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Paul Bunyan
Growing up, Paul Bunyan was always too big. Too big for the furniture. Too big for regular clothes. Too big to play with the other kids. But out among the tall trees in the great northern forests, Paul felt at home. So he set out with his big blue ox, Babe, to live the life of a lumberjack. The adventures of Paul and his friends are recounted by author Stephen Krensky and artist Craig Orback in this tallest tale of them all.
48 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 21, 2018
Book Summary: Paul Bunyan is about a boy who was really big, he didn't fit in anywhere because of his size. The only place he felt at homw was in the wilderness. So when he found Babe, his ox, they set out for a life as a lumberjack.
Bookshelf Genre: Traditional Literature
Characteristics that support the genre: The story of Paul Bunyan has been passed down from generation to generation. It is a tall tale.
Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits:
Presentation: The pictures on one page showed what the other page was describing in the text on the corresponding page. He showed how Paul didn't fit in and how big he was.
Classroom Integration: This book could be used as part of a talltale or folklore unit. This story has been passed on from generation to generation so keeping it going is important to continue teaching future generations about it.
Bookshelf Genre: Traditional Literature
Characteristics that support the genre: The story of Paul Bunyan has been passed down from generation to generation. It is a tall tale.
Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits:
Presentation: The pictures on one page showed what the other page was describing in the text on the corresponding page. He showed how Paul didn't fit in and how big he was.
Classroom Integration: This book could be used as part of a talltale or folklore unit. This story has been passed on from generation to generation so keeping it going is important to continue teaching future generations about it.
July 10, 2017
I love Paul Bunyan and tall tales of all kinds, and this was fun. There are other Paul Bunyan books with better illustrations and a little more humorous story-telling, however. But I'll add it to my collection anyway.
September 12, 2017
Three chapters of stories about Paul are in this picture book. It will be a good addition to our tall tale unit and section in the Media Center.
February 25, 2020
I have yet to find a Paul Bunyan story I like. This, like most others, is so average.
April 25, 2023
This was a cute rendition of Paul Bunyan and Babe, but it was missing anything about carving the Great Lakes (one of my favorite parts of the story!).
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October 12, 2015Title: Paul Bunyan
Author: Stephen Krensky
Illustrator: Craig Orback
Genre: Legend
Theme(s): work, heroes, fitting in, helping others
Opening line/sentence:
Paul Bunyan: A Folklore Hero
Maybe you have heard of Paul Bunyan.
(First line of actual story)
Paul Bunyan was always big.
Brief Book Summary: This story is about Paul Bunyan, who was always a very large kid growing up. He didn’t fit in much but later on found his calling. He worked as a lumberjack alongside his “Elmers” or famous workers. He worked to help for the good of the community, and stay out in cold long winters. Whenever you see a big mountain, or canyon, or river, etc, it probably means Paul Bunyan was there before you were.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Children's Literature
The book is from the "On My Own" series, folklore. Stephen Krensky goes into more details than most retellings of the tall tale about Paul Bunyan. The book is divided into chapters: "Growing Up," "Starting Out," "The Year of Two Winters," and "Moving On." The richly colored illustrations give a sense of seriousness to this tale, especially in the chapters about Paul working as a lumberjack. At the beginning of the book there is an explanation about tall tales and how and why they were created. There is also a description of folklore. At the back of the book there is a list of web sites and books so the reader can learn more about tall tales, folklore, and the traditional life of lumberjacks and loggers. Other books in this series are: Calamity Jane, John Henry, Casey Jones, Mike Fink, and Pecos Bill. This book is a great supplement to the reading curriculum when studying about fact and fiction. Children who loved hearing about Paul Bunyan when they were younger will be glad to read more about him on their own with this book. 2007, Lerner Publishing Group, Ages 4 to 8.
