“Rattlesnake Jam” is a fun romp told in rhyme. Can Pa persuade crazy old Gran to bake him a rattlesnake pie? Or, will Gran slice up every rattler he catches for her jam – a concoction she promises will cure everything from gout to wheeze.
MY NEW PICTURE BOOK: Rattlesnake Jam is now published. You can get it in paper, as well as CD or download.- BUY autographed copies direct from my website.
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing. Kevin Scott Collier did the illustrations - Gran, Pa and the snakes look wild, wacky, and fun! Kevin captures it all, and his illustrations make the characters jump off the page.
Go to the My OTHER BOOKS page on my website for further details. Link to "Gran's Kitchen: for gross rattler recipes, or have fun with a coloring sheet or a Rattlesnake Jam puzzle. Win an autographed copy with the best story about YOUR encounter with a rattlesnake!
Professional Reviews
Mayra Calvani - American Chronicle
Rattlesnake Jam is a hilariously funny children’s picture book about an old couple who share an irresistible affection for rattlesnakes. There’s only one problem: While Pa would rather have the rattlesnakes turned into fritters or pie, old Gran prefers them turned into jam… disgustingly green, sweetened, gooey rattlesnake jam!
So no matter how cold the weather is, there goes brave Pa hunting after the snakes. And as he hunts them, he fantasizes about the various ways Gran could cook them—hot on a plate, fried, sliced on white rice, hmmm… But no way will his dreams ever become a reality, for as readers will learn “…snake cooked for Pa was not in Gran’s plan. She dreamed of them sweetened and made into jam.” Though Gran swears her special jam can cure colds, gout and wheeze, not to mention “troublesome knees”, everyone dislikes the taste of her ghastly creation. Will Gran ever stop? And what would happen to Pa, if she ever did?
Colliers’s colorful, wacky illustrations complement Finke’s humorous rhyme perfectly. Gran is grossly comical with her toothless grin, warts, bell pepper nose, and tough exterior. The reader will feel sorry for Pa, who seems completely under Gran’s control. The book has 28 pages in all, and each story page has an illustration with a short text at the bottom—a two or four line rhyme, like this one:
Drop in chunky slices, stir well with a spoon.
Add mysterious spices! Gran hummed a wild tune.
The way to Gran’s heart was through rattlers galore—
Making rattler jam bubble, ‘til it flowed on the floor.
The song-like cadence will be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Snakes are reptiles that inspire both fear and fascination, especially in children, and it was clever of the author to use them as victims instead of villains in this book. This is a fine addition to Finke’s series of rhyming books about animals. Whimsical and amusing, Rattlesnake Jam is one of those books young children will beg their parents to read to them again and again.
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