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Tall: Great American Folktales
Four larger-than-life American folktales come alive in this collection of comics from award-winning creators and rising stars! The tall tales include Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, and Johnny Appleseed.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2012
39 people want to read
About the author
Donald Lemke
147 books34 followersDonald Lemke works as a children's book editor. He has written dozens of all-age comics and children's books for Capstone, HarperCollins, Running Press, and more. Donald lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with his beautiful wife, Amy, toddling toddler, Cleo, and a not-so-golden retriever named Paulie.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 24, 2013
I've always loved tall tales because of their exaggeration and since there's just enough material that can be believed as well as stuff that's simply over the top. This graphic version of four classic American tall tales serves up Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, and Johnny Appleseed in a delicious style. From Paul's devotion to Babe the Blue Ox to Bill's larger-than-life stance to Johnny's focus on the simple pleasures in life to John's heart of gold and strong work ethic, each of the men provides a good example of attitudes toward others. There are plenty of humorous moments and several scenes that provide explanations for changes in the environment; for instance, readers can choose to credit (or blame) Paul or Bill for the rift in the earth that is now known as the Grand Canyon. Each story is followed by brief back matter that either provides background on the fine line between the man and his legend. This title will certainly spark interest in more folktales and might even prompt some budding writers to create their own. I loved how each story had its own distinct feel and flavor, partly derived from how it was told but also from the illustrations.
April 7, 2012
Tall tales are uniquely American folklore--full of swaggering heroes with adventuring spirits and a fondness for the land. Award-winning authors and illustrators retell the stories of Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, and Johnny Appleseed. I think graphic novels are the perfect format because the exaggerated art meshes perfectly with the over-the-top tales.
July 26, 2012
Graphic shorts about Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, and Johnny Appleseed. I especially enjoyed the section after each folktale explaining the fact and myth behind each folk hero.
March 4, 2012
Four American folktales come alive in this collection of comics from award-winning creators Aaron Blecha, Martin Powell, Lisa K. Weber, Sean Tulien, Nelson Evergreen, Stephanie True Peters, and Michelle Lemoreaux. Tall includes the following stories: Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, and Johnny Appleseed.
Tall: Great American Folktales is a comic anthology retelling the story of these four legends. Each tale is 34 pages in length with illustrations that are often as tall and colorful as the tale.
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The Tall Tale of Paul Bunyan Retold by Martin Powell with art by Aaron Blecha, Paul Bunyan is an American legend like no other. Paul and his companion Babe, a blue ox, stomped through Minnesota, leaving behind the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes and through Tennessee where Paul created The Smoky Mountains. Legend has it that Paul and Babe loved to wrestle and would do so for days at a time. It was during one of these playtimes that Paul and Babe made the Grand Canyon. Paul then defeated Old Man Winter, whose tears are now Lake Superior. No one knows where the two went to after that. When I was a kid, I saw them in Indiana and a few years later in Michigan.
Pecos Bill Colossal Cowboy Retold by Sean Tulien with Lisa Weber illustrating, Pecos Bill was a star of the Old West and the best cowboy anyone had ever seen or ever will. He showed all the other cowboys how to rustle cattle with a lasso he invented and introduced the branding iron as a way of knowing which cattle belonged to which cowboy. With his side-kick Widow Maker, Pecos Bill lassoed a monster twister and squeezed it so tight it cried itself dry, forming The Rio Grande. Once, Bill shot out all the stars, except for the largest and shiniest, now known as The Lone Star.
John Henry: Hammerin’ Hero Retold by Stephanie Peters and artist Nelson Evergreen, John Henry was a tall man with iron muscles and a heart made out of gold. Born with an iron hammer in his hand, John set off to make my mark on the world shortly after the North won the civil war freeing the slaves. John found work on the railroad laying track. John could hammer a steel rod into the ground with one strike, and he was fast. A fancy steam-powered drill salesman heard stories of John saving fellow workers from cave-ins and other heroic feats. He challenged John to a race, saying his machine could out drill any man. Big Ben Mountain was the site of the contest between man and machine. John won but paid a heavy price for his victory.
The Legend of Johnny Appleseed Retold by Martin Powell and illustrated by Michelle Lamoreaux, John Chapman was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. His life goal was to plant apple seeds throughout the country so no one went hungry. Johnny and his companion Brother Wolfe walked around the country planting his seeds and making friends everywhere they went. Johnny Appleseed became a living legend. All sorts of stories about Johnny Appleseed have been told, some true, some not so true. Some say he played with grizzly bears, wrestle three at once. Others say he tamed a giant catfish that was causing shipwrecks. Still others say Johnny Appleseed walked on a rainbow, planting apple seeds along the way.
