August 20, 2010
One of my all time favorites--top 5 picture books. So funny. Such a great message. When she dumps the water on herself--classic moment. LOVE IT!!
March 27, 2012
Aunt Nancy beats Old Man Trouble. She is a good reminder to stay positive when things go wrong.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews