Alamo All-Stars: A Texas Tale: Bigger & Badder Edition

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales #6

by Nathan Hale, Nathan

From Nathan Hale, #1 New York Times bestselling author and Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List maker, comes the definitive graphic novel about the Alamo.

Hale relays the facts, politics, military actions, and prominent personalities that defined the Texas Revolution in factual yet humorous scenes that will capture the attention of reluctant readers and fans of history alike.

In the early 1800s, Texas was a wild and dangerous land fought over by the Mexican government, Native Americans, and settlers from the United States. Beginning with the expeditions of the so-called "Land Pirates," through the doomed stand at the Alamo, and ending with the victory over Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto, the entire Texas saga is on display. Leading the charge to settle this new frontier is Stephen F. Austin, with a cast of dangerous and colorful characters, including Jim Bowie, William Travis, David Crockett, and others.

Through his vivid depiction and additional maps, and biographies located in the back of the book, Nathan Hale brings new insight for students, teachers, and historians into one of the most iconic structures in the United States.

Genres: Graphic Novels, History, Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Historical, Comics

128 pages, Library Binding

First published March 29, 2016

About the author

Nathan Hale is the New York Times best-selling author/illustrator of the Hazardous Tales series, as well as many picture books including Yellowbelly and Plum go to School, the Twelve Bots of Christmas and The Devil You Know.

He is the illustrator of the Eisner-nominated graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel, Calamity Jack. He also illustrated Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody, The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas, Animal House and many others.

(He is not the author of Extinction Earth or the other apocalyptic titles listed. That's a different Nathan Hale. If someone with "librarian" status would disambiguate those titles for me, I'd appreciate it.)

Learn more at www.spacestationnathan.blogspot.com

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 1 out of 5]

(Updated review)
I guess the author forgot to mention that the Texan rebellion was mostly about slavery, and that the texan settlers wanted to bring their slaves, but Mexico said they couldn't.
Entire book portrays the Mexicans as the bad guys, and the rebels as the valiant Texans trying to bring independence and justice to Texas.
smh I just wish that Hale would have at least MENTIONED that, as he claims to be a BIG fan of Texas history, so it's not like he had no idea this was the main cause of the rebellion.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read one of the Hazardous Tales, I think, So THAT'S what that was all about! I fancy myself knowledgable about history, but there are things like the Alamo that you hear about but never real understand how it all got started and who the key players were. And most of the time I end up thinking: What is wrong with people?

But anyway: This book. This book is great. Of course it is. And you know what to expect: Humor, facts, fun illustrations. This one is great, too, because they introduce the Mexican counterparts of Nathan Hale and the Hangman, in the form of a firing squad, who decide to have a sleepover later. So I'm simultaneously laughing over the hangman/firing squad fandango/sleepover, and learning about the Alamo! Win/Win!

[Barb Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dang, this author is brilliant with this graphic novel series. This one even shows the controversies with historical texts and trying to decide whether or not to include the story. This is history/storytelling at its best and funny with the metafictional elements. Don't miss!

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another well-told entry in the series, full of interesting history…but you really have to give a shit about Texas — that rootin'-tootin', open-carryin', stupid-hat-wearin' backwater that gave us George W. Bush and Greg Abbott and Ted #$@!-ing Cruz, and decides what goes in everybody's textbooks — which this increasingly cranky old Democrat just doesn't.

Meanwhile, "Gulf of America"? Destined to be remembered as another sad, jingoistic Republican joke like George Bush's post-9/11 "Freedom Fries."

What a time to be an American!


(World's best Western, not set in Texas)

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard to keep track of all the different historical figures and the story wasn't as entertaining as the other ones by Hale, but still worth reading if you like history and graphic novels.

[Aeicha · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Remember the Alamo!’--something we’ve all heard, and probably shouted in fun, but just what does it mean? What’s the Alamo and why should we remember it? Nathan Hale answers all these questions and more in the latest book in his popular Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: Alamo All-Stars.


In Alamo All-Stars, Hale explores the tumultuous times in Texas history in the early to mid 1800’s, when Texas was fought over by American settlers, the Mexican government, and Native Americans. Many battles were fought over Texas, the battle at Alamo being one of the most famous. Hale brings the rich history of Texas and these intense battles to life in this unputdownable graphic novel. Once again, Hale succeeds in making history utterly engrossing, completely enthralling, and feel so tangible. There is A LOT to cover during this time in Texas, before and after the battle at Alamo, but Hale does a superb job of exploring and bringing all events and battles together, to create a comprehensive and exciting timeline.

Like his other graphic novels in this series, Hale offers young readers an authentic, complex, and profound glimpse at history, while remaining age-appropriate. Alamo All-Stars is chock full of unforgettable characters, informative facts, heart-pounding action, and oodles of humor and heart. All the major players can be found in Alamo All-Stars--Jim Bowie, David Crockett, Santa Anna, William Travis, and more--and young readers will be captivated by the different personalities and impact these characters had on history.

Of course, as a graphic novel, Alamo All-Stars relies heavily on its illustrations to capture the tales being told, and Hale’s engaging pictures do this wonderfully. Each illustrated page is bursting with life, laugh-out-loud humor, and thoughtful depictions, and young readers will be wildly entertained.

my final thoughts: Like all books in Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales, Alamo All-Stars brings history to life in fresh, funny, and unforgettable ways that will inspire, entertain, and delight readers.

[Kami · Rating 3 out of 5]

- This isn't my favorite of the series, but I still enjoyed it.

- Nathan changed the formula a little bit. Other characters helped Nathan Hale tell the story, and the hangman wasn't the only one interrupting with comments and questions. I didn't really care for the new narrators. They weren't needed.

- I don't know a lot of back story for the Alamo, so it was good to learn about that and guys I'd never heard of, but on the other hand, I was a little confused in the beginning. The intro threw the reader in the middle of something and it took me a while to catch up.

- The cholera monster was awesome! It was very creative and scary looking.

- The page where you have to turn the book sideways and follow paths to find out what happens to several guys is confusing. I didn't like it.

- I enjoy the humor of these books. It helps these historical stories to be light and fun for kids.

- Overall, this was fun, and I'll continue to read these Hazardous Tales.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Hazardous Tale, but I did see Nathan Hale almost two years on a panel and thought he was fantastic. Now I'm seeing his work as a whole (they were showing grabs of pages and layouts of his work on the panel) and see where his humor and interest in history and graphic content collide. There's SO MUCH going on in the pages that it does take a trained eye and some patience. I feel like even so, I didn't get all the information transferred on what was happening, but that's the great thing about rediscovering them over and over.

There's humor and history and a stunning visual element. Will read more!

[Chris Cutler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am glad that the Hazardous Tales series has become so popular. Nathan Hale has done an excellent job on them, and they keep getting better. This most recent is probably the best of the lot.
Always entertaining, the best thing about these books is that they present the history so well. Hale shows the many players and events in their proper context, in a carefully accurate and memorable way. In this case, I had never really understood the Alamo, and I'm glad to have gotten both the big picture and the little stories that color it.

Your ten-year-old needs these, and you will probably enjoy and learn from them too.

[Matti Karjalainen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathan Halen viihdyttävät ja samalla opettavaiset sarjakuvat Yhdysvaltain historiasta jatkuvat, tällä kertaa meksikolaisten ja teksasilaisten välisestä sodasta kertovalla tarinalla, jossa vilisee Jim Bowien ja Davy Crockettin kaltaisia nimiä. En voinut sanoa tuntevani aihetta juuri Alamon taistelua enempää ja esimerkiksi Goliadin verilöyly oli aivan tuntematon juttu, mutta nytpä on sekin puute elämässä korjattu.

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales on kyllä ihan uljainta parhautta. Kunpa sarja vaan löytäisi lukijoita!

[KC · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Nathan Hale Hazardous Tales graphic novel. Not only did I relive the 1800's where Native Americans, settlers, and the Mexican government were all at odds with one another, but Hale was delicate regarding the subject of war. He also used humor though out. I will most certainly go to his others in this series. A great way for kids to learn history without knowing that they are learning at all.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good as always! I love that he contextualizes these events within the Mexican Revolutions and the multiple government turnovers happening there. Just as good as always!

[Ezekiel Pettit · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really interesting, I didn't previously know how Texas joined America and became a state.

[Jeremiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

another great graphic novel

[Ed Erwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathan Hale "remembers the Alamo". He also remembers a bunch of other battles and incidents that it seems everyone else forgets. I, however, remember nothing. So, while I read this a few months back (just entering it now) I can't say anything about those other battles and incidents.

One point I do remember, is that a lot of what we "know" about the Alamo is based on speculations, legends and deliberate misinformation.

[Grace Theising · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow great we’re to begin
1) it’s really funny 😄 it stuck to the facts well throwing in jokes with our deviating from the truth and is not Irreverent
2) I really had no idea about the Alamo except for the come and take it which did not happen at the Alamo but I had no idea bout the build up, Santa Anna and Bowie, Travis and others
3) there really great because we screen mirror them to the tv the funny humor with the hangman and the English dude
4) really funny great read

[Issac · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was action pact Texas VS Mexico ALL AWESOME!!!

[Werth28 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a story. Nathan Hale (the author and the main character) sure knows how to tell a story. This book is filled with politics, filibusters, pirates, and LOTS of adventure. When Stephen Austin's father's last words are for him to settle Texas, he is not sure what to do. Mexican politics have been VERY bumpy, and he does not want to start trouble. But when some Texians start talking about separation from Mexico, and the Mexican president, Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (or Santa Anna for short), hears about this in Mexico City, he sends troops to break this rebellion. What will happen?!? Will it be war, or will Texas belong to Mexico forever. From Samuel Huston to Jim Bowie, Juan Seguin to David Crockett, Travis Scott to Stephen Austin. Readers learn why the cry "Remember the Alamo" has gone down in Texas history. This was a huge favorite of mine, and I think that everyone will love it. I recommend it to everybody! Happy reading! Remember the Alamo!

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like this series, but I like this title the least of all the titles published so far.

I knew this volume would be violent (as promised by the subject), but I had a really hard time finishing this book. Previous volumes in this series have included varying levels of violence, but they didn't read as glorified as they did here. Every episode that highlighted the life of Jim Bowie included many near death battles that should've claimed his life, but felt less like they were included to showcase his incredible feats of survival rather than to celebrate all that he was able to endure.

I liked the additional narrators/executioners used to tell this story, and the numerous maps and graphics helped me to keep straight all the different groups with claims to the land.

For the most part, this series does not need to be read in order to be appreciated, though readers new to the series should not start with this title; The Underground Abductor is my personal favorite place to start.

Recommended for grades 6-8+.

[Snazzy Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Mary Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on this book (and on Treaties, Trenches, Mud and Blood, also by Nathan Hale) I think it's fair to say that the history of Texas is just about as complicated as the history of WWI. But thanks to Nathan Hale, I learned lots. Mostly, I learned that it wasn't the battle at the Alamo that was nearly as important as the battle cry afterward to "Remember the Alamo!" (and to remember the massacre at Goliad, which has apparently been mostly forgotten).

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! (just as all the other previous Nathan Hale series)
Witty and education plus a monster! Seriously just like the war machine from the pages of the World War 1 issues, Hale haunts the pages of this graphic novel with an frightful representation of Cholera, scarier than most actual comic book villains.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love history, but the Alamo is one of those things that I've never really understood, even though they talked about it a little on my tour of Austin during the 2014 YALSA conference. I understand a lot better now through Nathan Hale's fantastic research and humor. My favorite part? The double spread with "Follow the Hapless Leader!"

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one more than most of the others in the series, maybe because I'm a Texan (not by birth, but Texas adopted me!). Jim Bowie was pretty awesome, and I love how the executioners all decide to have a slumber party together--ha!

[Mary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This took me awhile to get into, maybe because it was my first Hazardous Tale. By the end, I loved it and loved how much I learned about history! I knew the phrase "Remember the Alamo!" but not much more than that. Very well done! Looking forward to reading more.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be discussed on the next Young Readers edition of The Comics Alternative Podcast.

[Kyle Hatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

History as graphic novel. Kind of an under-the-radar biography of Jim Bowie, of Bowie knife fame. He was a fascinating (and blood thirsty) guy—like Jack Bauer on steroids.

[Machaia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched, funny, interesting, and beautifully rendered Texas history. What more could you ask for?

[Cade Salem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Funny and good story.

[Kokeshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. The section including Davy Crockett was superb!