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Marlon Bundo's Day #1
Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President
From the moment he hopped into the home of America's "Second Family," black-and-white bunny rabbit Marlon Bundo captured the hearts of Vice President Mike Pence, his wife Karen, and his children Michael, Charlotte, and Audrey. But little Marlon Bundo isn't just a family pet: like Peter Rabbit and Bugs Bunny before him, Marlon—or BOTUS (Bunny of the United States)—is a national celebrity! With his appearances at official White House events, his rides on Air Force 2, and his popular Instagram account, Marlon Bundo has become a beloved member of the Trump-Pence administration.
So how does a bunny experience a day in the life of the Vice President? Now young readers can follow Marlon Bundo along as he hops after "Grampa" (Vice President Mike Pence) in this delightful story penned by Charlotte Pence and illustrated faithfully with watercolors from the "Second Lady" herself, Karen Pence.
So how does a bunny experience a day in the life of the Vice President? Now young readers can follow Marlon Bundo along as he hops after "Grampa" (Vice President Mike Pence) in this delightful story penned by Charlotte Pence and illustrated faithfully with watercolors from the "Second Lady" herself, Karen Pence.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published March 19, 2018
About the author
Charlotte Pence
4 books33 followersCharlotte Rose Pence is an American writer who is the middle daughter of the 48th Vice President of the United States Mike Pence. Pence graduated from DePaul University in June of 2016 with a BA in Digital Cinema Screenwriting and English Creative Writing. She also studied abroad at the University of Oxford. She was awarded a Regional Emmy for her work as Assistant Producer and Co-Writer on the documentary, Fleeced. She also directed the documentary For the Records, an interactive documentary that aims to increase understanding of mental health issues.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
April 3, 2018
Okay, I'll admit I bought this book on kindle by mistake, looking for John Oliver's gay-friendly version of this story, and I very much dislike Mike Pence's politics and his stance on glbtq issues, so I wasn't even going to read it, but I just read that Charlotte Pence bought Oliver's book, so in the spirit of good will, I will say a couple things about this book.
Marlon Bundo is the Pence pet bunny, and writing about the life of the Vice President's family is a perfectly fine idea for a children's picture book. The art work is lovely, just fine. The writing, focusing on rhyming, is okay, not as great as I would have hoped from a much published writer, though I will check out some of her other work. The rhythm here is sometimes a bit jarring, and the rhyming seems occasionally forced. The story, meant to in part (see title) inform children about what a vice president actually does, is lacking in the information area, let's just say. Can we at the end, name five things the VP does?! (No). It's just fine, I guess, but who other than Pence fans (and idiots like me) would ever buy the book? Well, as with Oliver's book, the proceeds go to a really admirable charity (Pence's goes to an anti-human trafficking organization), so that's really good.
Marlon Bundo is the Pence pet bunny, and writing about the life of the Vice President's family is a perfectly fine idea for a children's picture book. The art work is lovely, just fine. The writing, focusing on rhyming, is okay, not as great as I would have hoped from a much published writer, though I will check out some of her other work. The rhythm here is sometimes a bit jarring, and the rhyming seems occasionally forced. The story, meant to in part (see title) inform children about what a vice president actually does, is lacking in the information area, let's just say. Can we at the end, name five things the VP does?! (No). It's just fine, I guess, but who other than Pence fans (and idiots like me) would ever buy the book? Well, as with Oliver's book, the proceeds go to a really admirable charity (Pence's goes to an anti-human trafficking organization), so that's really good.
March 20, 2018
Ugh.
Okay, first things first: I do not support the current administration. I disagree with a lot of their policies. That being said, I am putting that aside and reviewing this book for what it is - a kid’s picture book - not a political issue. Second, I did not buy this book. I was able to preview it at work. Third, I only read this because of the latest episode (3/18/18) of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”
Okay, let’s get into this.
Positive: The illustrations are rather good. It adds a pleasant, classic feel to the story. Maybe like “The Velveteen Rabbit” or “Peter Rabbit.” It’s very well done!
What I didn’t like: Can I say everything else? But it’s not for the reasons you think! Promise! I read a lot of picture books for work, and I felt like this floundered in a couple of areas.
First: writing style. Typically with picture books, there is either a rhythm/rhyme scheme or simply fun, vivid descriptions. This was trying to go for the poetic rhymes, but failed. At multiple points in the story, lines of stanzas were either too long or just too short — throwing off the rhythm of the story. Sometimes, the author used the same word to rhyme with the same word — not great. I really think the story would have benefited from just using fun, vivid descriptions that didn’t try to rhyme. Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary for every children’s picture book to rhyme.
Second: What did I learn? Nothing, really. This is supposed to be a book about what a VP does, but it doesn’t really describe anything. Besides learning that the VP votes on things in the Senate, there’s nothing informative or educational in this book. All I learned is that the VP votes on stuff and does ... things! Whatever that means.
2 stars, but only because of the nice illustrations.
Okay, first things first: I do not support the current administration. I disagree with a lot of their policies. That being said, I am putting that aside and reviewing this book for what it is - a kid’s picture book - not a political issue. Second, I did not buy this book. I was able to preview it at work. Third, I only read this because of the latest episode (3/18/18) of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”
Okay, let’s get into this.
Positive: The illustrations are rather good. It adds a pleasant, classic feel to the story. Maybe like “The Velveteen Rabbit” or “Peter Rabbit.” It’s very well done!
What I didn’t like: Can I say everything else? But it’s not for the reasons you think! Promise! I read a lot of picture books for work, and I felt like this floundered in a couple of areas.
First: writing style. Typically with picture books, there is either a rhythm/rhyme scheme or simply fun, vivid descriptions. This was trying to go for the poetic rhymes, but failed. At multiple points in the story, lines of stanzas were either too long or just too short — throwing off the rhythm of the story. Sometimes, the author used the same word to rhyme with the same word — not great. I really think the story would have benefited from just using fun, vivid descriptions that didn’t try to rhyme. Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessary for every children’s picture book to rhyme.
Second: What did I learn? Nothing, really. This is supposed to be a book about what a VP does, but it doesn’t really describe anything. Besides learning that the VP votes on things in the Senate, there’s nothing informative or educational in this book. All I learned is that the VP votes on stuff and does ... things! Whatever that means.
2 stars, but only because of the nice illustrations.
November 1, 2018
While I do and very readily, if not gladly admit that I absolutely and totally despise American Vice President Mike Pence's extreme and reactionary religious fanaticism (as it kind of majorly reminds me of both the Taliban and ISIS, especially with regard to his attitudes about women's rights and his paranoid and totally vile hatred and fear of alternative forms of sexuality), the reason I am giving Charlotte Pence's Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President (which truth be told was an accidental Kindle download) but two stars is first and foremost because the author's writing style, her way of expressing herself leaves more than a bit to be personally desired (namely that Charlotte Pence's rhyming couplets are for the most part awkward and feel rather artificial, forced and pedestrian, leaving a narrative that might indeed present the duties of the VP, but in such a heavy-handed, stilted manner so as to make Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President while not terrible, while not horrible, still rather a majorly tedious and yawn-inducing, not all that pleasureable and not really all that informative reading experience, and even the fact that Karen Pence's accompanying illustrations are indeed sweet and delightful cannot and will not mitigate and change this in any way).
And furthermore (and this has in fact almost made me consider only a one star ranking for Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President), I for one could really have done without the final illustration of the VP with his Bible. Sorry, Mike Pence might well be Christian, and might also be a total Bible thumper, but not every American is Christian or considers himself or herself as being Christian, and since the USA is NOT supposed to be a theocracy in any way (at least not yet) religious evangelising should be a total no-no especially in picture books aimed at younger children (for while that Vice President with his Bible illustration is not really all that much a huge and nasty issue, it did and does make me feel more than a bit personally uncomfortable and cringing, especially considering how much of a religious fundamentalist Mike Pence and his family reportedly are). And before readers now start condemning and considering me an atheist, I will categorically state I am in fact a Christian, that I believe in the existance of a supreme deity, but religious fundamentalism in ANY form, ultra-conservatism, evangelising (and that defnitely includes showing how "faithful" and how "holier than thou" a person somehow is just because he or she regularly reads the Bible) are to and for me at best something uncomfortable and worrisome.
And furthermore (and this has in fact almost made me consider only a one star ranking for Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President), I for one could really have done without the final illustration of the VP with his Bible. Sorry, Mike Pence might well be Christian, and might also be a total Bible thumper, but not every American is Christian or considers himself or herself as being Christian, and since the USA is NOT supposed to be a theocracy in any way (at least not yet) religious evangelising should be a total no-no especially in picture books aimed at younger children (for while that Vice President with his Bible illustration is not really all that much a huge and nasty issue, it did and does make me feel more than a bit personally uncomfortable and cringing, especially considering how much of a religious fundamentalist Mike Pence and his family reportedly are). And before readers now start condemning and considering me an atheist, I will categorically state I am in fact a Christian, that I believe in the existance of a supreme deity, but religious fundamentalism in ANY form, ultra-conservatism, evangelising (and that defnitely includes showing how "faithful" and how "holier than thou" a person somehow is just because he or she regularly reads the Bible) are to and for me at best something uncomfortable and worrisome.
March 20, 2018
I haven’t actually read this book but Mike Pence is an ass clown that spreads hate. Soooo I hate his book. Go read #betterbundobook. That book is amazing!
April 19, 2018
A charming little book featuring the darling pet bunny, Marlon Bundo! Illustrated by the vastly talented Second Lady of the United States, Mrs. Karen Pence's career art therapy is clear in these illustrations, full of soothing and loose watercolors. Written in a loosely rhyming style with some fun facts by the Vice President's gracious daughter, Charlotte Pence. I especially liked the emphasis on Mike Pence's faith and his nightly reading of the Holy Bible.
"At last he gets out his Bible,
And he quietly bows his head.
I place my paw on his hand
For one little prayer before bed.
and I remember how blessed I am
To call his great nation my home."
"At last he gets out his Bible,
And he quietly bows his head.
I place my paw on his hand
For one little prayer before bed.
and I remember how blessed I am
To call his great nation my home."
March 19, 2018
A delightful story!
Charlotte Pence has given us a precious gift - a look at the life of the Vice President's family serving the country in Washington, D.C. from the perspective of her pet, a rabbit named Marlon Bundo. Charlotte's mother, Karen Pence, did a wonderful job illustrating their family as seen from Marlon's perspective. I will be sending this book to the youngsters in our family.
Charlotte Pence has given us a precious gift - a look at the life of the Vice President's family serving the country in Washington, D.C. from the perspective of her pet, a rabbit named Marlon Bundo. Charlotte's mother, Karen Pence, did a wonderful job illustrating their family as seen from Marlon's perspective. I will be sending this book to the youngsters in our family.
May 16, 2018
For the sake of fairness, I thought I should read Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President (You can read my review of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo here). Despite not particularly wanting to financially support a family whose views I find so abhorrent, the proceeds for this picture book do go to a good, non-religious cause so I didn't see any harm in buying an eBook version of it. I am going to review this as I would any other book, putting aside any political views I may have, and the verdict is simply that it's....not good.
Writing children's books is hard. They have to be short, convey a lot in their restrictive length, have good characterisation, likeable characters, and have excellent pacing and flow. This has none of those things. Charlotte Pence has utilised a forced rhyming scheme that has no rhythm. She even breaks the cardinal rule of rhyming certain words with themselves. There are no vivid descriptions to draw the reader in, and we are given no sense of the book's inherent purpose. The title suggests that children will be given an informative view of what the Vice President's job entails. The book shares nothing about that. If I, as an adult reading this can't tell you a single thing that the VP does during an average day at his job apart from attending meetings, then what hope does a pre-reading-age child have of gleaning anything from it?
The book's one saving grace is the illustrations. Karen Pence did a wonderful job of illustrating this. It had a very classic feel, one that isn't seen very often in picture books these days. They were painstakingly and lovingly created, and the one reason why I gave this two stars.
As a piece of children's literature, this falls very short of the mark. Not much research went into how to write for children, and I would, objectively, not recommend Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President, not when there are so many wonderful children's picture books out there.
Writing children's books is hard. They have to be short, convey a lot in their restrictive length, have good characterisation, likeable characters, and have excellent pacing and flow. This has none of those things. Charlotte Pence has utilised a forced rhyming scheme that has no rhythm. She even breaks the cardinal rule of rhyming certain words with themselves. There are no vivid descriptions to draw the reader in, and we are given no sense of the book's inherent purpose. The title suggests that children will be given an informative view of what the Vice President's job entails. The book shares nothing about that. If I, as an adult reading this can't tell you a single thing that the VP does during an average day at his job apart from attending meetings, then what hope does a pre-reading-age child have of gleaning anything from it?
The book's one saving grace is the illustrations. Karen Pence did a wonderful job of illustrating this. It had a very classic feel, one that isn't seen very often in picture books these days. They were painstakingly and lovingly created, and the one reason why I gave this two stars.
As a piece of children's literature, this falls very short of the mark. Not much research went into how to write for children, and I would, objectively, not recommend Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President, not when there are so many wonderful children's picture books out there.
May 10, 2018
4.75 carrots
What a cute little book, about a bunny (that looks just like Goober a bunny I had) and his day at the White House.
It's a children's book not a political book. There is no mention of Republicans or Democrats. There is talk of carrot eating and tail wagging, I see from the low rating some folks may have been offended by this. Again it's a children's book, so...
There is no real moral like some kid's books I've read but it does provide some information to teach kids about where the US President and VP live and work. It's mostly basic information that would be the same for any President and VP regardless of party affiliation.
It was cute - Marlon Bundo made me smile. That's what I, a sometimes adult, want from a kid's book.
Note: I have read this book. I see a few reviews were made by people that never bothered to read the book. That's a shame.
What a cute little book, about a bunny (that looks just like Goober a bunny I had) and his day at the White House.
It's a children's book not a political book. There is no mention of Republicans or Democrats. There is talk of carrot eating and tail wagging, I see from the low rating some folks may have been offended by this. Again it's a children's book, so...
There is no real moral like some kid's books I've read but it does provide some information to teach kids about where the US President and VP live and work. It's mostly basic information that would be the same for any President and VP regardless of party affiliation.
It was cute - Marlon Bundo made me smile. That's what I, a sometimes adult, want from a kid's book.
Note: I have read this book. I see a few reviews were made by people that never bothered to read the book. That's a shame.
March 21, 2018
Delightful
Beautiful prose with rhyming words to describe the day in the life of the Vice President through the eyes of the Second Bunny. Beautiful watercolor illustrations grace the book. Wonderful of Mrs. Pence and her daughter to take their time to write and illustrate a book for children and proceeds will be donated to charity.
Beautiful prose with rhyming words to describe the day in the life of the Vice President through the eyes of the Second Bunny. Beautiful watercolor illustrations grace the book. Wonderful of Mrs. Pence and her daughter to take their time to write and illustrate a book for children and proceeds will be donated to charity.
March 22, 2018
Did you know —
* that Vice President Mike Pence was Governor of Indiana prior to becoming VP?
* that the Pence family has a pet rabbit named Marlon Bundo?
* that VP Pence’s wife Karen is an artist and former art teacher?
* that their daughter Charlotte recently wrote a book from Marlon Bundo’s perspective?
From the time I learned that "Marlon Bundo’s A Day in the Life of The Vice President" would be coming out, I wanted a copy. It arrived this week, and I love it.
I have followed Marlon Bundo on Instagram for a while. And after trying to pose one of our rabbits with the book, I have a new appreciation for the way Marlon apparently poses calmly with all manner of things (although my daughter suggested that Charlotte Pence’s pricey camera probably has a lot to do with that).
Anyway, Mrs. Pence has done the watercolor illustrations for this book. They’re lovely. One page even shows a Hoosier landscape painted by a Hoosier artist, which hangs in Pence’s real-life office. Charlotte writes the book’s simple rhyming verse, which takes Marlon through a day following VP Pence on his duties. The rhymes could be a bit better, which is why I rate the book 4 rather than 5 stars.
My favorite illustration in the book shows the little bunny sitting outside the White House doors. I also love the way the book ends with VP Pence reading his Bible and praying, as he apparently does in real life. Marlon is there too!
As I looked up this book at Goodreads and Amazon, I was dismayed to see many negative reviews, most not referencing the book’s content at all, but mocking Pence for his beliefs. And there is a book at Amazon which looks very similar to this one (honestly I would think it could give rise to a lawsuit), but which mocks the Pence family again, as the rabbit in that book is “gay.” Sigh. The times we live in …
I love this book and would recommend it to you if you like the Pence family. It would also make a nice intro to Washington for any child.
* that Vice President Mike Pence was Governor of Indiana prior to becoming VP?
* that the Pence family has a pet rabbit named Marlon Bundo?
* that VP Pence’s wife Karen is an artist and former art teacher?
* that their daughter Charlotte recently wrote a book from Marlon Bundo’s perspective?
From the time I learned that "Marlon Bundo’s A Day in the Life of The Vice President" would be coming out, I wanted a copy. It arrived this week, and I love it.
I have followed Marlon Bundo on Instagram for a while. And after trying to pose one of our rabbits with the book, I have a new appreciation for the way Marlon apparently poses calmly with all manner of things (although my daughter suggested that Charlotte Pence’s pricey camera probably has a lot to do with that).
Anyway, Mrs. Pence has done the watercolor illustrations for this book. They’re lovely. One page even shows a Hoosier landscape painted by a Hoosier artist, which hangs in Pence’s real-life office. Charlotte writes the book’s simple rhyming verse, which takes Marlon through a day following VP Pence on his duties. The rhymes could be a bit better, which is why I rate the book 4 rather than 5 stars.
My favorite illustration in the book shows the little bunny sitting outside the White House doors. I also love the way the book ends with VP Pence reading his Bible and praying, as he apparently does in real life. Marlon is there too!
As I looked up this book at Goodreads and Amazon, I was dismayed to see many negative reviews, most not referencing the book’s content at all, but mocking Pence for his beliefs. And there is a book at Amazon which looks very similar to this one (honestly I would think it could give rise to a lawsuit), but which mocks the Pence family again, as the rabbit in that book is “gay.” Sigh. The times we live in …
I love this book and would recommend it to you if you like the Pence family. It would also make a nice intro to Washington for any child.
March 20, 2018
Beautifully written story. Amazing illustrations!
This book is a cute story about a day in the life of the vice president. It is well written with humor and facts. The pictures are very beautiful and really add to the books charm. Thanks for sharing this gem of a book.
This book is a cute story about a day in the life of the vice president. It is well written with humor and facts. The pictures are very beautiful and really add to the books charm. Thanks for sharing this gem of a book.
May 8, 2018
I enjoyed this book very much. Told from the point of view of a bunny rabbit, Pence presents a believable animal voice. It's common to find children's books where the animals talk like people, but this bunny maintains his light tone throughout. Marlon Bundo doesn't understand all the workings of political office—he doesn't need to—and he narrates the things he sees. This technique works very well for the topic: the vice president's job would be a difficult concept to explain to small children, but this story avoids getting bogged down in unnecessary detail. We follow "Grandpa" as he meets different people and moves from place to place. Kids can get a sense of the vice president as someone who is active, who is a liaison between the president and other politicians, who works with the press, and who—in this case—loves animals. Although it works a little hard for the rhyme in some places, the book is sweet without being saccharine, and the beautiful illustrations add a great deal. Extra information in the back is a nice plus. Unexpectedly charming.
May 6, 2018
All politics aside, this isn't a very good children's book. The idea of a bunny going to work is amusing, but the book lacks a sense of fun, wonder, or joy -- there's nothing in here to appeal to a child. It's basically about going to work. The artwork is passable, but there are way too many places where there's a missed opportunity to show something interesting. For example, at one point we see the rabbit looking off a patio and told he can see the Washington Monument and lots of student tours. Why not show that? Later there's a bit where the rabbit goes and looks through a telescope and thinks he sees Mars, but the reader just gets a boring image of a telescope -- a missed opportunity, I think for the visual humor of a rabbit looking into it. Not a book I would buy for any of my friends with kids.
March 23, 2018
A Caveat: Although I'm Canadian, I do not and will never support many of the things that the current (Trump) administration stands for. However, I could separate my political views and push it aside to review a children's picture book.
Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President is a children's picture book written by Charlotte Pence and illustrated by Karen Pence which focus on their family pet rabbit, Marlon Bundo, and through his eyes, we are to learn what the role of the Vice President of the United States of America is all about.
Charlotte Pence's text is simplistic and easy to understand and demonstrated what the Vice President does in his role in the Federal Government – it is very informative and somewhat entertaining. However there are some rhyming and rhythmic problems in some parts of the text, which makes the flow inconsistent. Karen Pence's art is simply wonderful and colorful, which keeps the young reader captivated and reminiscent of watercolor paintings.
All in all, Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President is a wonderful children's book targeted for the young and to teach them about politics – especially the role of Vice President, through an allegoric story of their pet rabbit – Marlon Bundo.
Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President is a children's picture book written by Charlotte Pence and illustrated by Karen Pence which focus on their family pet rabbit, Marlon Bundo, and through his eyes, we are to learn what the role of the Vice President of the United States of America is all about.
Charlotte Pence's text is simplistic and easy to understand and demonstrated what the Vice President does in his role in the Federal Government – it is very informative and somewhat entertaining. However there are some rhyming and rhythmic problems in some parts of the text, which makes the flow inconsistent. Karen Pence's art is simply wonderful and colorful, which keeps the young reader captivated and reminiscent of watercolor paintings.
