Old Granny and The Bean Thief

by Cynthia C. DeFelice
pictures by Cat Bowman Smith
© 2003

The Story

Old Granny loves to eat beans. But when a bean thief comes to her house three nights in a row, she decides to go to town to tell the sheriff. On the way, she meets a snake, a pecan, a prickly pear cactus, an alligator, and a cow poop—all of whom talk to her, of course.

“Old Granny,” each one says, “on your way home, pick me up and put me in your sack. You’ll be glad you did.”

Pick up a cow poop and take it home? “In a pig’s eye!”

**Winner of the 2006 Charlotte Award — New York State Reading Association**

Reviews

“DeFelice reshapes a folktale with with a Southwestern flavor…As in all the variations on ‘Bremen Town Musicians,’ the elaborately drawn-out set-up leads to a quick, rousing climax in which the malefactor (here a raccoon) gets a lesson he won’t soon forget. A fresh take on a reliable crowd-pleaser.” – Kirkus Reviews, August, 2003

“Both text and illustrations carry the visual humor, creating a situation that builds, and then unfolds, like the best of slapstick comedy. This rollicking good story should satisfy young listeners as a tale well told.” – Horn Book, Sept/Oct 2003

“DeFelice takes readers to the backcountry once again with the confident voice of a true teller of tall tales.” – Publishers Weekly, August 11, 2003

“The story is sure to be an easy sell with primary grades (what child can resist a grinning, talking cow patty?) and a welcome addition to storytimes.” – School Library Journal, September 2003

Hardcover
Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux; (August 2003)
ISBN: 0374356149