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Bash #2
Bash and the Chicken Coop Caper
Mysterious footprints in the snow. Vanishing mittens, misplaced eggs. A pink, purple, and orange paisley sleeping bag on the move. Something’s definitely amiss in the chicken coop, and wackiness runs amok on Bash Hinglebobb’s blizzard-blasted farm. While Bash is inventing such contraptions as a snowball catapult from inner tubes and underwear, his cousin Beamer Boxby, a city kid at heart, must help newcomer Lauren Rodriguez figure out why God lets horrible things happen to good people.
Can Bash’s Farmin’ and Fishin’ Book (the Bible) be believed when it says, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God”? What about when fire rolls through an animal building. Or when a kid’s lost her dad? It’s time to find out—with a little help from an ice-skating pig.
Can Bash’s Farmin’ and Fishin’ Book (the Bible) be believed when it says, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God”? What about when fire rolls through an animal building. Or when a kid’s lost her dad? It’s time to find out—with a little help from an ice-skating pig.
- GenresChristian Fiction
227 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2014
5 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Burton W. Cole
4 books21 followersBurton Cole is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and humor columnist with thirty years of experience and more than fifty humor writing awards to his credit. He grew up on a farm in northeast Ohio and attended a small-town church with a slew of cousins and buddies. That same boyhood inspires his colorful and zany stories today.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 8, 2015
RESEÑA COMPLETA
Burton W. Cole is now officially one of my favorite authors.
The first book in this series, Bash and the pirate pig , caught me completely with its humor and deep message, so this second book was not disappointed .
In this new adventure there are new characters, and finally there is more participation of girls in this history. The interaction of the characters and their peculiar way of acting, make this book is addictive.
Something I thought was great was the way in which the pain and the loss of loved ones is explained from the point of view of children, and also how they conceive of God working in the midst of these situations.
Moreover, Bash and Beamer try to practice the fruits of the Holy Spirit in their way and often they don’t get the result they want. However, they are surprised by how interesting can become their mistakes.
There are many more adventures than in the first book and I definitely loved the touch of mystery that had this story. I think the next novel will be great, because these characters have many more adventures to live.
And again, I’m amazed by the power of the message and the great humor.
-I recieved a copy from the publisher but this fact didn’t influence the review-
May 25, 2016
Bash and Beamer and their friends are at it again.
A little thing like a blizzard can't stop these kids from having a good time, at the expense of, well, Rollie's new boots and maybe a chicken coop or two.
Somebody has been leaving tracks in the snow on Bash's property, and Beamer is frantic to find out who the mystery stranger is, and whether they pose any threat, while Bash seems to be wrapped up in just harvesting the Fruit of the Spirit. Whatever the objective, there's definitely something fruity going on, as Bash and Beamer face off with a mysterious hobo and a stranded family who really have need of some neighborly help.
A little thing like a blizzard can't stop these kids from having a good time, at the expense of, well, Rollie's new boots and maybe a chicken coop or two.
Somebody has been leaving tracks in the snow on Bash's property, and Beamer is frantic to find out who the mystery stranger is, and whether they pose any threat, while Bash seems to be wrapped up in just harvesting the Fruit of the Spirit. Whatever the objective, there's definitely something fruity going on, as Bash and Beamer face off with a mysterious hobo and a stranded family who really have need of some neighborly help.
October 11, 2022
My daughters, 8 and 11, enjoyed this book and claimed it was funnier than the first, which they laughed through.
Figuring out girls is always treacherous business but the stakes are higher for Bash and Beamer because Lauren is hurting over the loss of her dad. Although their efforts don't go smoothly, they are successful, making it a satisfying read.
As a parent, I'm glad to have found this series because they tell a fun story while affirming our values and faith. Of course even big "kids" will enjoy Bash because these are well written and humorous stories, our kind of entertainment.
Figuring out girls is always treacherous business but the stakes are higher for Bash and Beamer because Lauren is hurting over the loss of her dad. Although their efforts don't go smoothly, they are successful, making it a satisfying read.
As a parent, I'm glad to have found this series because they tell a fun story while affirming our values and faith. Of course even big "kids" will enjoy Bash because these are well written and humorous stories, our kind of entertainment.
July 8, 2015
I like the fact that in this second book of the series, Bash's generosity toward his fellow man and love of the Farmin' and Fishin' book (the Bible) is rubbing off in a big way on his reluctant cousin Beamer. Although Bash has unusually creative and sometimes risky expressions of his generosity, he's such a good-natured kid, I (and Beamer) can't help but love him. The new characters introduced in this book are just as interesting and well-developed as the original cast. This is a great story for kids and the adults who care about them.
January 26, 2015
Just when I thought this series couldn't get any better, now this one had mystery!
I think this is getting better and better. This book is just marvelous. Totally recommended!
I think this is getting better and better. This book is just marvelous. Totally recommended!
August 22, 2019
The second book in the Bash series is just as delightful as the first!
A blizzard has blown through, and Ray is at the farm with Bash until the roads clear enough for Ray's parents to come get him. Bash determines that he and Ray are going to harvest the fruit of the Spirit - you know, love, peace, patience, joy, self-control, and so on. So they go out looking for opportunities to put some fruit into their basket. Shenanigans ensue.
Lauren Rodriguez and her family have moved to Ohio following the death of her father. When her mom's car ends up in a snowbank, Ray and Bash and Gulliver J. McFrederick the Third (the rescue hog) get Lauren, her brother Tyler, and her mom to safety and warmth at the Gobnotters' farm, and the community lends them a helping hand. Lauren is grieving her father's death, and Ray can't seem to say anything right to her, no matter what he says.
Strange things are afoot in the chicken coop, and Ray is determined to figure out what's going on. Bash thinks Mary Jane is pranking him. Mary Jane thinks Bash is pranking her. Ray just wants to solve the mystery.
Once again, Bash has a good heart but sometimes lacks common sense. Shenanigans ensue. We see superpowered supersleds, a snowball catapult with a very unique feature, and a cow wearing Aunt Tillie's Sunday dress, among other things. This was another that I read out loud with my ten-year-old, and we were just guffawing at times.
This is Christian fiction, and faith is an important component of the story. Lauren struggles with why God let her father die. That's something that many of us may have wrestled with, and it's written in a way that kids can relate to and understand. As a new Christian, Ray has to trust Jesus to help him explain why he believes to Lauren. And the kids learn an important lesson when it comes to cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Sometimes you just plant the seed and let it grow.
I love these books. They remind me that even when life is hard and doesn't turn out like I planned, it can still be an adventure, and God can still work it together for my good. On to book three, Bash and the Chocolate Milk Cows!
A blizzard has blown through, and Ray is at the farm with Bash until the roads clear enough for Ray's parents to come get him. Bash determines that he and Ray are going to harvest the fruit of the Spirit - you know, love, peace, patience, joy, self-control, and so on. So they go out looking for opportunities to put some fruit into their basket. Shenanigans ensue.
Lauren Rodriguez and her family have moved to Ohio following the death of her father. When her mom's car ends up in a snowbank, Ray and Bash and Gulliver J. McFrederick the Third (the rescue hog) get Lauren, her brother Tyler, and her mom to safety and warmth at the Gobnotters' farm, and the community lends them a helping hand. Lauren is grieving her father's death, and Ray can't seem to say anything right to her, no matter what he says.
Strange things are afoot in the chicken coop, and Ray is determined to figure out what's going on. Bash thinks Mary Jane is pranking him. Mary Jane thinks Bash is pranking her. Ray just wants to solve the mystery.
Once again, Bash has a good heart but sometimes lacks common sense. Shenanigans ensue. We see superpowered supersleds, a snowball catapult with a very unique feature, and a cow wearing Aunt Tillie's Sunday dress, among other things. This was another that I read out loud with my ten-year-old, and we were just guffawing at times.
This is Christian fiction, and faith is an important component of the story. Lauren struggles with why God let her father die. That's something that many of us may have wrestled with, and it's written in a way that kids can relate to and understand. As a new Christian, Ray has to trust Jesus to help him explain why he believes to Lauren. And the kids learn an important lesson when it comes to cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Sometimes you just plant the seed and let it grow.