—Liz Rice
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: School Library Journal - School Library Journal
Gr 1-4-These easy readers introduce tall-tale characters from American history. Each two-page opener discusses the nature of folklore and tall tales and is identical from book to book except for a few opening paragraphs devoted to the figure profiled. With simple vocabulary and some dialogue, Krensky gives children a feeling for the characters as well as the flavor of the time and the story's setting. Full-page or full-spread paintings illustrate the texts. Solid purchases.-Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I thought it was interesting how the first review discussed about the different sections the book contains: Growing Up, Starting Out, The Year of Two Winters, and Moving On. This shows children sequences and the in order in which things occur. The second review spoke about how there was simple vocabulary and dialogue within the book, which is something I noticed as well. I think this is a good book to help transition readers into longer books.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: : Paul Bunyan serves as the protagonist in the story. He is always there helping everyone and bettering the environment around him. This story setting mainly takes place in the wilderness, where the lumber camps were and where Paul Bunyan and his Elemers worked.
Consideration of Instructional Application:This could be a great book to use when describing to children about different genres of books. This is a good example of fact and fiction. It can be used as an example to differentiate between the different types of books that are out there.
Author: Stephen Krensky
Illustrator: Craig Orback
Genre: Legend
Theme(s): work, heroes, fitting in, helping others
Opening line/sentence:
Paul Bunyan: A Folklore Hero
Maybe you have heard of Paul Bunyan.
(First line of actual story)
Paul Bunyan was always big.
Brief Book Summary: This story is about Paul Bunyan, who was always a very large kid growing up. He didn’t fit in much but later on found his calling. He worked as a lumberjack alongside his “Elmers” or famous workers. He worked to help for the good of the community, and stay out in cold long winters. Whenever you see a big mountain, or canyon, or river, etc, it probably means Paul Bunyan was there before you were.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Children's Literature
The book is from the "On My Own" series, folklore. Stephen Krensky goes into more details than most retellings of the tall tale about Paul Bunyan. The book is divided into chapters: "Growing Up," "Starting Out," "The Year of Two Winters," and "Moving On." The richly colored illustrations give a sense of seriousness to this tale, especially in the chapters about Paul working as a lumberjack. At the beginning of the book there is an explanation about tall tales and how and why they were created. There is also a description of folklore. At the back of the book there is a list of web sites and books so the reader can learn more about tall tales, folklore, and the traditional life of lumberjacks and loggers. Other books in this series are: Calamity Jane, John Henry, Casey Jones, Mike Fink, and Pecos Bill. This book is a great supplement to the reading curriculum when studying about fact and fiction. Children who loved hearing about Paul Bunyan when they were younger will be glad to read more about him on their own with this book. 2007, Lerner Publishing Group, Ages 4 to 8.
—Liz Rice
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: School Library Journal - School Library Journal
Gr 1-4-These easy readers introduce tall-tale characters from American history. Each two-page opener discusses the nature of folklore and tall tales and is identical from book to book except for a few opening paragraphs devoted to the figure profiled. With simple vocabulary and some dialogue, Krensky gives children a feeling for the characters as well as the flavor of the time and the story's setting. Full-page or full-spread paintings illustrate the texts. Solid purchases.-Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I thought it was interesting how the first review discussed about the different sections the book contains: Growing Up, Starting Out, The Year of Two Winters, and Moving On. This shows children sequences and the in order in which things occur. The second review spoke about how there was simple vocabulary and dialogue within the book, which is something I noticed as well. I think this is a good book to help transition readers into longer books.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: : Paul Bunyan serves as the protagonist in the story. He is always there helping everyone and bettering the environment around him. This story setting mainly takes place in the wilderness, where the lumber camps were and where Paul Bunyan and his Elemers worked.
Consideration of Instructional Application:This could be a great book to use when describing to children about different genres of books. This is a good example of fact and fiction. It can be used as an example to differentiate between the different types of books that are out there.
