Truman's Aunt Farm: A Funny Picture Book About the Ants and Aunts Mix-Up for Kids

by Jama Kim Rattigan, G. Brian Karas (Illustrator)

When Truman sends away for an ant farm and aunts begin arriving at his doorstep instead, he takes the situation in hand by creating a farm that trains aunts.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, 1st Grade, Read For School

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 1994

Reviews

[morri · Rating 5 out of 5]

<3 <3 <3

[— nova · Rating 4 out of 5]

a couple weeks ago one of my sisters sent this to me as a way of telling me she was pregnant a & I finally got around to reading it. it was very adorable and i’ll definitely save it to read to my own future hypothetical children :)


the only thing is, i’m sad truman never actually got an ant farm :P

also: where are truman’s parents?

[Douglas Florian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across Truman's Aunt Farm by fellow blogger and gourmet Jama Kim Rattigan with great AUNTicipation, being a glutton for PUNishment, and sure enough I found this a delightful tale of a boy blessed with an abundance of aunts in his AUNT, not ANT farm. The AUNTics are complimented by the dAUNTing illustrations of G. BriAUNT Karas, one of my favorite artists. All is resolved by the AUNTsy AUNTagonist without resorting to an AUNTeater, AUNTagonizing the AUNTS, or moving to AUNTartica.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tuman receives an ant farm to arrive via post for his birthday from his Aunt Fran. To his dismay, instead of ants, aunts begin to arrive. Truman does his best to care for them until he has 200 aunts. Then he has to find some other solution. A charming, feel-good read.

This book is vaguely familiar. I think it is a book I read when I was a kid. Still just as funny, if not funnier now that I am an Aunt. Buying this for my nephew!

[Audra Gayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

My little brother Courage picked out this book for me to read. It's a cute story about Truman and the interesting gift that his aunt gave him.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good one if you're an aunt, or the parent of a child who has aunts. Cute story!

[Marita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it all, said the favorite aunt.

[Bekkah Riecke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know some kids who would go nuts for this book. Excellently written in kid friendly language and funny in ways that kids of varying ages will understand. Clearly, it could be used to talk about homophones, but it could really be used in many different ways. There could be a creative writing prompt about two homophones that the students often mix up, you could talk about division by writing word problems about finding out how many aunts each kid could have if all two hundred were divided evenly among the class. This is definitely one I will purchase for my classroom library.

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truman's clever aunt Fran sends him an Aunt Farm instead of an ant farm. Truman makes the most of this and trains his aunts to be the best they possible can. When their number grows too large, he offers them to other boys and girls who will provide good homes for them. Charming!

Illustrations are fun.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quirky play on words when Truman awaits his special ant farm present from his favorite aunt. What he gets is not at all what he ask for, but then again some of the best gifts aren't. Great read aloud for grades K-2nd.

[Peggy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Punny... I mean funny! hee, hee. Hey, I like this one. It's silly and fun and told in a dry-serious tone that really tickles kids' funny bones.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book about a boy who gets an AUNT farm for his birthday. He takes care of them at his house. Cute story - very original.

[Jaclyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Yes it is a kids book but it was so much fun.

[Amy Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

just a very cute story

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tried reading this to my boys, but since I've always taught them to say "aunt" and not "ant", they didn't think the book was funny. It was disappointing to them.

[Scott Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story built on two homophones and chiasm.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truman thinks he is getting an "ant" farm for a present from his Aunt Fran. Then the "aunts" start arriving. Funny and cute.

[Sarah Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so much fun.

Truman is such a good sport. His Aunt Fran is really eccentric but he takes it in stride.

Just one question though... Where are Truman's parents?!

[Mortis Boys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this. It was cute. However, the boy said "I didn't like that" after I read it.