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Tall tales are about characters that are bigger than real life, though sometimes based on a real person or a composite of two or more people. The stories are unbelievable but told like the real thing. Johnny Appleseed was a real man who did walk the country planting apple trees. He traveled from Illinois to Pennsylvania, and down to Kentucky. In addition to apples, Johnny planted herbs used in medicines. Born in 1775, John Chapman lived to be age 70.
John Henry was also a real man and he did work the railroad. He was a powerful man and he was a strong man. John drove spikes into rock, just as the legend claims. No one knows if he raced against a machine, but there is a monument to John Henry at one opening of the railroad tracks tunneling through Big Bend Mountain. Born in the 1850’s, John Henry was a slave until freed at the end of the Civil War.
Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill are the two who have no traces of humanity. Both began as characters in a story and grew from there. Paul Bunyan became a character in an advertising campaign for a logging company. Pecos Bill started out in a magazine, went into a book and later comics. Still, I remember Paul and Babe from my childhood. We visited the two first in Indiana and then in Michigan. He was tall and powerful. I will never forget standing on Paul’s gigantic black boot. His story is engaging, often funny, definitely “tall,” and the one I enjoyed the most.
In Tall: Great American Folktales the illustrations of Paul Bunyan are on the cartoonish side, but I really like them. He was a big man with gentle features and his foes did not look scary. The story was great and the comics were wonderful. Pecos Bill also has the cartoon look Paul Bunyan has, just not as extreme. The frames of Pecos Bill the Coyote are hilarious. This is the next best story of the four. The illustrations of John Henry are less cartoonish than Paul Bunyan and Pesos Bill. They depict him as a tall, powerful man yet gentle.
Johnny Appleseed looks like an anime. He has the Japanese cartoon look and I see him as weak and out of place, not at all like a TALL legend but more like a fairy tale. The story of Johnny Appleseed walking from place to place on a rainbow pretty much cinched that for me. I thought the portrayal of Johnny Appleseed would be closer to the true man, like those of John Henry.
All four of these tales are engaging, often humorous and unbelievable just as tall tales should be. If you like comics, way-out fiction, and fun reads, Tall: Great American Folktales will tickle you. As a colorful introduction to folklore for the middle grades, I think it is a winner.
Note: received the eBook from net galley, courtesy of publisher, Capstone.
Originally reviewed at Kid Lit Reviews
http://kid-lit-reviews.com/2012/03/01...
Tall: Great American Folktales is a comic anthology retelling the story of these four legends. Each tale is 34 pages in length with illustrations that are often as tall and colorful as the tale.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Tall Tale of Paul Bunyan Retold by Martin Powell with art by Aaron Blecha, Paul Bunyan is an American legend like no other. Paul and his companion Babe, a blue ox, stomped through Minnesota, leaving behind the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes and through Tennessee where Paul created The Smoky Mountains. Legend has it that Paul and Babe loved to wrestle and would do so for days at a time. It was during one of these playtimes that Paul and Babe made the Grand Canyon. Paul then defeated Old Man Winter, whose tears are now Lake Superior. No one knows where the two went to after that. When I was a kid, I saw them in Indiana and a few years later in Michigan.
Pecos Bill Colossal Cowboy Retold by Sean Tulien with Lisa Weber illustrating, Pecos Bill was a star of the Old West and the best cowboy anyone had ever seen or ever will. He showed all the other cowboys how to rustle cattle with a lasso he invented and introduced the branding iron as a way of knowing which cattle belonged to which cowboy. With his side-kick Widow Maker, Pecos Bill lassoed a monster twister and squeezed it so tight it cried itself dry, forming The Rio Grande. Once, Bill shot out all the stars, except for the largest and shiniest, now known as The Lone Star.
John Henry: Hammerin’ Hero Retold by Stephanie Peters and artist Nelson Evergreen, John Henry was a tall man with iron muscles and a heart made out of gold. Born with an iron hammer in his hand, John set off to make my mark on the world shortly after the North won the civil war freeing the slaves. John found work on the railroad laying track. John could hammer a steel rod into the ground with one strike, and he was fast. A fancy steam-powered drill salesman heard stories of John saving fellow workers from cave-ins and other heroic feats. He challenged John to a race, saying his machine could out drill any man. Big Ben Mountain was the site of the contest between man and machine. John won but paid a heavy price for his victory.
The Legend of Johnny Appleseed Retold by Martin Powell and illustrated by Michelle Lamoreaux, John Chapman was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. His life goal was to plant apple seeds throughout the country so no one went hungry. Johnny and his companion Brother Wolfe walked around the country planting his seeds and making friends everywhere they went. Johnny Appleseed became a living legend. All sorts of stories about Johnny Appleseed have been told, some true, some not so true. Some say he played with grizzly bears, wrestle three at once. Others say he tamed a giant catfish that was causing shipwrecks. Still others say Johnny Appleseed walked on a rainbow, planting apple seeds along the way.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tall tales are about characters that are bigger than real life, though sometimes based on a real person or a composite of two or more people. The stories are unbelievable but told like the real thing. Johnny Appleseed was a real man who did walk the country planting apple trees. He traveled from Illinois to Pennsylvania, and down to Kentucky. In addition to apples, Johnny planted herbs used in medicines. Born in 1775, John Chapman lived to be age 70.
John Henry was also a real man and he did work the railroad. He was a powerful man and he was a strong man. John drove spikes into rock, just as the legend claims. No one knows if he raced against a machine, but there is a monument to John Henry at one opening of the railroad tracks tunneling through Big Bend Mountain. Born in the 1850’s, John Henry was a slave until freed at the end of the Civil War.
Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill are the two who have no traces of humanity. Both began as characters in a story and grew from there. Paul Bunyan became a character in an advertising campaign for a logging company. Pecos Bill started out in a magazine, went into a book and later comics. Still, I remember Paul and Babe from my childhood. We visited the two first in Indiana and then in Michigan. He was tall and powerful. I will never forget standing on Paul’s gigantic black boot. His story is engaging, often funny, definitely “tall,” and the one I enjoyed the most.
In Tall: Great American Folktales the illustrations of Paul Bunyan are on the cartoonish side, but I really like them. He was a big man with gentle features and his foes did not look scary. The story was great and the comics were wonderful. Pecos Bill also has the cartoon look Paul Bunyan has, just not as extreme. The frames of Pecos Bill the Coyote are hilarious. This is the next best story of the four. The illustrations of John Henry are less cartoonish than Paul Bunyan and Pesos Bill. They depict him as a tall, powerful man yet gentle.
Johnny Appleseed looks like an anime. He has the Japanese cartoon look and I see him as weak and out of place, not at all like a TALL legend but more like a fairy tale. The story of Johnny Appleseed walking from place to place on a rainbow pretty much cinched that for me. I thought the portrayal of Johnny Appleseed would be closer to the true man, like those of John Henry.
All four of these tales are engaging, often humorous and unbelievable just as tall tales should be. If you like comics, way-out fiction, and fun reads, Tall: Great American Folktales will tickle you. As a colorful introduction to folklore for the middle grades, I think it is a winner.
Note: received the eBook from net galley, courtesy of publisher, Capstone.
Originally reviewed at Kid Lit Reviews
http://kid-lit-reviews.com/2012/03/01...
August 6, 2024
Great stories of America’s most popular legends: Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, and Johnny Appleseed. Great illustrations as well. 5.0 bookworms
June 3, 2012
Reason for Reading: I love folklore and I love the Graphic Spin series put out by Capstone Press.