All in all, Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President is a wonderful children's book targeted for the young and to teach them about politics – especially the role of Vice President, through an allegoric story of their pet rabbit – Marlon Bundo.
March 25, 2018
Adorable! And I got my copies just in time for Easter baskets! What a fun journey through the White House and with the most gorgeous illustrations. Very pleased!
May 14, 2018
Marlon Bundo is a bunny with an important job. As “Bunny of the United States,” he helps out whenever he can, accompanying his grandpa, the vice-president. But an even more important job is teaching children a bit about the vice-president’s job, and what a day at work is like. Told in rhyme and illustrated with lovely watercolor drawings, children will get a glimpse of what the vice-president does, charming told by a beautiful bunny. This is a book that children will like and adults will appreciate.
April 4, 2018
I found out about this book on Jon Oliver. His book is on request from the library but I read this one at Wal-mart because I was stranded there for 2.5 hours.
I did not go into this book with a political agenda. I went into this book thinking "How well a kid would like this".
I thought it was super cute and I think Mike Pence's wife is super talented with the illustrations. I think any kid would like it no matter what their parents are.
Who doesn't like a bunny?
I did not go into this book with a political agenda. I went into this book thinking "How well a kid would like this".
I thought it was super cute and I think Mike Pence's wife is super talented with the illustrations. I think any kid would like it no matter what their parents are.
Who doesn't like a bunny?
November 4, 2018
Marlon Bundo, the cute little black and white bunny companion of the vice presidential family, narrates this sing-song narrative about a day in the life of his 'Grandpa,' Vice President Mike Pence. From waking up at their home in the Naval Observatory, through many meetings in various important government buildings - the West Wing of the White House, the EEOB (Eisenhower Executive Office Building), etc. - to the evening reading of the Bible, Marlon Bundo follows the Vice President from dawn until dusk...
I would in all likelihood never have picked up Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President were it not for the subsequent publication of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo , a satirical picture-book dreamt up by television host John Oliver (written by Jill Twiss) as a parody of Charlotte and Karen Pence's book. Objecting to (among other things) the Vice President's beliefs surrounding LGBT issues, Oliver decided to create a cute bunny book celebrating same sex marriage, using the Pence family pet as the eponymous main character. Because I had ethical concerns about the nature of the Oliver project, as a political act - I mentioned in my review of that other book that I do not care for attacks on political opponents by means of their families - I was inclined to be sympathetic to the mother-daughter team who created this original Marlon Bundo book. I was also curious to see how their story stacked up against the parody, when judged independently (so far as such things are possible, in this day) from politics. After all, I found A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo quite charming, when examined solely as a picture-book. With this in mind, I tracked down a copy of the Pences' book from my public library system.
My conclusion, after reading through it, is that it is a disappointing, rather lackluster tale. Although I do agree with many other online reviewers, that illustrator Karen Pence's watercolor artwork here is quite lovely, that is really the only thing I enjoyed about the book. Charlotte Pence's text is clunky, with an awkward rhythm and forced-feeling rhymes: "We pull up to the White House West Wing. / This is where the vice president works. / And I hop down the hall to his office. / To see which meeting is first." The story itself is boring, which seems astonishing to me, given the subject matter. I don't think I've ever really considered just what it is the vice president does (other than serve as a tie-breaker in the Senate), but if appealed to, I might have come up with the idea of having lots of important meetings all by myself. Surely a book specifically about the role of the vice president can come up with something a little less vague than the events chronicled here? Unsuccessful, both as a poetic narrative meant to entertain, and as an informational book meant to clarify the vice president's job, this is not really a title that I would recommend. I suspect that its sole interest for readers, in years to come, will be as an artifact illuminating the way that politics and children's literature intersected, in this era.
I would in all likelihood never have picked up Marlon Bundo's Day in the Life of the Vice President were it not for the subsequent publication of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo , a satirical picture-book dreamt up by television host John Oliver (written by Jill Twiss) as a parody of Charlotte and Karen Pence's book. Objecting to (among other things) the Vice President's beliefs surrounding LGBT issues, Oliver decided to create a cute bunny book celebrating same sex marriage, using the Pence family pet as the eponymous main character. Because I had ethical concerns about the nature of the Oliver project, as a political act - I mentioned in my review of that other book that I do not care for attacks on political opponents by means of their families - I was inclined to be sympathetic to the mother-daughter team who created this original Marlon Bundo book. I was also curious to see how their story stacked up against the parody, when judged independently (so far as such things are possible, in this day) from politics. After all, I found A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo quite charming, when examined solely as a picture-book. With this in mind, I tracked down a copy of the Pences' book from my public library system.