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October 13, 2015Title: Paul Bunyan
Author: Stephen Krensky
Illustrator: Craig Orback
Genre: Legend
Theme(s): bravery, being yourself
Opening line/sentence: “Maybe you have heard of Paul Bunyan”
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: (Children’s Literature)
The book is from the "On My Own" series, folklore. Stephen Krensky goes into more details than most retellings of the tall tale about Paul Bunyan. The book is divided into chapters: "Growing Up," "Starting Out," "The Year of Two Winters," and "Moving On." The richly colored illustrations give a sense of seriousness to this tale, especially in the chapters about Paul working as a lumberjack. At the beginning of the book there is an explanation about tall tales and how and why they were created. There is also a description of folklore. At the back of the book there is a list of web sites and books so the reader can learn more about tall tales, folklore, and the traditional life of lumberjacks and loggers. Other books in this series are: Calamity Jane, John Henry, Casey Jones, Mike Fink, and Pecos Bill. This book is a great supplement to the reading curriculum when studying about fact and fiction. Children who loved hearing about Paul Bunyan when they were younger will be glad to read more about him on their own with this book. 2007, Lerner Publishing Group, Ages 4 to 8.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: (School Library Journal) Gr 1-4-These easy readers introduce tall-tale characters from American history. Each two-page opener discusses the nature of folklore and tall tales and is identical from book to book except for a few opening paragraphs devoted to the figure profiled. With simple vocabulary and some dialogue, Krensky gives children a feeling for the characters as well as the flavor of the time and the story's setting. Full-page or full-spread paintings illustrate the texts. Solid purchases.-Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both reviews say how this is a great book for elementary school kids to continue learning about a classic legend. The book gives the reader a sense of who Paul Bunyan was a child and as a grown up. I agree that the book is a great resource for an early chapter book reader to want to learn more insight about Paul Bunyan.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The illustrations in the book really help set the tone of the book. The illustrations are detailed photos that describe the words on the page. These illustrations also help create the setting of the book to take place in the forest of Northern United States. The text in the big is pretty big which makes the book appropriate for younger readers. This book also has an introduction page will gives the readers prior knowledge about Paul Bunyan.
Consideration of Instructional Application: This book is a great way to talk about classic American legends in the United States. This version of Paul Bunyan is apart of “on my own Folklore” book series. As a class activity a teacher could use all the books in the collection to teach about the different folklores. This book is a small chapter book and also works on reading skills along with a fun project.
Author: Stephen Krensky
Illustrator: Craig Orback
Genre: Legend
Theme(s): bravery, being yourself
Opening line/sentence: “Maybe you have heard of Paul Bunyan”
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: (Children’s Literature)
The book is from the "On My Own" series, folklore. Stephen Krensky goes into more details than most retellings of the tall tale about Paul Bunyan. The book is divided into chapters: "Growing Up," "Starting Out," "The Year of Two Winters," and "Moving On." The richly colored illustrations give a sense of seriousness to this tale, especially in the chapters about Paul working as a lumberjack. At the beginning of the book there is an explanation about tall tales and how and why they were created. There is also a description of folklore. At the back of the book there is a list of web sites and books so the reader can learn more about tall tales, folklore, and the traditional life of lumberjacks and loggers. Other books in this series are: Calamity Jane, John Henry, Casey Jones, Mike Fink, and Pecos Bill. This book is a great supplement to the reading curriculum when studying about fact and fiction. Children who loved hearing about Paul Bunyan when they were younger will be glad to read more about him on their own with this book. 2007, Lerner Publishing Group, Ages 4 to 8.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: (School Library Journal) Gr 1-4-These easy readers introduce tall-tale characters from American history. Each two-page opener discusses the nature of folklore and tall tales and is identical from book to book except for a few opening paragraphs devoted to the figure profiled. With simple vocabulary and some dialogue, Krensky gives children a feeling for the characters as well as the flavor of the time and the story's setting. Full-page or full-spread paintings illustrate the texts. Solid purchases.-Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both reviews say how this is a great book for elementary school kids to continue learning about a classic legend. The book gives the reader a sense of who Paul Bunyan was a child and as a grown up. I agree that the book is a great resource for an early chapter book reader to want to learn more insight about Paul Bunyan.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The illustrations in the book really help set the tone of the book. The illustrations are detailed photos that describe the words on the page. These illustrations also help create the setting of the book to take place in the forest of Northern United States. The text in the big is pretty big which makes the book appropriate for younger readers. This book also has an introduction page will gives the readers prior knowledge about Paul Bunyan.