This is an omnibus collection of four previously published single volumes in the series, gathered together in this affordable trade paperback edition. An attractive, sturdily bound volume, this will make the perfect purchase for the home while the individual volumes are more suited to libraries and classrooms. I enjoyed all the stories and really have never been disappointed with anything from this line. Capstone uses top quality authors and industry experienced artists. Recommended for those who enjoy the genre. The following describes each book included as I read it, which were originally published as separate volumes in 2010:
1. The Tall Tale of Paul Bunyan by Martin Powell. art by Aaron Blecha. General retelling of the usual stories associated with Bunyan and Babe: the making of the 10,000 lakes, Lake Superior, the Grand Canyon, his fight with Old Man Winter, etc. Starts off with a cute scenario of what his childhood and parents must have been like. A good, fun introduction to the folk hero. The artwork is splendid in a fun, modern comic style with a bit of the grossness factor added. A delightful addition to any collection. 4/5
2. Pecos Bill, Colossal Cowboy by Sean Tulien. art by Lisa Weber. Honestly this is not a folktale I'm very familiar with. Of course, I've heard of Pecos Bill but the tale was not that familiar to me at all. I found it quite silly actually, more so than other tall tales and this may be because it is believed that Pecos Bill is a modern invention rather than a true folk hero. Apparently Pecos Bill created the Grand Canyon also. However, the story was great fun and I love Lisa K. Weber's art. She is also found quite often in the Graphic Classics series. Another fun story. 3/5
3. John Henry, Hammerin' Hero by Stephanie Peters. art by Nelson Evergreen. Wonderful retelling of the John Henry story which is based on some truth with a lot of legend mixed in. I really enjoyed this one and so far find it the best one in the collection. The author is on staff with the publisher and I've enjoyed some of her other books; the illustrator is new to me and has a wonderful style which really captures the African-American experience of this tale without actually making much of a deal about the man's race, except for the slavery/freedom issue. A more realistic tall tale since John Henry was only a larger than normal man, not a giant or super-powered like the previous two in the collection. The final two pages present a newspaper format historical overview separating fact from fiction and giving details on where one can visit to see memorials to this folk hero. 5/5
4. The Legend of Johnny Appleseed by Martin Powell. art by Michelle Lamoreaux. Another fun folk tale with art that is slightly manga-esque. A good story that starts off with the tale of the real John Chapman before venturing off onto the tall tales that grew surrounding him, thus making him a folk hero. Manages to cover all the popular tales of Johnny from his walking across a rainbow to helping the giant catfish. The tale ends with a timeline of the real John Chapman's life. A good ending to the collection with a familiar tale. 4/5
This is an omnibus collection of four previously published single volumes in the series, gathered together in this affordable trade paperback edition. An attractive, sturdily bound volume, this will make the perfect purchase for the home while the individual volumes are more suited to libraries and classrooms. I enjoyed all the stories and really have never been disappointed with anything from this line. Capstone uses top quality authors and industry experienced artists. Recommended for those who enjoy the genre. The following describes each book included as I read it, which were originally published as separate volumes in 2010:
1. The Tall Tale of Paul Bunyan by Martin Powell. art by Aaron Blecha. General retelling of the usual stories associated with Bunyan and Babe: the making of the 10,000 lakes, Lake Superior, the Grand Canyon, his fight with Old Man Winter, etc. Starts off with a cute scenario of what his childhood and parents must have been like. A good, fun introduction to the folk hero. The artwork is splendid in a fun, modern comic style with a bit of the grossness factor added. A delightful addition to any collection. 4/5
2. Pecos Bill, Colossal Cowboy by Sean Tulien. art by Lisa Weber. Honestly this is not a folktale I'm very familiar with. Of course, I've heard of Pecos Bill but the tale was not that familiar to me at all. I found it quite silly actually, more so than other tall tales and this may be because it is believed that Pecos Bill is a modern invention rather than a true folk hero. Apparently Pecos Bill created the Grand Canyon also. However, the story was great fun and I love Lisa K. Weber's art. She is also found quite often in the Graphic Classics series. Another fun story. 3/5
3. John Henry, Hammerin' Hero by Stephanie Peters. art by Nelson Evergreen. Wonderful retelling of the John Henry story which is based on some truth with a lot of legend mixed in. I really enjoyed this one and so far find it the best one in the collection. The author is on staff with the publisher and I've enjoyed some of her other books; the illustrator is new to me and has a wonderful style which really captures the African-American experience of this tale without actually making much of a deal about the man's race, except for the slavery/freedom issue. A more realistic tall tale since John Henry was only a larger than normal man, not a giant or super-powered like the previous two in the collection. The final two pages present a newspaper format historical overview separating fact from fiction and giving details on where one can visit to see memorials to this folk hero. 5/5
4. The Legend of Johnny Appleseed by Martin Powell. art by Michelle Lamoreaux. Another fun folk tale with art that is slightly manga-esque. A good story that starts off with the tale of the real John Chapman before venturing off onto the tall tales that grew surrounding him, thus making him a folk hero. Manages to cover all the popular tales of Johnny from his walking across a rainbow to helping the giant catfish. The tale ends with a timeline of the real John Chapman's life. A good ending to the collection with a familiar tale. 4/5
Read
January 3, 2012"Have you ever read a tall tale?"
The first narrative box in Lemke's collection invites younger readers to thought capture a little bit about Tall Tales. Perhaps this will be their very first visit into this genre that exists across cultures, but seems to have a truly American feel. Americans love to tell stories about heroes of old, and Lemke's collection makes for a super introduction to some of the more familiar icons. The graphic novel format makes for fun approach to stories that are meant to be. . .fun.
The opening story about Paul Bunyan sets the tone for this collection of tall tales. Paul is barely able to squeeze into the box afforded by the size of the printed page and this is just what younger readers need to see in order to be appreciate this icon of American folklore.
Throughout the story, peppered with the hyperbolic statements with which teachers will already be familiar, Paul and Babe the Blue Ox violate borders and gutter spaces to communicate their size. The story is playful and the characters are authentic lumber camp types (resisting any stereotyping, but they look rugged, okay?)
The story of Pecos Bill is up next in the collection. Bill's origin as well as his feats of taming the wild bull, Widow Maker, and wrangling a cyclone (and ultimately carving out a grand river).
The Legend of John Henry gets an application in the collection and the artist/illustrator of this section depicts the story is a more realistic, painted style that brings John Henry and Little John to life.
Johnny Appleseed is the final story in the collection and the artwork takes another turn rendering this story in an almost Japanese Anime style that will be familiar to younger readers. This provides a nice look at what a genre might look like through the lens of another style.
Tall: Great American Folktales would make a nice addition to the U. S. History classroom or the ELA classroom where graphic novels are offered. What's more Tall would make a wonderful gift book for its gentle depictions of early American folklore that would be a joy for parents to share with their younger readers at home.
What's nice about Lemke's collection is that each story is anchored by a who, what, when, where, and a possible why of that story's particular authoring and retelling. This makes a for nice non-fiction window into the oral culture and culture-based stories.
The first narrative box in Lemke's collection invites younger readers to thought capture a little bit about Tall Tales. Perhaps this will be their very first visit into this genre that exists across cultures, but seems to have a truly American feel. Americans love to tell stories about heroes of old, and Lemke's collection makes for a super introduction to some of the more familiar icons. The graphic novel format makes for fun approach to stories that are meant to be. . .fun.
The opening story about Paul Bunyan sets the tone for this collection of tall tales. Paul is barely able to squeeze into the box afforded by the size of the printed page and this is just what younger readers need to see in order to be appreciate this icon of American folklore.
Throughout the story, peppered with the hyperbolic statements with which teachers will already be familiar, Paul and Babe the Blue Ox violate borders and gutter spaces to communicate their size. The story is playful and the characters are authentic lumber camp types (resisting any stereotyping, but they look rugged, okay?)
The story of Pecos Bill is up next in the collection. Bill's origin as well as his feats of taming the wild bull, Widow Maker, and wrangling a cyclone (and ultimately carving out a grand river).
The Legend of John Henry gets an application in the collection and the artist/illustrator of this section depicts the story is a more realistic, painted style that brings John Henry and Little John to life.
Johnny Appleseed is the final story in the collection and the artwork takes another turn rendering this story in an almost Japanese Anime style that will be familiar to younger readers. This provides a nice look at what a genre might look like through the lens of another style.
Tall: Great American Folktales would make a nice addition to the U. S. History classroom or the ELA classroom where graphic novels are offered. What's more Tall would make a wonderful gift book for its gentle depictions of early American folklore that would be a joy for parents to share with their younger readers at home.
What's nice about Lemke's collection is that each story is anchored by a who, what, when, where, and a possible why of that story's particular authoring and retelling. This makes a for nice non-fiction window into the oral culture and culture-based stories.
January 16, 2012
I requested this for review as I grew up reading comics in India and love the way comics tell the stories – they are after all picture books with lots more pictures and wonderful dialogs.
This request was definitely worth it – this collection of graphic novels that tell tall tales is delightful while being educational as well. Since I have not read the original tall tales and/or other versions of these tall tales, I cannot attest to how true they stick to character, but then again, they are tall tales! How can tall tales be educational? They still need to be told – they are now part of American folklore however they might have started and each tall tale has something additional - interesting facts, reading guide, discussion questions, writing prompts, glossary.
The collection includes the tall tales of Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Johnny Appleseed.
Paul Bunyan – this was my favorite of the lot! And my 9 year old son’s too. The artwork is wonderful, the text humorous, the portrayal of how Paul Bunyan’s parents take care of him very sweet and funny, and overall a truly tall tale told well!
Pecos Bill – cowboys! Lots of legends here too like in Paul Bunyan and the artwork complements the text perfectly here.
John Henry – a wonderful story of a great legend with a big heart. Loved the flowing and bright artwork here.
Johnny Appleseed – My kids read about Johnny Appleseed every year at school and celebrate the day, the week also and the school overflows with apples – thanks to Johnny Appleseed. This story portrays Johnny Appleseed’s helping nature to one and all without taking sides and strong morals very well. Again, the artwork fluidly and colorfully moves along with the text as the story moves between reality and tall tales.
I loved the comics (graphic novels) and would have loved them even more if they were just a little longer. This is a great entertainer and an educational resource for kids between eight and ten years of age.
Rating: Overall a B (most of the items were an A but the brevity of the tales compels me to give this a B).
Reading Level: 8 years and above
Disclaimer:Thank you to Stone Arch Books (a Capstone Imprint) for sending me a digital review copy via NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal opinions formed when I read this book.
This request was definitely worth it – this collection of graphic novels that tell tall tales is delightful while being educational as well. Since I have not read the original tall tales and/or other versions of these tall tales, I cannot attest to how true they stick to character, but then again, they are tall tales! How can tall tales be educational? They still need to be told – they are now part of American folklore however they might have started and each tall tale has something additional - interesting facts, reading guide, discussion questions, writing prompts, glossary.
The collection includes the tall tales of Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Johnny Appleseed.
Paul Bunyan – this was my favorite of the lot! And my 9 year old son’s too. The artwork is wonderful, the text humorous, the portrayal of how Paul Bunyan’s parents take care of him very sweet and funny, and overall a truly tall tale told well!
Pecos Bill – cowboys! Lots of legends here too like in Paul Bunyan and the artwork complements the text perfectly here.
John Henry – a wonderful story of a great legend with a big heart. Loved the flowing and bright artwork here.
Johnny Appleseed – My kids read about Johnny Appleseed every year at school and celebrate the day, the week also and the school overflows with apples – thanks to Johnny Appleseed. This story portrays Johnny Appleseed’s helping nature to one and all without taking sides and strong morals very well. Again, the artwork fluidly and colorfully moves along with the text as the story moves between reality and tall tales.
I loved the comics (graphic novels) and would have loved them even more if they were just a little longer. This is a great entertainer and an educational resource for kids between eight and ten years of age.
Rating: Overall a B (most of the items were an A but the brevity of the tales compels me to give this a B).
Reading Level: 8 years and above
Disclaimer:Thank you to Stone Arch Books (a Capstone Imprint) for sending me a digital review copy via NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal opinions formed when I read this book.
February 4, 2012
Tall: Great American Folktales,
edited by Donnie Lemke is a children's graphic novel retelling some
favorite American tall tales. It is set for release on February 1
2012. The tales of Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, and Johnny
Appleseed come to life on the pages of this volume, entertaining and
teaching the next generation classic stories of early America. The
authors involved in the project include Martin Powell (Paul Bunyan
and Johnny Appleseed), Sean Tulien (Pecos Bill), and Stephanie Peters
(John Henry). The artists are Aaron Blecha (Paul Bunyan), Lisa K.
Weber (Pecos Bill), Nelson Evergreen (John Henry), and Michelle
Lomoreaux (Johnny Appleseed).
Tall: Great American Folktales is a great introduction to classic American folklore. Each of the stories has a different feel because of the different authors and artists, but they share a feel of Americana. I recommend this graphic novel collection volume to children around eight and older. The stories truly are tall tales, complete with over the top tales of how the Grand Canyon, Rio Grand, and other distinct landmarks of the nation came to exist. The book left me happy, entertained, and feeling nostalgic. While I am not sure as to how much each of the tales varies from the traditional versions, because it has been years since I have read any of them, but they certainly were entertaining,tall tales.
edited by Donnie Lemke is a children's graphic novel retelling some
favorite American tall tales. It is set for release on February 1
2012. The tales of Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, and Johnny
Appleseed come to life on the pages of this volume, entertaining and
teaching the next generation classic stories of early America. The
authors involved in the project include Martin Powell (Paul Bunyan
and Johnny Appleseed), Sean Tulien (Pecos Bill), and Stephanie Peters
(John Henry). The artists are Aaron Blecha (Paul Bunyan), Lisa K.