I love these books. They remind me that even when life is hard and doesn't turn out like I planned, it can still be an adventure, and God can still work it together for my good. On to book three, Bash and the Chocolate Milk Cows!
March 17, 2018
My *top pick* for middle grade Christian books. They fun books that make my kids laugh while presenting Christianity in a real way. A great mix of head-shaking craziness and a kid trying to do the right thing and follow Jesus.
This book does deal with more serious themes than the other two and I’m sorry we somehow didn’t read them in order.
This book does deal with more serious themes than the other two and I’m sorry we somehow didn’t read them in order.
December 10, 2017
Children's book, mystery, Christian, with some expected chicken jokes. (How long do chicken's work? Around the cluck.)
"Ears know when they're about to be hugged by pretty music."
"Ears know when they're about to be hugged by pretty music."
May 29, 2023
This book was full of shenanigans but what a sweet message about the fruits of the spirit.
September 30, 2014
I had the chance to review Bash and the Pirate Pig back in 2013 so when I was contacted to review Bash and the Chicken Coop Caper earlier this year I jumped at the opportunity. Geared towards boys ages 8 to 12 years old the story of Ray and his cousin Bash never fails to amuse even the oldest reader – I’m an adult and enjoyed the cousins antics although I wasn’t so happy that the parents seemed non-existent much of the time. It’s been snowing, a lot, and so the boys as only boys can do set out to gather a basket of fruit – Fruit of the Spirit that is. As boys gathering the Fruits takes on a life of it’s own as hospitality leads to a coop fire, a search and rescue mission for damsels in distress for goodness turns into a real rescue and more. Ray is more reserved than his cousin and while he knows he shouldn’t follow his cousin’s lead, he does and then wonders why – the boys ultimately realize they’ve forgotten to ask the Lord about any of their ideas to help others as they work on gathering their Fruit.
As I said previously, the parents seem non-existent most of the time, Bash’s mom doesn’t really seem to know what to do with her very imaginative son and her nephew so outside they go. It’s mentioned several times she gets a nervous eye tick whenever she thinks of what they might get into. Ray’s parents drop him off and leave him for a week and we don’t really ever hear of them and Bash’s dad tries to discipline but it’s usually a grounding to their rooms. So I know it’s a kid’s book, but it would have been great to have more parental involvement – the most I read in this book was when the community couldn’t make it to church due to a blizzard and they all meet at Bash’s house to hold home church. Simple illustrations done by Tom Bancroft decorate each new chapter and the whimsical drawings add to that chapters feel. Overall, it’s a great book and ultimately the boys realize their mistakes and genuinely repent – since I’m always on the watch for good character building, godly books for my children, this one fits the bill and I know it will be read and re-read over the years.
**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given.
As I said previously, the parents seem non-existent most of the time, Bash’s mom doesn’t really seem to know what to do with her very imaginative son and her nephew so outside they go. It’s mentioned several times she gets a nervous eye tick whenever she thinks of what they might get into. Ray’s parents drop him off and leave him for a week and we don’t really ever hear of them and Bash’s dad tries to discipline but it’s usually a grounding to their rooms. So I know it’s a kid’s book, but it would have been great to have more parental involvement – the most I read in this book was when the community couldn’t make it to church due to a blizzard and they all meet at Bash’s house to hold home church. Simple illustrations done by Tom Bancroft decorate each new chapter and the whimsical drawings add to that chapters feel. Overall, it’s a great book and ultimately the boys realize their mistakes and genuinely repent – since I’m always on the watch for good character building, godly books for my children, this one fits the bill and I know it will be read and re-read over the years.
**I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given.
August 20, 2015
More zany fun from Burton Cole, this time with some boys versus girls fun in a contest of wit and will. With an interesting glimpse of farm life in the winter, snow caves, snow sculpture, hay forts, and snowball fights (among many other crazy kid capers) keeps the action moving. Bash and Beamer learn some cool stuff and are amazed at how God uses their determined kindness to eventually change the lives of their new neighbors. Another fun read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews