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A review by bwluvs2read
Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs
5.0
Angelica Longrider was born to do big things. Even though she did build her first cabin until she was two years old, Angel, as she is nicknamed by fellow pioneers, quickly earns legendary status by rescuing mud-stuck wagons, putting out cabin fires, and preventing floods. However, when a fearsome beast, a bear named Thundering Tarnation, threatens the well-being of the community, Angel quickly takes matters into her own Paul Bunyan-sized hands and battles the bear to the death. Their land-altering conflict creates the Smoky Mountains and bear constellation, but ends with Angel defeating the bear and winning his majestic pelt. The story ends with a fabulous feast, and Angel’s celebration of her achievements.
Anne Isaacs’ first picture book, Swamp Angel, demands a giant amount of attention and consideration in her adaptation of an American tall tale. The story’s focus on a female character and female heroism is refreshing while the strength of the story lies in humorous exaggeration and breath-taking action. Readers will be entranced as Angel and the bear tangle back and forth. Isaacs’ use of idioms and expressions, such as “varmint” “Thundering Tarnation” “dewdrops on corn”, are fun to read and lend themselves to a pleasurably drawled read aloud. Overall, the telling of the story is authentic and refreshing, like a breath of Tennessee mountain air.
Paul Zelinski’s wood-veneer paints are a worthy companion to Angel’s broad story. Painted in a primitive American-style, the pages bring to mind detailed Colonial-style works as well as the calming Americana scenes of Edward Hopper. The pages are full of details that will engage and delight the reader: time should be taken in any reading of this book to fully appreciate the the expression of the characters and details of their lives. Period dress and pioneer culture find accurate representation: coonskin caps and prairie dresses abound.
Isaacs draws attention to tall-tale that deserves just as much attention as Paul Bunyan, John Henry, and Pecos Bill. Angel takes the stage in a way that all readers will love younger readers will enjoy the illustrations and action while older readers will value the illustrations, action, and the story’s central message: having a big heart leads to big things.
Anne Isaacs’ first picture book, Swamp Angel, demands a giant amount of attention and consideration in her adaptation of an American tall tale. The story’s focus on a female character and female heroism is refreshing while the strength of the story lies in humorous exaggeration and breath-taking action. Readers will be entranced as Angel and the bear tangle back and forth. Isaacs’ use of idioms and expressions, such as “varmint” “Thundering Tarnation” “dewdrops on corn”, are fun to read and lend themselves to a pleasurably drawled read aloud. Overall, the telling of the story is authentic and refreshing, like a breath of Tennessee mountain air.
Paul Zelinski’s wood-veneer paints are a worthy companion to Angel’s broad story. Painted in a primitive American-style, the pages bring to mind detailed Colonial-style works as well as the calming Americana scenes of Edward Hopper. The pages are full of details that will engage and delight the reader: time should be taken in any reading of this book to fully appreciate the the expression of the characters and details of their lives. Period dress and pioneer culture find accurate representation: coonskin caps and prairie dresses abound.
Isaacs draws attention to tall-tale that deserves just as much attention as Paul Bunyan, John Henry, and Pecos Bill. Angel takes the stage in a way that all readers will love younger readers will enjoy the illustrations and action while older readers will value the illustrations, action, and the story’s central message: having a big heart leads to big things.