Weber (Pecos Bill), Nelson Evergreen (John Henry), and Michelle
Lomoreaux (Johnny Appleseed).
Tall: Great American Folktales is a great introduction to classic American folklore. Each of the stories has a different feel because of the different authors and artists, but they share a feel of Americana. I recommend this graphic novel collection volume to children around eight and older. The stories truly are tall tales, complete with over the top tales of how the Grand Canyon, Rio Grand, and other distinct landmarks of the nation came to exist. The book left me happy, entertained, and feeling nostalgic. While I am not sure as to how much each of the tales varies from the traditional versions, because it has been years since I have read any of them, but they certainly were entertaining,tall tales.
September 29, 2012
Misty at The Book Rat is having a graphic novel week over at her blog, y’all! In honor of that, I decided to read and review Tall: Great American Folktales edited by Donnie Lemke. I grew up with these stories, and had a ton of fun reading them now.
Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Johnny Appleseed are all four stories that I remember reading as a child, and Tall covers them all. I enjoyed all of them even though they are definitely meant for readers on the younger side. I think Pecos Bill is actually my favorite tall tale – I love reading about him riding Widow Maker and roping tornadoes!
However, even though I am still definitely a Pecos Bill fangirl, Johnny Appleseed was by far my favorite of the stories in Tall. The illustrations and story were very well done. It also seemed to be written the best to appeal to people of all ages, versus just children. Good stuff, you guys!
So, if you grew up with these tall tales, Tall is a great journey back to the good ole days when Babe the Big Blue Ox seemed like the coolest thing since sliced bread. If you are new to the legends – this makes a great introduction! It is really short and easy to read.
I definitely recommend reading Tall: Great American Folktales!
Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Johnny Appleseed are all four stories that I remember reading as a child, and Tall covers them all. I enjoyed all of them even though they are definitely meant for readers on the younger side. I think Pecos Bill is actually my favorite tall tale – I love reading about him riding Widow Maker and roping tornadoes!
However, even though I am still definitely a Pecos Bill fangirl, Johnny Appleseed was by far my favorite of the stories in Tall. The illustrations and story were very well done. It also seemed to be written the best to appeal to people of all ages, versus just children. Good stuff, you guys!
So, if you grew up with these tall tales, Tall is a great journey back to the good ole days when Babe the Big Blue Ox seemed like the coolest thing since sliced bread. If you are new to the legends – this makes a great introduction! It is really short and easy to read.
I definitely recommend reading Tall: Great American Folktales!
February 14, 2012
loved! great pictures, great stories, great theme. our american tall tales teach us in an awesomely exxagerated way what is really great in ourselves. as someone who is surrounded by kids every day at work, it pains me that these tales are being told less and less in our schools and not being carried on through the next generation. who doesn't love big blue?? who doesn't feel good about how kind johnny appleseed was for all his life? and who doesn't admire good old paul bunyun who beat that dirty-work-taking machine? kids will really fall for this fun and interesting comic book that shares some great american icons.
February 12, 2012
Tall: Great American Folktales is a wonderful retelling of the tall tales of Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, John Henry, and Johnny Appleseed in graphic novel format. It is sure to be a hit, as well as fit a requirement in the TEKs, here in Texas. The illustrations are superb and the stories true to the old tales. Tall recreates the tales in a ways that the reader will remember them for years. This is a definite purchase for my early elementary library.
Received Galley from NetGalley.com
Received Galley from NetGalley.com
April 17, 2012
This is a fun and appealing introduction to the legendary characters of some of America's best known tall tales. All are well-done, though I will admit that I didn't particularly care for the Paul Bunyan illustrations. They suit the story well enough, it's just that I found the other illustrations more visually pleasing. This would be a solid choice for boosting a collection of introductory tall tales.
September 1, 2014
The pictures make these re-tellings of the old tall tales approachable and fun. Not that the stories themselves are less than fun; they are pretty awesome. But I remember very little of the texts that I must have read in school. John Henry and Johnny Appleseed are my favorite now, although I have a feeling that I might have preferred Pecos Bill back in the day.
May 27, 2012
Lemke's take on tall tales are quirky, funny and a blast to read. This graphic novel would be a great addition to any traditional literature collection and kids will definitely like it allowing them to be exposed to America's traditional lit- tall tales.
December 21, 2011
Great collection of tall tales in comic form! Captures the stories vividly and with appropriate and pleasantly overstated art!
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