BOOK REVIEW: Swamp Angel
1.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Isaacs, Anne.
1994. SWAMP ANGEL. Ill. by Paul Zelinsky. New York: E.P. Dutton Children’s Books.
ISBN 0525452710
2.
PLOT SUMMARY
SWAMP ANGEL is about a character named Angelica Longrider. This story
begins with her birth in 1815. She continues to grow and when she reaches womanhood
a tale is told about how she slays a bear. She is a huge, rough and tumble, likable
character. She goes around and around trying to outwit the bear, Tarnation, and
eventually prevails.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This folk tale is a tall tale from the state of Tennessee. In the beginning
of the book, where the main character is introduced, it is almost like a prologue
and then the story starts within the first few pages with, “Once upon a time.” The
dialect the author uses is characteristic of the time, the area and of a good
tall tale. There are outrageous elements in this tall tale like the size of the
character, Angelica Longrider. She is huge, which is reminiscent of the tall
tale character Paul Bunyon. There are regional references like “across the hills
of Tennessee.” The story is of the
caliber of a classic tall tale that every child should experience.
The story and illustrations are very cohesive. The illustrations
are executed in a retro style. There are outrageous elements to the illustrations
that exemplify the outrageous elements of the tall tale. Drama, description, and
expression are expressed in this book through the illustrator.
4.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
1995 Caldecott Honor Book
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “An American classic in the making.”
THE HORN BOOK: “Move over Paul Bunyon, you are about to meet Swamp
Angel…visually exciting, wonderful to read aloud, this is a picture book to
remember.”
5.
CONNECTIONS
*This would be an excellent book study of tall tales.
*This would be an excellent book study for illustration.
*Other tall tales to read concurrently:
Pope Osborne, Mary. AMERICAN TALL TALES ISBN: 9780307982599
Nolen, Jerdine. BIG JABE ISBN: 0060540613
Meister, Cari. DAVEY CROCKET AND
THE GREAT MISSISSIPPI SNAG ISBN: 1479554316
Based
on a review by Barbara Jean Thompson
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