mallorykjorgensen's review against another edition
Awards Won: Corretta Scott King Award
Age Level: 9-12
This book starts off the way many good books do, and should, especially biographies: with a solid action sequence that pulls the reader in and sets the tone of what the story that follows is about. In Bad News for Outlaws this sequence is a showdown between Reeves and Jim Webb that ends with the lawman shooting his quarry but gaining the man's respect at the same time. There's the action of a chase, a mini lesson in right and wrong, and the theme that will carry throughout that Reeves was as honest and true a man as the West ever created. The illustrations beautifully capture the essence of the story. This is a great representation of The Corretta Scott King award, which chooses books that are written by African American authors who write a story that represents their culture and history. These books must provide a deeper understanding and appreciation of the American dream. Nelson's story beautifully fulfills this requirement while sharing the story of Bass Reeves.
Age Level: 9-12
This book starts off the way many good books do, and should, especially biographies: with a solid action sequence that pulls the reader in and sets the tone of what the story that follows is about. In Bad News for Outlaws this sequence is a showdown between Reeves and Jim Webb that ends with the lawman shooting his quarry but gaining the man's respect at the same time. There's the action of a chase, a mini lesson in right and wrong, and the theme that will carry throughout that Reeves was as honest and true a man as the West ever created. The illustrations beautifully capture the essence of the story. This is a great representation of The Corretta Scott King award, which chooses books that are written by African American authors who write a story that represents their culture and history. These books must provide a deeper understanding and appreciation of the American dream. Nelson's story beautifully fulfills this requirement while sharing the story of Bass Reeves.
owlette's review against another edition
3.0
Some of the illustrated pictures felt redundant, but the prose was fun to read and would be more fun to hear it read out loud by a narrator with the right accent.
micah_thelibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
4.0
A children's picture book biography. Not especially well written or well drawn. But the figure covered is so compelling that it quite makes up for it. So this is an okay book about a very interesting but seemingly forgotten figure. Too many words for a pure picture book. Not quite enough details for an older reader book. 3.5 of 5.
olliesbooksnbeads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
pwbalto's review against another edition
3.0
I am pretty close to loving this book. I love that Bass Reeves was a real guy, a tall black man with a bushy mustache and a deputy's star, way back when in Indian Territory. Roustin' outlaws and all that. I love that this story shows the flip side of Little House on the Prairie. And MOST of the time, I love the tone. I love the swagger of the Western lingo the author is setting down. But she's inconsistent in its use, and some of the now-obscure terms (Bass Reeves is said to have "forked" his horse, which means that he sat on it) that she uses, which are helpfully explained in a glossary, are not bolded in the text, which means you have no idea that any help is on offer.
I am also not wild about the illustrations. The painterly, rough style works in some places but makes the pictures hard to read in others. The palette is also, I think, unnecessarily muddy. LOVE the cover though.
All praise to Vaunda Micheaux Nelson for bringing us this terrific story. I hate to say a word agin' it.
I am also not wild about the illustrations. The painterly, rough style works in some places but makes the pictures hard to read in others. The palette is also, I think, unnecessarily muddy. LOVE the cover though.
All praise to Vaunda Micheaux Nelson for bringing us this terrific story. I hate to say a word agin' it.
abigailbat's review against another edition
4.0
This picture book biography tells the little-known story of Bass Reeves, a deputy marshal in the Wild West. In a time and place where outlaws and bandits terrorized people, Reeves arrested more than three thousand men and women, avoiding violence if at all possible. With plenty of Wild West action in addition to biographical information, this book combines kid appeal with literary merit. I still don't particularly care for Christie's illustrations, though.
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/02/book-review-bad-news-for-outlaws.html
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/02/book-review-bad-news-for-outlaws.html
libraryrobin's review against another edition
4.0
Great bio of a forgotten hero of the old west. Lots of colorful jargon and an illustration with very interesting perspective - staring down the barrel of the lawman's gun (a view not often seen in a picture book)