Book Review-

 

 

Bibliography:

Isaacs, A. (2000). SWAMP ANGEL (P. Zelinski, Ill.). Puffin Books.

 

 

Plot Summary:

In this entertaining, inspiring folktale Isaacs creates an unlikely heroine, Angelica Longrider who was born in 1815 who was "scarcely taller than her mother and couldn't climb a tree without help. She is affectionately nicknamed Swamp Angel (after saving passengers of a wagon train that "got mired in Dejection Swamp") and can lasso a tornado and drink an entire lake dry. She single-handedly defeats a fearsome bear known as Thundering Tarnation, wrestling him from the top of the Great Smoky Mountains to the bottom of a deep lake. Zelinsky's stunning folk-art paintings are a perfect match for the exaggeration, and humor of this original tall tale set on the American frontier.

 

 

Critical Analysis:

In this traditional tall tale, Isaacs uses exaggeration and a primitive style of wording to tell the story set in 1815.  The story is hilarious from beginning to end.  You know right from the beginning that you are in for an enormous tale without even reading the words.  I found the illustrations in this book to be the focus!  They are outstanding.  Swamp Angel 's mother is holding this gigantic baby in the very first picture.  Throughout the book, Zelinski creates pictures of Swamp Angel doing outlandish and impossible things.  It almost appears that she is too big for the book because she is bending over in the pictures on the pages!  Her name fits her face which is always shown with an "angelic" smile, and she wears a bonnet just to remind us that she is a girl after all.  Not to take away from the brilliant writing of Isaacs, but I think I could only look at the pictures and still know what happened in the story.  This is an entertaining and inspiring tale showing a girl overcoming huge odds to help save her community!

 

 

Review Excerpts:

Caldecott Award winner

Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award

Horn Book starred review: "Move over Paul Bunyan, you are about to meet Swamp Angel. . . . Visually exciting, wonderful to read aloud, this is a picture book to remember".

Kirkus Review:  It is impossible to convey the sheer pleasure, the exaggerated loopiness, of newcomer Isaacs's wonderful story.

 

 

Connections:

-Since this story has a female hero, which is hard to find at times, it’s a great opportunity to teach young girls (and boys) that girls as well as boys can be leaders in their communities.

Other books like this are:

DePaola, Tomie. STREGA NONA. ISBN 0671666061

Munsch, Robert. THE PAPER BAG PRINCESS. ISBN 1773210297

 

-This book could also be used to introduce Social Studies lessons to discuss the Great Smoky Mountains or the Montana Shortgrass Prairie.

 

-Another similar book can be introduced and read with SWAMP ANGEL:

Isaacs, Anne. DUST DEVIL. ISBN 0375867228

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