What do you think?
Rate this book
Washday on Noah's Ark
By the time the rains stop and Noah's Ark comes to land, Mrs. Noah is faced with a mountain of wash to do--surrounded by seasick, fighting animals and with no clothesline
40 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1991
About the author
Glen Rounds
149 books11 followersGlen Harold Rounds was a distinguished American writer and illustrator whose career spanned over six decades, during which he wrote and illustrated more than 100 books. Known for his vivid storytelling and masterful illustrations, Rounds garnered over 25 literary awards, cementing his legacy as one of the prominent children's authors and illustrators of his time.
Born in a sod house near Wall, South Dakota, Rounds had a rugged childhood that involved various jobs such as baker, cook, and ranch hand, alongside adventures in the carnival and logging industries. His early years on a Montana ranch provided a rich foundation for the characters and landscapes that would appear in his later works. Rounds was drawn to art from a young age, and after studying painting and drawing at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Art Students League of New York, he spent time touring the Western U.S. with fellow student Jackson Pollock and their teacher, Thomas Hart Benton. It was during this period that Rounds began his lifelong pursuit of illustrating stories.
Rounds’ breakthrough came with Ol' Paul, the Mighty Logger (1936), a collection of Paul Bunyan stories he largely created himself. The book's success launched his career, and he went on to write and illustrate numerous titles, including The Blind Colt (1941) and the Whitey series, which featured a young Montana cowboy. His works often explored themes of the American West, wildlife, and the natural world, with a unique ability to convey both humor and pathos through his illustrations and writing.
Throughout his career, Rounds introduced a variety of beloved characters, including Mr. Yowder, the itinerant sign painter, and his books continued to win critical acclaim. Even in his later years, after arthritis forced him to switch to drawing with his left hand, Rounds remained a prolific creator. His last book, Beavers (1999), was lauded for its informative and succinct prose, paired with illustrations that demonstrated his enduring skill and patience.
Rounds received numerous accolades, including the Kerlan Award (1980) and the North Carolina Award for Literature (1981). He was also inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in 2002, shortly before his death. His works continue to be celebrated for their captivating illustrations and stories that bring the American landscape and its characters to life.
Born in a sod house near Wall, South Dakota, Rounds had a rugged childhood that involved various jobs such as baker, cook, and ranch hand, alongside adventures in the carnival and logging industries. His early years on a Montana ranch provided a rich foundation for the characters and landscapes that would appear in his later works. Rounds was drawn to art from a young age, and after studying painting and drawing at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Art Students League of New York, he spent time touring the Western U.S. with fellow student Jackson Pollock and their teacher, Thomas Hart Benton. It was during this period that Rounds began his lifelong pursuit of illustrating stories.
Rounds’ breakthrough came with Ol' Paul, the Mighty Logger (1936), a collection of Paul Bunyan stories he largely created himself. The book's success launched his career, and he went on to write and illustrate numerous titles, including The Blind Colt (1941) and the Whitey series, which featured a young Montana cowboy. His works often explored themes of the American West, wildlife, and the natural world, with a unique ability to convey both humor and pathos through his illustrations and writing.
Throughout his career, Rounds introduced a variety of beloved characters, including Mr. Yowder, the itinerant sign painter, and his books continued to win critical acclaim. Even in his later years, after arthritis forced him to switch to drawing with his left hand, Rounds remained a prolific creator. His last book, Beavers (1999), was lauded for its informative and succinct prose, paired with illustrations that demonstrated his enduring skill and patience.
Rounds received numerous accolades, including the Kerlan Award (1980) and the North Carolina Award for Literature (1981). He was also inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in 2002, shortly before his death. His works continue to be celebrated for their captivating illustrations and stories that bring the American landscape and its characters to life.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 28, 2021
This is a tongue-in-cheek children's story of Noah's ark. The book expects you to already know the traditional tale.
In his version, Rounds sets the story in something close to the modern day (the book was published in 1991), as he listens to weather reports on the radio and uses lumber from "tobacco sheds" to help build the ark. But after that, no more modern details are mentioned, so these two little instances seemed pretty pointless.
The illustrations, as per Rounds' style, are simplistic but full of life. I thought the story was cute, until Noah's wife, determined to have her washday but left with no space to hang the clothes up to dry, ties "thousands" of snakes together and uses the live animals as a laundry line. The illustrations clearly show the poor snakes knotted up many times. This would, of course, kill the snakes in real life.
Not recommended.
In his version, Rounds sets the story in something close to the modern day (the book was published in 1991), as he listens to weather reports on the radio and uses lumber from "tobacco sheds" to help build the ark. But after that, no more modern details are mentioned, so these two little instances seemed pretty pointless.
The illustrations, as per Rounds' style, are simplistic but full of life. I thought the story was cute, until Noah's wife, determined to have her washday but left with no space to hang the clothes up to dry, ties "thousands" of snakes together and uses the live animals as a laundry line. The illustrations clearly show the poor snakes knotted up many times. This would, of course, kill the snakes in real life.
Not recommended.
May 19, 2023
A very loose interpretation of Noah's story from the Bible combined with the Appalachian/country lifestyle that Glen Rounds is well-known for portraying. As a result there is mention of modern-day conveniences along with the overalls that the menfolk seem to be wearing.
The rest of the story doesn't follow the original at all in details besides here and there but tells how life may have been on the Ark. Noah's wife has to be commended for her creativity although it wasn't quite the nicest way of doing things and the fact that the details of the illustrations share many small things we don't normally think of like the perverted joy of one boy beating a snake and the other tying up a monkey's tail just makes it seem a bit more on the abusive side of telling.
Unlike his normal illustrative style, Glen Rounds does include colors while his animals are a bit more heftier in weight except the dog at the start. The humans also carry the look as seen in his other illustrations like Hanna's Hog where they aren't the most best-looking but they will do.
Although it was creative I can't say I was really impressed with this particular retelling....
The rest of the story doesn't follow the original at all in details besides here and there but tells how life may have been on the Ark. Noah's wife has to be commended for her creativity although it wasn't quite the nicest way of doing things and the fact that the details of the illustrations share many small things we don't normally think of like the perverted joy of one boy beating a snake and the other tying up a monkey's tail just makes it seem a bit more on the abusive side of telling.
Unlike his normal illustrative style, Glen Rounds does include colors while his animals are a bit more heftier in weight except the dog at the start. The humans also carry the look as seen in his other illustrations like Hanna's Hog where they aren't the most best-looking but they will do.
Although it was creative I can't say I was really impressed with this particular retelling....
June 9, 2008
IDK who Glen Rounds is but his version of Noahs Ark was ..... LAME
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews