A Tall, Tall, Tale

Title: Dust Devil

Author: Anne Isaacs

Illustrator: Paul O. Zelinsky

Publishers: Schwartz and Wade Books

Publishing Date: 2010

ISBN: 9780375867224

Plot Summary:

This continuation of the tall tale about a giant of a girl begins where Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs ends.  Angela Longrider, having grown too big for Tennessee, moves west to the one place large enough to hold her, Montana. But Swamp Angel finds life in Montana is a bit different than Tennessee. Adjustments have to be made. The sun rose too early so she moved a mountain. The crops rocket to the sky taking the cows with them until harvest time brings them home again.  She can’t find a horse big enough to hold her until she outrides a dust storm and finds her sidekick Dust Devil just in time. Along comes Backward Bart, the bad guy that says everything backward, rides oversized mosquitoes and is stealing everyone’s gold. What else is a girl to do when she’s larger than life? Hope on her oversized sidekick and capture the bad guy of course.

Critical Analysis:

Zelinsky’s art, created with oil paint on thin cedar veneer, lends an authentic Western flavor to this story. The deceptively simple paintings in hues of brown, yellow and tan with splashes of blues and reds actually give the feel of the Montana outdoors. The glimpses of wood grain beneath the oil remind the reader of long ago times and places. His portrayal of the author’s characters lends added humor to Anne Isaac’s portrayal of this Montana tall tale.

Isaac’s language in the story stays true to the tall tale style and literally begs the story to be read aloud. The reader can easily picture the characters and hear their voices as the story literally rolls of the tongue. There is enough humor to keep the audience amused and enough fast paced action to carry them through to the end of this story of good against evil. Although a bit long for younger audiences it is definitely a great book for school aged children to enjoy. The fast paced, exaggerating plot and humorous illustrations will rollick them on to the very end.

Review Excerpts:

Notable Children’s Book for 2010 
– The New York Times Book Review (one of eight Notables) 

Kirkus Reviews
“Isaacs and Zelinsky tell an even taller tale about Angelica Longrider, the outsized heroine of their hilarious, Caldecott Honor–winning Swamp Angel.… A new classic.” 

 School Library Journal: 
“A stunning tour de force and a satisfying continuation of Angel’s saga.”

 Booklist: 
“Once again, Isaacs’ story and Zelinsky’s oil-paint-on-wood artwork create a laugh-out-loud tall tale with folksy phrasing and slapstick exaggeration. Children will delight in … this handsomely designed, thoroughly entertaining stand-alone sequel.”

Connections:

Other Tall Tales:

Paul Bunyan adapted by Jane Mason

John Henry by Julius Lester

Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellogg

Activities:

Have the children read several tall tales by different authors. Create a compare and contrast chart.

Create a diorama of their favorite tall tale.

Adapt a tall tale into a skit and have children act it out.