My conclusion, after reading through it, is that it is a disappointing, rather lackluster tale. Although I do agree with many other online reviewers, that illustrator Karen Pence's watercolor artwork here is quite lovely, that is really the only thing I enjoyed about the book. Charlotte Pence's text is clunky, with an awkward rhythm and forced-feeling rhymes: "We pull up to the White House West Wing. / This is where the vice president works. / And I hop down the hall to his office. / To see which meeting is first." The story itself is boring, which seems astonishing to me, given the subject matter. I don't think I've ever really considered just what it is the vice president does (other than serve as a tie-breaker in the Senate), but if appealed to, I might have come up with the idea of having lots of important meetings all by myself. Surely a book specifically about the role of the vice president can come up with something a little less vague than the events chronicled here? Unsuccessful, both as a poetic narrative meant to entertain, and as an informational book meant to clarify the vice president's job, this is not really a title that I would recommend. I suspect that its sole interest for readers, in years to come, will be as an artifact illuminating the way that politics and children's literature intersected, in this era.
March 21, 2018
Great little non-fiction book!
This is a really nice non-fiction book for smaller children. Informative and entertaining, it will hold Mom's or Dad's attention too. My kids loved the lovely pictures of Marlon Bundo visiting important locations with VP Pence, or "Grandpa". Pay no attention to the one-star reviewers. It is worth the read and it benefits a worthwhile cause. Thank you Ms. Pence and Mrs. Pence!
This is a really nice non-fiction book for smaller children. Informative and entertaining, it will hold Mom's or Dad's attention too. My kids loved the lovely pictures of Marlon Bundo visiting important locations with VP Pence, or "Grandpa". Pay no attention to the one-star reviewers. It is worth the read and it benefits a worthwhile cause. Thank you Ms. Pence and Mrs. Pence!
March 22, 2018
This book is adorable! I bought it because I'm a bunny rescuer myself, and I love following Marlon's adventures on Instagram. Following a day in the life of the vice president through the eyes of a rabbit is a cute way to teach little kids about the vice president's job. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous.
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March 20, 20180 stars. 🌈
October 30, 2018
A charming book about a day in the life of a very famous and cute bunny. The illustrations were beautiful too.
May 20, 2018
The rhyme... terrible. Not witty. Often forced. The meter is also terrible. On a plot level, it's boring. I was open-minded, but I ended up unimpressed. I like some rhyming verse. This was not well written.
June 2, 2018
I'm giving the book a 4 because I actually liked it. I hate Pence, but I loved the artwork. It's a lovely book that has an unfortunate last page and an unfortunate author. But I love rabbits, and Marlon Bundo is very pretty.
March 31, 2018
Kind of boring especially in light of the other Marlon Bundo book.
July 15, 2018
Fake news.
December 28, 2018
2.5 This describes a day in the life of the vice president from the perspective of their bunny. The bunny is darling and it was fun to see so many of the sights of D.C. after just visiting a few months ago. But it felt more like a list than a real glimpse into the day. The vice president meets with the President, presides over a vote in the Senate, visits the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and so on. It is educational but I guess I wished that greater detail would have been given on the purpose or the exact duties performed in these places. For example, maybe describe a bit of the conversation between the president and vice president or explain what they were voting on in the Senate or something that helps readers see what a vice president does and why his role is important.
March 22, 2018
While I'm not a fan of the current administration, I am a fan of bunnies. It may be too much to hope that Marlon Bundo, BOTUS (Bun of the United States) can unite our very conflicted nation. In this picture book, Marlon follows "grandpa" (Mike Pence, Vice President) through a typical day - visiting various offices and buildings and meeting people. It's a brief overview of what the Vice President does, but seems spot on for its audience, who will enjoy the watercolor illustrations and Marlon's verse narration of his day. It's hard to resist this bunny, who seems excited about his day and loves to be with his people. Maybe Marlon Bundo should have a bigger role in Washington!
June 25, 2018
I tried to not give it a one. Because I feel bad a sweet kids book is only being read by ?p
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2018
Absolutely delightful book with beautiful illustrations! And the Bunny is darling as he explores and follows the VP around the residence.
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