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Swamp Angel #2
Dust Devil
Here is the thrilling, thigh-slapping companion to Swamp Angel, the beloved Caldecott Honor–winning picture book. Swamp Angel has a reputation as the greatest woodswoman and wildest wildcat in all of Tennessee. But when she grows too big for that state, she moves to Montana, a place so sizeable, even Angel can fit in. It’s there that she wrestles a raging storm to the ground and, at its center, finds herself a sidekick—a horse she names Dust Devil. And when Backward Bart, the orneriest, ugliest outlaw ever known, starts terrorizing the prairie, seems like Angel and Dust Devil may be the only ones strong enough to stop him. Dust Devil received four starred reviews and was named a New York Times Notable Children's Book of the Year and an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Winner. Children will be captivated by the beauty and exaggerated humor of Paul Zelinsky’s American primitive–style paintings and the wit and energy of Anne Isaacs’s unparalleled storytelling. Here is an original folktale starring an extraordinary gal who is as feisty as she is funny and as courageous as she is kind.From the Hardcover edition.
48 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
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August 27, 2010
If Pippi Longstocking is a redhead known for her casual legwear, Angelica Longrider (or just “Angel” for short) would have to be considered her blatantly barefoot ginger-headed equivalent. When the Anne Isaacs Caldecott Honor winning picture book Swamp Angel took the stage back in 1994 it was cause for celebration. Here you had an honest-to-goodness new tall tale with a vernacular smart enough to match the pictures, and vice versa. The pairing of Anne Isaacs with Caldecott winner Paul O. Zelinsky was inspired. I was a big fan, yet for some reason I never considered that the book might garner a sequel. Clearly it was ripe for it, but Isaacs and Zelinsky pursued other projects and the thought was all but forgotten. Until now. After 16 years the dynamic duo is back. She’s a wordsmith. He likes to kill himself by painting on wood. Clearly, Dust Devil was meant to be.
Having found Tennessee a bit too cramped to suit her, giantess and all around decent gal Angelica Longrider (“Swamp Angel” to some) has headed further into the country to set up shop in Montana. It takes a little settling in, but she’s happy enough and even manages to tame a wild dust storm into a steed worthy of her skills. Good thing too, since that nasty Backward Bart and his band of no goodniks are terrorizing the countryside, robbing good people of their pennies. If she could wrestle a bear into submission, Angel certainly can handle a couple of toughs. But it’ll take smarts as well as skills to put these nasty bandits away. Good thing she’s got her horse.
The first thing you need to know about Anne Isaacs is the fact that her books, all her books, ache to be read aloud. It doesn’t matter if you’re perusing Pancakes for Supper or The Ghosts of Luckless Gulch. Now sometimes they’re a bit too long for storytimes (much to my chagrin) but for one-on-one reading they’re the tops. I mean, there are certain sentences that just beg you to try them on your tongue. Sentences like, “The barn began to shake, the ground to quake, the windows to break, the animals to wake, and everyone’s ears to ache!” Fear not, this isn’t a rhyming text. There are just certain sections where it’s the right thing to do.
While you’re rolling her sentences around in your mouth, there are also Zelinsky’s images to contend with. Painting on cedar and aspen veneer, Zelinsky is meticulous about his process. The result is a book that is rather achingly beautiful. Even if you don’t take to his style, you have to respect the process. The size of the images combined with the tiniest of brush marks mean that with every other page you’re either backing up to take the whole thing in at once, or you’re pressing your nose to the page, tracing subtle elements with just the tips of your fingertips.
It seems like a gross oversight on someone’s part that Zelinsky has never been tapped to create a graphic novel. Clearly the groundwork has already been laid here. I am referring of course to the man’s use of panels. In an early sequence Zelinsky cleverly breaks up a large block of text into six long horizontal panels. It makes Angel appear downright small, which is a bit of a feat in and of itself. There are other comic techniques Zelinsky utilizes too, if only you notice them. He’s not afraid, for example, to create long two-page spreads where Angelica appears in various places, giving the impression that time is passing. You won’t find so much as a hint of a speech bubble in this book, but when it comes to good old-fashioned visual storytelling, Zelinsky proves his mettle.
By the way, that initial panel sequence is the first example in the book of the man’s penchant for tiny details. When you’re illustrating a book about a giantess, the temptation to inculcate it with hidden details must be irresistible. But the nice thing about this initial sequence is that the tiny details are in Angelica’s face as she peeks from her little cabin. One moment she’s just a quarter of a tiny face looking right at the viewer. The next she has dramatically clasped her hands over her heart in her longing for the trees of Tennessee. Other details are fun to find as well. Can you locate Angel’s little red dog or the black crow that follows her about in the pictures? Did you notice that there are always two cats that appear when Aunt Essie’s around?
You could certainly nitpick about scale, but why bother? If Angel dwarfs the Great Lakes at the beginning of the book and then is small enough to at least make an attempt at mounting a regular sized mare a couple pages later, can you really complain? This is a tall tale, for crying out loud. Exaggeration is the name of the game and if you’re limiting your exaggeration to merely words then you’ve sort of lost sight of the whole point. Mr. Zelinsky has made a bit of a name for himself over the years with his giants. There was the initial Swamp Angel of course, and then there were the Awful Ogre books by Jack Prelutsky. Actually there’s one image in this book of Angel riding a twister, the sole of her bare foot thrust towards the reader this is distinctly Awful Ogre-ish. The man knows his big folks.
And it’s funny. Yes, full credit to the funny books of the world. The best funny picture books are the ones where the artist’s humor and the author’s humor work in tandem with one another. That is clearly the case here, since the page containing Backward Bart’s evil gang had me snorting out loud. On her end, Isaacs is throwing out names like “Lovely Poe”, “Lawless Sam Diego”, and “Missouri Jerk”. For his part, Zelinsky makes Lovely Poe entirely skewed, Missouri Jerk pomaded and mustached, and Lawless Sam Diego is either falling or reclining, sans shoes. It’s hugely amusing.
I should probably mention problems with the books as well at this point, eh? Uh . . . hrm. Well, that’s a toughie. Cause as I see it, this is a book with appeal for all kinds of kids. Lure in the kids who only like princess stories with the fact that it’s about a pretty lady who tames a horsey. Lure in the battle fans with the fact that she has to go head-to-head with a pack o' baddies. There’s adventure, great storytelling, and images that’ll make your eyes water. Yeah, I’m stumped. Can’t think of a single critical thing to say about this one. It’s just purely beautiful. But you’ll have to see it yourself to believe me.
Ages 5-10.
Having found Tennessee a bit too cramped to suit her, giantess and all around decent gal Angelica Longrider (“Swamp Angel” to some) has headed further into the country to set up shop in Montana. It takes a little settling in, but she’s happy enough and even manages to tame a wild dust storm into a steed worthy of her skills. Good thing too, since that nasty Backward Bart and his band of no goodniks are terrorizing the countryside, robbing good people of their pennies. If she could wrestle a bear into submission, Angel certainly can handle a couple of toughs. But it’ll take smarts as well as skills to put these nasty bandits away. Good thing she’s got her horse.
The first thing you need to know about Anne Isaacs is the fact that her books, all her books, ache to be read aloud. It doesn’t matter if you’re perusing Pancakes for Supper or The Ghosts of Luckless Gulch. Now sometimes they’re a bit too long for storytimes (much to my chagrin) but for one-on-one reading they’re the tops. I mean, there are certain sentences that just beg you to try them on your tongue. Sentences like, “The barn began to shake, the ground to quake, the windows to break, the animals to wake, and everyone’s ears to ache!” Fear not, this isn’t a rhyming text. There are just certain sections where it’s the right thing to do.
While you’re rolling her sentences around in your mouth, there are also Zelinsky’s images to contend with. Painting on cedar and aspen veneer, Zelinsky is meticulous about his process. The result is a book that is rather achingly beautiful. Even if you don’t take to his style, you have to respect the process. The size of the images combined with the tiniest of brush marks mean that with every other page you’re either backing up to take the whole thing in at once, or you’re pressing your nose to the page, tracing subtle elements with just the tips of your fingertips.
It seems like a gross oversight on someone’s part that Zelinsky has never been tapped to create a graphic novel. Clearly the groundwork has already been laid here. I am referring of course to the man’s use of panels. In an early sequence Zelinsky cleverly breaks up a large block of text into six long horizontal panels. It makes Angel appear downright small, which is a bit of a feat in and of itself. There are other comic techniques Zelinsky utilizes too, if only you notice them. He’s not afraid, for example, to create long two-page spreads where Angelica appears in various places, giving the impression that time is passing. You won’t find so much as a hint of a speech bubble in this book, but when it comes to good old-fashioned visual storytelling, Zelinsky proves his mettle.
By the way, that initial panel sequence is the first example in the book of the man’s penchant for tiny details. When you’re illustrating a book about a giantess, the temptation to inculcate it with hidden details must be irresistible. But the nice thing about this initial sequence is that the tiny details are in Angelica’s face as she peeks from her little cabin. One moment she’s just a quarter of a tiny face looking right at the viewer. The next she has dramatically clasped her hands over her heart in her longing for the trees of Tennessee. Other details are fun to find as well. Can you locate Angel’s little red dog or the black crow that follows her about in the pictures? Did you notice that there are always two cats that appear when Aunt Essie’s around?
You could certainly nitpick about scale, but why bother? If Angel dwarfs the Great Lakes at the beginning of the book and then is small enough to at least make an attempt at mounting a regular sized mare a couple pages later, can you really complain? This is a tall tale, for crying out loud. Exaggeration is the name of the game and if you’re limiting your exaggeration to merely words then you’ve sort of lost sight of the whole point. Mr. Zelinsky has made a bit of a name for himself over the years with his giants. There was the initial Swamp Angel of course, and then there were the Awful Ogre books by Jack Prelutsky. Actually there’s one image in this book of Angel riding a twister, the sole of her bare foot thrust towards the reader this is distinctly Awful Ogre-ish. The man knows his big folks.
And it’s funny. Yes, full credit to the funny books of the world. The best funny picture books are the ones where the artist’s humor and the author’s humor work in tandem with one another. That is clearly the case here, since the page containing Backward Bart’s evil gang had me snorting out loud. On her end, Isaacs is throwing out names like “Lovely Poe”, “Lawless Sam Diego”, and “Missouri Jerk”. For his part, Zelinsky makes Lovely Poe entirely skewed, Missouri Jerk pomaded and mustached, and Lawless Sam Diego is either falling or reclining, sans shoes. It’s hugely amusing.
I should probably mention problems with the books as well at this point, eh? Uh . . . hrm. Well, that’s a toughie. Cause as I see it, this is a book with appeal for all kinds of kids. Lure in the kids who only like princess stories with the fact that it’s about a pretty lady who tames a horsey. Lure in the battle fans with the fact that she has to go head-to-head with a pack o' baddies. There’s adventure, great storytelling, and images that’ll make your eyes water. Yeah, I’m stumped. Can’t think of a single critical thing to say about this one. It’s just purely beautiful. But you’ll have to see it yourself to believe me.
Ages 5-10.
October 28, 2022
In this thrilling folklore, we learn about the famous Angelica Longride, or in this story, Swamp Angel. Angel is the protagonist in this story and she takes us readers on a wild adventure till the very end. In the exposition, we learn about how Swamp Angel moved from Tennessee to Montana where she then changed the whole landscape of the state. Angel was only missing one thing that would help her out tremendously, and that was a horse. In the rising action, a huge dust storm swept through Montana and Angel later found that the large dust storm ended up being a mighty horse that she named Dust Devil. Angel and her new companion ran into trouble when Backward Bart, the antagonist, started to rob all of the piggy banks of farmers who lived in Montana. By the end of this exhilarating adventure, Swamp Angel and her trusty companion Dust Devil were able to bust the crimes that Backward Bart and his Flying Desperadoes were committing. This story was filled with witty metaphors, playful similes, and clever repetition. I would definitely read this book again in my future classroom when learning about different techniques in creative writing.
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March 6, 2025Are you looking for a book to entertain your students? Look no further! Dust Devil is a book about a girl that has grown too big, quite literally, for Tennessee. So she moved to Montana where it is known for the large countryside. So she starts one long adventure to Montana from Tennessee. She tames wild horses, moves around the landscapes, and even catches a “Dust Devil” or tornado. She also has some run-ins with some villains. Overall this story is a good one to entertain your kiddos, and I suggest getting them on your shelves as soon as possible.
September 24, 2010
This companion book for the wonderful Swamp Angel is filled with the same tall tale antics of the first. Swamp Angel grew too big for the state of Tennessee, so she had to move to the wide open spaces of Montana. Unfortunately, the sun woke her too early so she plucked some mountains and placed them around to create some shade, making the buttes of Montana. But her biggest problem was finding a horse that she could ride. They were too small to carry her. Then a huge storm came across the state, kicking up dust and sucking the roof off of her barn. Swamp Angel jumped onto the storm and rode it until it turned into a horse that could strike lightning with its hooves. When Backward Bart and his Flying Desperadoes enter the state, Swamp Angel and her horse, Dust Devil, have to combine their strength and size as well as a secret weapon to bring them to justice. A wild stampede of a story, this is a tale worthy to follow in the huge footsteps of the original.
Isaacs has a wonderful time with the language of tall tales, using words that dance and whirl, immediately placing readers on familiar ground but amping it up to a new level. Her description of the jail is worthy of note as a great example of her word play: “single-starred, double-barred, triple-guard jail.” Isaacs’ story is completely jam-packed with Angel being a tall tale heroine. She exemplifies everything readers want in adventure. Isaac also adds a punch of humor to the book from the rollicking words she chooses to the villains themselves. Backward Bart speaks his sentences in reverse-word order, which will have children listening very closely to be the first to decipher what he is saying.
Zelinsky’s illustrations are done in oils on cedar, aspen and maple veneers. This gives the illustrations a great framed effect that is rustic and perfectly suited to the story. Zelinsky enjoys playing with perspective in his illustrations, offering views that intensify the size of Angel and Dust Devil. The illustrations have a timelessness that is very appealing.
Swamp Angel is a girl who will give Paul Bunyan a run for his money, just as Dust Devil stands up well to Babe, the Blue Ox. This brand new tall tale heroine stands tall among giants. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
Isaacs has a wonderful time with the language of tall tales, using words that dance and whirl, immediately placing readers on familiar ground but amping it up to a new level. Her description of the jail is worthy of note as a great example of her word play: “single-starred, double-barred, triple-guard jail.” Isaacs’ story is completely jam-packed with Angel being a tall tale heroine. She exemplifies everything readers want in adventure. Isaac also adds a punch of humor to the book from the rollicking words she chooses to the villains themselves. Backward Bart speaks his sentences in reverse-word order, which will have children listening very closely to be the first to decipher what he is saying.
Zelinsky’s illustrations are done in oils on cedar, aspen and maple veneers. This gives the illustrations a great framed effect that is rustic and perfectly suited to the story. Zelinsky enjoys playing with perspective in his illustrations, offering views that intensify the size of Angel and Dust Devil. The illustrations have a timelessness that is very appealing.
Swamp Angel is a girl who will give Paul Bunyan a run for his money, just as Dust Devil stands up well to Babe, the Blue Ox. This brand new tall tale heroine stands tall among giants. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
February 29, 2012
This rip roaring tall tale is the continuing story of Angelica Longrider, first started in the Caldecott Honor Book, Swamp Angel. Now a resident of Montana, larger-than-life Angel befriends her neighbors and sets about taming the Wild West. She tames a dust storm that turns out to be a gigantic horse she names Dust Devil. Their tussle creates the Grand Canyon. Angel and Dust Devil go on to chase an evil band of terrorizing robbers, Backward Bart and his Flying Desperadoes, across the whole of Montana, thus creating the Sawtooth Range. Although this book is the sequel to Swamp Angel, it can be read as a stand alone book as well.
This original tall tale is full of exaggerated plot points and larger-than-life characters. Frequently the events of the story are said to create particular geographical land markers, such as the Grand Canyon and the buttes of Montana. Taming the Wild West is the theme of this good versus evil story, which leads to a rewarding resolution. Although some characters in the story question Angel’s ability to do things based on her gender, Angel is not a woman to take no for an answer. She is a strong female protagonist, cut from the same cloth as her male counterparts such as Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
This original tall tale is full of exaggerated plot points and larger-than-life characters. Frequently the events of the story are said to create particular geographical land markers, such as the Grand Canyon and the buttes of Montana. Taming the Wild West is the theme of this good versus evil story, which leads to a rewarding resolution. Although some characters in the story question Angel’s ability to do things based on her gender, Angel is not a woman to take no for an answer. She is a strong female protagonist, cut from the same cloth as her male counterparts such as Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
November 19, 2012
Summary: This was a wonderful traditional literature book! This was a story about a swamp angel, who was the greatest woodswoman and wildest wildcat in Tenesee. Thie woodswoman moves to Montana where she fights a huge storm that scares everyone in the town. She finds a horse, who throughout the story becomes her best friend. He becomes her side kick. She names her horse, Dust Devil. When the "bad guy" Backward Bart comes along and starts terrorizing the praries in the new town that the swamp angel and Dust Devil have been staying at, the duo stops the "bad guy". They fight against him and save everyone in the town. The incredible strenth of the young girl in this story is an inspiration to readers.
Main Characters: Dust Devil, Swamp Angel, Backwards Bart
POV: 1st Person
Scholastic Rating: 5.2
Themes / Classroom Uses: I would use this story in a younger level classroom. I would relate to themes such as folktales, girls' strength, fair tales, make believe stories, fact/opinion, praries, humor, imaginary characters, animal friends, heroism, etc.
Main Characters: Dust Devil, Swamp Angel, Backwards Bart
POV: 1st Person
Scholastic Rating: 5.2
Themes / Classroom Uses: I would use this story in a younger level classroom. I would relate to themes such as folktales, girls' strength, fair tales, make believe stories, fact/opinion, praries, humor, imaginary characters, animal friends, heroism, etc.
October 30, 2011
In this sequel to Isaac's tall tale Swamp Angel, we learn about what happened to the oversized girl when she left Tennessee and moved to Montana. What I really liked about this story was how geological features like the Sawtooth Range, the buttes, the geysers, and the Grand Canyon are explained by things that Swamp Angel does. In fact, it made me want to venture out west and see these wonders for myself. Isaacs creates some unique characters in Backward Bart and his gang. I loved the backward speech! The only thing I didn't really like was mosquitoes big enough to be ridden. In Montana? Now, Florida, maybe... Anyway, it's a rollicking read, and would combine well with Phyllis Root's Paula Bunyan, Steven Kellogg's Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett, Jerdine Nolan's Thunder Rose, Robert D. San Souci's Cut From the Same Cloth: American Women of Myth, Legend, and Tall Tale, and other stories about tall tale heroines. Recommended!
March 6, 2025
This book was certainly interesting. I found the story a little difficult to follow, but fun nonetheless. However, not knowing the story of 'Swamp Angel', I felt a little like I was walking in on the middle of a story. There a certain amount of background knowledge that had me scrambling to catch up. If you're one to like adventure and stories of heroics, "Dust Devil" is the book for you.
September 5, 2018
This is an American Tall Tale about how Swamp Angel moved to Montana, found her horse, Dust Devil, and jails the horrible Backwards Bart and his gang. It tells how the Montana Buttes were formed, what caused the Dust Bowl, and how the Grand Canyon came to be. FUN to read.
May 4, 2024
A delightful sequel to Swamp Angel. I'm happy to see that Angel is still having more adventures!
August 16, 2025
This original take nails all the points of a classic American Tall Tale, as we see Anne create features of the landscape, create larger than life versions of domestic items, tame a monstrous beast, conquer the weather, and take down some nasty criminals.
December 11, 2017
It's a little bit wordy, but it's a very cool story of Swamp Angel and her horse, Dust Devil, and the part they played in creating the wonders in Montana.
December 14, 2017
Too much like Paul Bunyan for me.
March 13, 2018
i think it is funny but i wasn't into it that much
April 30, 2018
Set in Montana. Sequel to “Swamp Angel.” Gorgeous pictures by Caldecott winning illustrator.
January 31, 2019
I wanted to like it. I've loved things that the illustrator did before. But I didn't.
June 26, 2019
This book was looooooong for a children's story. I got bored about half way through and started skim-reading. The illustrations were nothing great.
August 1, 2020
Fabulous story linking geography and tall tales. Vocabulary and similes are perfect for growing young minds. The illustrations are as grand as the story.
August 23, 2023
This was hilarious, creative, and awesome. The kids and I all absolutely loved it.
February 19, 2018
Dust Devil is a fun sequel to Swamp Angel, also by Anne Isaacs, but I didn't enjoy it as much as its predecessor. It felt too forced, like the author may have been trying too hard to continue the story of Angel Longrider. Children may still like it, but to me it didn't come close to the level of Swamp Angel, which was an awesome tall tale and read aloud.
October 17, 2011
The second in out string of crappy kids books from last week. Julia and I decided to end this at the same time which told me we were making the right decision.
The writing isn't anything to write home about, neither of us liked this Swamp Angel creature (I have a hard time calling her a girl), the story just plain sucked. :(
Update on 10/17/11: I just changed the rating for this book from one star to three stars. If any one book has defined for me how much a persons mood plays in reading it's this.
Julia and I borrowed this from the library back in late April/early May and neither of us liked it. I think Julia could have gone on with it because she didn't seem to hate it but I just couldn't keep going. I was almost repulsed by this Swamp Angel.
So, fast forward to mid October and we happen to see this again.
(Our local library has "new" (what they consider new anyway) featured out of the stacks for people to easily see.)
I picked it up and asked Julia if she remembered it. She did and remembered that neither of us liked it but that I really didn't like it. Without saying anything we both took a seat and opened the book. It was almost like a 'let's see what we didn't like' type thing. But that backfired as anyone can see.
We started reading and we liked it. Swamp Angel isn't so repulsive after all. Paul O. Zelinsky's illustrations - especially the horse/dust/wind - were absolutely beautiful. Possibly some of the best I've ever seen. We just sat there poring over the pages.
So, I take back what I said earlier this year. I would have just erased my previous statements but since this has served as a lesson to me maybe it will to someone else.
*This is not to mean I won't continue to be harsh when I feel a book deserves it. This is only to mean I may change my mind at any time.*
:-)
The writing isn't anything to write home about, neither of us liked this Swamp Angel creature (I have a hard time calling her a girl), the story just plain sucked. :(
Update on 10/17/11: I just changed the rating for this book from one star to three stars. If any one book has defined for me how much a persons mood plays in reading it's this.
Julia and I borrowed this from the library back in late April/early May and neither of us liked it. I think Julia could have gone on with it because she didn't seem to hate it but I just couldn't keep going. I was almost repulsed by this Swamp Angel.
So, fast forward to mid October and we happen to see this again.
(Our local library has "new" (what they consider new anyway) featured out of the stacks for people to easily see.)
I picked it up and asked Julia if she remembered it. She did and remembered that neither of us liked it but that I really didn't like it. Without saying anything we both took a seat and opened the book. It was almost like a 'let's see what we didn't like' type thing. But that backfired as anyone can see.
We started reading and we liked it. Swamp Angel isn't so repulsive after all. Paul O. Zelinsky's illustrations - especially the horse/dust/wind - were absolutely beautiful. Possibly some of the best I've ever seen. We just sat there poring over the pages.
So, I take back what I said earlier this year. I would have just erased my previous statements but since this has served as a lesson to me maybe it will to someone else.
*This is not to mean I won't continue to be harsh when I feel a book deserves it. This is only to mean I may change my mind at any time.*
:-)
March 17, 2011
Love the language in this book: "Montana souil is rich enough to open its own bank." Sure enough, the corn grows so fast that it carries some cows along for the ride, who don't reappear till fall, when the stalks have withered. The cows were fine, and all summer "it rained milk by the buckets." This part especially reminded me of Sid Fleishman's stories about McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm. Many features of the Western landscape are explained in the story -- the buttes in Montana were moved there by Angel to provide shade, the Grand Canyon was carved by the hooves of Dust Devil as Angel is breaking him. She finally found a horse her size, whose hooves shoot lighting. With his help, she tracks down the villain, Backward Bart and his gang of Desparadoes, who are terrorizing the West, riding giant mosquitos and yelling orders backyards, "Cash your gimme!" Zelinsky's folk art style illustrations are a perfect match to the rollicking test.
March 13, 2011
I waited to read this until I could reread the 1994 Caldecott Honor Swamp Angel. I like Dust Devil better than the first, although seeing the illustrations of the first made reading aloud Dust Devil that much more fun. The book certainly will fit into a 2nd or third grade tall tales study, but also will be a great writing model in conjunction with modern or por quoi tales. I particularly love the figurative language and the backwards talk. It might be fun to introduce palendromes before or after this read aloud.
This is one of the 4 nominated books for 1st and 2nd graders to read in 2011 at Bank Street School. This is the first year any teacher or librarian of 6-8 year olds can work on the curriculum and vote by registering at School Library Journal and submitting children's votes by April 11, 2011.
This is one of the 4 nominated books for 1st and 2nd graders to read in 2011 at Bank Street School. This is the first year any teacher or librarian of 6-8 year olds can work on the curriculum and vote by registering at School Library Journal and submitting children's votes by April 11, 2011.
July 9, 2012
This sequel to Swamp Angel takes us farther West for our monstrous heroine to work her hyperbolic magic through the history of the wild West. Another great example of figurative language in story telling. I love the voice too.
Isaacs, A., & Zelinsky, P. O. (2010). Dust devil. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books.
Awards/Reviews: Kirkus Reviews starred 09/01/10; Library Media Connection starred 01/01/11; School Library Journal starred 09/01/10; Booklist starred 09/01/10
Curriculum Connections: Figurative language, hyperbole, tall tales, legends, exaggeration (7th grade LA)
Personal Literature Selection: boys and girls, mostly suggest to teachers prior to mini-lessons on figurative lessons or tales.
Isaacs, A., & Zelinsky, P. O. (2010). Dust devil. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books.
Awards/Reviews: Kirkus Reviews starred 09/01/10; Library Media Connection starred 01/01/11; School Library Journal starred 09/01/10; Booklist starred 09/01/10
Curriculum Connections: Figurative language, hyperbole, tall tales, legends, exaggeration (7th grade LA)
Personal Literature Selection: boys and girls, mostly suggest to teachers prior to mini-lessons on figurative lessons or tales.
September 30, 2010
Swamp Angel has a reputation as the greatest woodswoman and wildest wildcat in all of Tennessee. But when she grows too big for that state, she moves to Montana, a place so sizeable, even Angel can fit in. It’s there that she wrestles a raging storm to the ground and, at its center, finds herself a sidekick—a horse she names Dust Devil. And when Backward Bart, the orneriest, ugliest outlaw ever known, starts terrorizing the prairie, seems like Angel and Dust Devil may be the only ones strong enough to stop him.
October 3, 2010
I love that although this is a companion book to Swamp Angel, I was able to follow and enjoy the book without reading its predecessor. The design of the book is great and rustic, and the tall tale is definitely one I'd share with my 4th graders during our legends and tall tales unit. But I wasn't that crazy about the illustrations themselves. I'm a big fan of the illustrator's Caldecott-winning Rapunzel, but I didn't have the same sense of not being able to tear my eyes away from the pictures like I had when reading Rapunzel.
February 4, 2011
Dust Devil is a tall tale as big as the Montana sky, filled with delightful and humorous illustrations. (Wait ‘till you see the 10-foot mosquitoes!)
Angelica Longrider, a lady of Paul Bunyan-like stature, molds the West’s landscape and corrals a posse of bad guys. The title of the book refers to Angelica’s horse, an animal who can turn himself into a tornado when he gets the notion.
Veg*n parents should note that the story does depict the “breaking” of a horse when Angelica attempts to train Dust Devil.
Angelica Longrider, a lady of Paul Bunyan-like stature, molds the West’s landscape and corrals a posse of bad guys. The title of the book refers to Angelica’s horse, an animal who can turn himself into a tornado when he gets the notion.
Veg*n parents should note that the story does depict the “breaking” of a horse when Angelica attempts to train Dust Devil.
October 25, 2014
This humorous tale while instantly keeps children's attention during a shared reading or read-aloud of this text. The illustrations that Mr. Paul Zelinsky presents to the readers is good for the flow of the text. Anne Isaacs invites her young readers to explore the story of Angelica a courageous, feisty, ordinary girl and her sidekick companion horse, 'Dust Devil', as they go on an adventure to save their town from an evil group of bandits. Children will instantly grow an affection for the tall tale format of books after reading this one.
September 18, 2010
9/17/10-It came on Tuesday after I had shared Swamp Angel with my class that day. I started it on Thursday and finished it today. It was quite fun. My kids LOVED it. I hope Angelia Longrider gets featured in another book long before 16 more years pass by!
8/27-Just ordered this book! So excited. I read Swamp Angel to my class every year!!! Now Angelica Longrider has another adventure! I am so excited! Read it on one of my blogs, my pre-order is placed, I can't wait!
8/27-Just ordered this book! So excited. I read Swamp Angel to my class every year!!! Now Angelica Longrider has another adventure! I am so excited! Read it on one of my blogs, my pre-order is placed, I can't wait!
December 30, 2010
A completely original, totally fun, tall tale, that feels instantly as classic as Paul Bonyun or any of those other big guys. While Paul O. Zelinsky's style isn't my favorite, you'd have to be blind not recognize how skillfully and thoughtfully illustrated this book is. And it's really fun to just flip through the pages looking for all the small details he added in; trying to find Angel's teeny tiny red pup on every page is almost like trying to figure out where Waldo is at times.
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