Mary Skillings Prigger

Aunt Minnie and the Twister was written by Mary Skillings Prigger and was published in 2002 by Clarion. It is classified as a realistic fiction book.One of the traits of realistic fiction is “a story that could happen to people and animals” (146). For example, in this story a tornado comes and ruins the families land and house. This is relatable to children because tornadoes happen regularly and some children have even been through destruction that tornadoes can bring. Another quality of a realistic fiction includes that “ realistic fictions often convey values such as kindness and generosity and teach moral lessons” (147”). Specifically, in the story Aunt Minnie and the twister, Aunt Minnie shows deep love for her nieces and nephews whom she takes in and treats them like her own children. This story also teaches the lesson that things can not keep people content, but only the love of others can bring true happiness. Lastly, realistic fiction stories should be believable (147). This story is very believable because it takes place in Kansas which is a real place, and also the main event of the story is how a tornado comes and damages their house and land, which is also realistic.

In the book Aunt Minnie and the Twister, Aunt Minnie takes in her nine nieces and nephews and they all live in a house together in Kansas. Aunt Minnie teaches them things like how to farm, cook, and take care of each other. One spring day a tornado comes and messes up everything. However, Aunt Minnie and her nieces and nephews work together to get everything back in order. At the end of the day, they all realize that the relationship and bond that their family shares is all that matters.
This book does a great job catching the reader's attention by its warm and humorous story. It teaches a lesson of how important relationships are which is a very strong aspect of the book. Also, the illustrations are very bright and colorful and do a good job with tying in the story. Specifically, I think this book would be good for all children grades third -sixth. Children can relate to this story because it is about tornadoes, and the relationship between an aunt and her nieces and nephews.… (mais)

Minnie McGranahan was a little old woman who had routines every day. She had particular ways of doing chores and duties each day; she called it a system. Everyone in town knew that Minnie had a system, and wondered if she did have children how they would fit into her system. On certain days she washed clothes, other days she baked, other days she sewed, and every day she fed the chickens, cows, and horse. She received message one day that she would take in her nine nieces and nephews from North Dakota. Everyone in town gossiped about how Minnie will handle them. Minnie impressed everyone giving each child-divided by young, middle, and oldest- chores. Some would do the farm feeding, some would sew, some would make soup, and some would help with bathing and doing laundry. The children were kept clean, tidy, and proper. Minnie proved everyone wrong. She did love children and knew how to discipline them. Even when the kids grew up and left her neat and tidy home, they returned with their families to see Minnie and follow the rules of hugging.… (mais)

This is the sequel to Aunt Minnie McGranahan, a book that always makes me cry (in a good way).

Like the first book, this book includes several interesting pages of description of Aunt Minnie's system and the routines of living on a farm. Then it gets to the meat of the story - a tornado comes, the family huddles together in the storm shelter, and when it's all over they see that their house has been turned right around!

So, they add a new room to the house and make the front the back, and the family reaffirms its togetherness.

It's a very touching story. Maybe not quite as good as the first book, but then, that book is in a class of its own.… (mais)