Consideration of Instructional Application: This book is a great way to talk about classic American legends in the United States. This version of Paul Bunyan is apart of “on my own Folklore” book series. As a class activity a teacher could use all the books in the collection to teach about the different folklores. This book is a small chapter book and also works on reading skills along with a fun project.
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May 1, 2014Stephen Krensky’s Paul Bunyan is a tall tale that takes you on a journey throughout Paul’s life. As Paul grows up he has nobody to play with until he meets Babe the Blue Ox. Paul becomes a lumberjack and works all over the United States creating several physical landmarks.
Paul Bunyan displays several different characteristics of a traditional literature book. First, this book is a tall tale which is a characteristic of traditional literature. Second, the characters in this book and the situations are extremely exaggerated. Lastly, the book has a strong plot with one dimensional characters, and Paul being the hero. This book is a good text to use when teaching students about inclusion and what an American tall tale is. Furthermore, this larger than life story is great for kindergarten through third graders.
Paul Bunyan displays several different characteristics of a traditional literature book. First, this book is a tall tale which is a characteristic of traditional literature. Second, the characters in this book and the situations are extremely exaggerated. Lastly, the book has a strong plot with one dimensional characters, and Paul being the hero. This book is a good text to use when teaching students about inclusion and what an American tall tale is. Furthermore, this larger than life story is great for kindergarten through third graders.
November 18, 2012
The tall tale fiction story of a man named Paul Bunyan retold by Stephen Krensky and illustrated wonderfully with subdue water colors by Craig Orback introduces a modern book about the tallest and stongest lumberjack man told. The story is exaggerated, but it described the life of many pioneers and workers shared. The story is set infamiliar placesHe was like a hero because he should good deeds in the lumberjack camps. No one could do what he did. he was so strong, he used that ax to the best of his ability. It's a funny book and kid's would love it.
This book would be introduced to third graders in a social studies or history class, introducing the era of lumberjack camps in American and how workers used their hands and tools to cut down trees for materials.
This book would be introduced to third graders in a social studies or history class, introducing the era of lumberjack camps in American and how workers used their hands and tools to cut down trees for materials.
March 10, 2016
This was a wonderful children's book. It started out with a couple of pages to explain what folklore and tall tales are and how they came about. But then the actual story is written in what I would compare to the 'level 3 I Can Read books'. Pages are full of words and has small chapters. Some words are harder than others but I still think a level 3 child could read it on their own. I read it out loud to my special needs teenage son and we both really enjoyed it.
November 16, 2010
My daughter has read most of the books in this series and they have served their purpose. Never again will she ask, "What's a tall tale?" (insert evil librarian mommy laugh)But they are great for her reading level and she liked the pictures.
February 19, 2016
The soft colorful illustrations bring the larger than life adventures of this folk hero off the page. The writing is funny yet easily paced, probably best for a 2nd grade reader. The introduction answers the question "Is this story real?"
December 12, 2011
This book tells the tale of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox.
I would use this book to talk about what is real and what is not.
I would use this book to talk about what is real and what is not.
April 13, 2012
a retelling of a historical tall tale
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December 15, 2012This book is tells a tale of Paul Bunyan and how he finds his friend Babe the Blue Ox.
This book can be used in the classroom for Minnesota History/folklore discussion.
This book can be used in the classroom for Minnesota History/folklore discussion.
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August 10, 2016Traditional--Folktale--Tall Tale
October 7, 2015
Used for a companion text for a mini-lesson on American Tall Tales.
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August 19, 2016Paul Bunyan was larger than life. He ate forty bowls of porridge and it took many storks to carry him. He had a blue ox, Babe, as a pet. He was so big that Minnesota's many lake were created by him!
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January 25, 2017Payton
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March 20, 2018Awesome Book but took too long.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews