By Anne Isaacs, Illustrated by Paul O. ZelinskyIsaacs, Anne, Paul O. Zelinsky, and Sarah Reynolds. 1994. Swamp Angel. New York: Dutton Children's Books. ISBN 0-525-45271-0.
Swamp Angel is the tale of the “greatest woodswoman” in Tennessee. Born August 1, 1815, Angelica Longrider was as big as she was gawky. That gawkiness however, Angelica outgrew and in place blossomed a courageousness and spirit, which earned her not only the name Swamp Angel, yet much more importantly; respect amongst all. That respect extended to the very same men, who taunted her about joining them in the competition to capture Thundering Tarnation, the prowling giant bear; whose fur was so thick bullets could not get through. Thundering Tarnation had to be caught; life on the pioneer was difficult enough without that beast of a bully raiding the very same cellars where the winter’s food was stored. Of all those, who set out to capture Thundering Tarnation, it was Swamp Angel, who after several heroic battles with the bear; exterminated it. She fed thousands of people for the whole winter with the meat of the bear, blanketed the state of Montana with his pelt and even left a lasting impression on the stars.
The main characters of this tale are Angelica Longrider, the valiant heroine and Thundering Tarnation, the prowling vermin. Author, Anne Isaacs, does a marvelous job in creating these two characters, who are quite distinct yet, ironically possess equal amounts of fierceness and determination. I do believe that this technique of creating such a monstrous beast with such great strength and a heroine, who is able to match that strength, is an effective approach that places greater emphasis on the heroine’s character and personality. I would not say that the characters in this tale are complicated however; I would agree that the heroine is quite dynamic in that she begins not being able to climb a tree without assistance to battling with a bear, “tossing him so high in the sky he was still on his way up at nightfall.” Even after a “slow start” in life, she is portrayed as confident and strong; qualities which I do believe many young girls need help relating to today.
I would agree that the plot of this tall tale is both episodic and bursting with action. I can imagine a storyteller animatedly narrating this tale leaning into an audience of kids all of who are at the edge of their seats. The sequence of the story moves forward quite effortlessly. We are first introduced to the main character, Angelica. We are not only introduced to her character however; there is an importance on her behavior and personality. Right after, we are then introduced to Thundering Tarnation, who in this tale is representative of malevolence. The trouble that Thundering Tarnation is causing is established within the story and a resolution to that trouble is introduced; a competition to kill the bear. The resolution is now set into action. The author places emphasis on the bear’s cleverness by sharing in the tale many of the hunters defeated encounters. Each conflict builds upon the next. There is a moment of suspense when Swamp Angel (Angelica) finally meets the bear, face to face. The battle between the two begins. I would not say that the final resolution, which is the bear’s death, comes quickly; however I agree that the lengthy fight between Swamp Angel and the bear only adds strength to Swamp Angel’s character and to the greatness of the overall success of the plot.
The setting of this tall tale is within the pioneer days in the backwoods wilderness of Tennessee. The period marked the American Frontier. The beginning of the tale takes us back to the day, August 1, 1815, the birth day of Angelica Longrider. As is typical with traditional tales, time moves forward rapidly as Angelica turns two and then becomes full grown. The story takes us back to an event, which occurred at the age of twelve however, that was primarily to explain to the reader how Angelica Longrider received the name “Swamp Angel”. Once the background information was established, the plot begins, “Once upon a summer in the Tennessee wilderness…” I would most definitely agree that the setting in this tale is of great importance for it plays a crucial role in helping us understand the characters, their personalities; all of which brings life to the story.
The long draw out fight between Swamp Angel and the Thundering Tarnation makes the theme of this tale to be both tense and suspenseful. I would not say that there are big, global messages, however; there is a strong emphasis on character and values and on culture and diversity. I would state that I consider the style of this tale to have a western flare. The sound of spoken language is captured in print through the use of dialect specific to the culture and time and also through various idiomatic expressions. Swamp Angel is quoted as stating, “Varmint, I’m much obliged for that pelt you’re carryin’.” If we take a closer look at the word “carrying”, we notice that the “g” is left off. The same style of word expression can be seen when Swamp Angel states, “Confound it, varmint, if you warn’t the most wondrous heap of trouble I ever come to grips with! The dialect and idiomatic expressions brings forth a southern twang that encompasses not only the style of this tale but also the cultural markers. The descriptions of the characters also add to the style and cultural markers. The men are referred to as “buckskins”. Their caps are not baseball caps typical of today’s wear but rather, “coonskin caps”. The people are referred to as settlers and pioneers; they live in cabins, store their winter’s food in root cellars, and travel by means of wagons through wagon trails.
The illustrations in this tale have a life of their own yet, compliment and extend the story perfectly. The artistic style is reminiscent of American folk art framed by natural wood grain. The art technique used is oil painting and on the t.p. verso of the book it reads, “The illustration for this book were painted in oils on cherry, maple, and birch veneers.” The style compliments the story immensely as the story occurs within the American Frontier and is set within the wilderness of Tennessee. This tale is a prime example of illustration and story coming together to create an award winning book. The detail in each illustration is astonishing, adding depth to each character. I like how through the illustrations we can see the all sides to Swamp Angel. For instance, on one page she is illustrated helping others by putting out a house fire and on another page, she sitting on the hillside knitting, and then on another we can vividly see the wind blowing and the muck flying as she is wrestling with the beastly bear. The illustration, which displays Swamp Angel and Thundering Tarnation coming face to face, is priceless. The facial expressions are so apparent that I can easily see Swamp Angel speaking the words.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:Caldecott Honor Book, 1994
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, 1995
ALA Notable Book, 1994
New York Public Library, 100 Books Every Child Should Read
New York Times Best Illustrated Books of 1994
School Library Journal Best Books of 1994
Booklist Children's Editors Choices, 1994
Publisher's Weekly Best Books of 1994
Time Magazine's 8 Best Children's Books, 1994
Parenting Magazine Reading-Magic Award, 10 Best Books of 1994
Notable Trade Book in Language Arts, National Council of Teachers of English, 1995
EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
"This delightful production deserves a place in all tall tale collections." -- School Library Journal
"A perfect introduction to folk tales and storytelling." --Booklist
“Move over, Paul Bunyan, you are about to meet Swamp Angel, an original creation in the tall-tale tradition whose exploits are guaranteed to amaze and amuse a wide swath of readers. . . Visually exciting, wonderful to read aloud, this is a picture book to remember.” --Horn Book
CONNECTIONS –Activities
Discuss with children the differences between a tall tale and a true story; have children pick out parts from the tale, which they believe to be true.
Have a discussion about life on the American frontier, relating parts of the story that resemble.
Swamp Angel is the tale of the “greatest woodswoman” in Tennessee. Born August 1, 1815, Angelica Longrider was as big as she was gawky. That gawkiness however, Angelica outgrew and in place blossomed a courageousness and spirit, which earned her not only the name Swamp Angel, yet much more importantly; respect amongst all. That respect extended to the very same men, who taunted her about joining them in the competition to capture Thundering Tarnation, the prowling giant bear; whose fur was so thick bullets could not get through. Thundering Tarnation had to be caught; life on the pioneer was difficult enough without that beast of a bully raiding the very same cellars where the winter’s food was stored. Of all those, who set out to capture Thundering Tarnation, it was Swamp Angel, who after several heroic battles with the bear; exterminated it. She fed thousands of people for the whole winter with the meat of the bear, blanketed the state of Montana with his pelt and even left a lasting impression on the stars.
The main characters of this tale are Angelica Longrider, the valiant heroine and Thundering Tarnation, the prowling vermin. Author, Anne Isaacs, does a marvelous job in creating these two characters, who are quite distinct yet, ironically possess equal amounts of fierceness and determination. I do believe that this technique of creating such a monstrous beast with such great strength and a heroine, who is able to match that strength, is an effective approach that places greater emphasis on the heroine’s character and personality. I would not say that the characters in this tale are complicated however; I would agree that the heroine is quite dynamic in that she begins not being able to climb a tree without assistance to battling with a bear, “tossing him so high in the sky he was still on his way up at nightfall.” Even after a “slow start” in life, she is portrayed as confident and strong; qualities which I do believe many young girls need help relating to today.
I would agree that the plot of this tall tale is both episodic and bursting with action. I can imagine a storyteller animatedly narrating this tale leaning into an audience of kids all of who are at the edge of their seats. The sequence of the story moves forward quite effortlessly. We are first introduced to the main character, Angelica. We are not only introduced to her character however; there is an importance on her behavior and personality. Right after, we are then introduced to Thundering Tarnation, who in this tale is representative of malevolence. The trouble that Thundering Tarnation is causing is established within the story and a resolution to that trouble is introduced; a competition to kill the bear. The resolution is now set into action. The author places emphasis on the bear’s cleverness by sharing in the tale many of the hunters defeated encounters. Each conflict builds upon the next. There is a moment of suspense when Swamp Angel (Angelica) finally meets the bear, face to face. The battle between the two begins. I would not say that the final resolution, which is the bear’s death, comes quickly; however I agree that the lengthy fight between Swamp Angel and the bear only adds strength to Swamp Angel’s character and to the greatness of the overall success of the plot.
The setting of this tall tale is within the pioneer days in the backwoods wilderness of Tennessee. The period marked the American Frontier. The beginning of the tale takes us back to the day, August 1, 1815, the birth day of Angelica Longrider. As is typical with traditional tales, time moves forward rapidly as Angelica turns two and then becomes full grown. The story takes us back to an event, which occurred at the age of twelve however, that was primarily to explain to the reader how Angelica Longrider received the name “Swamp Angel”. Once the background information was established, the plot begins, “Once upon a summer in the Tennessee wilderness…” I would most definitely agree that the setting in this tale is of great importance for it plays a crucial role in helping us understand the characters, their personalities; all of which brings life to the story.
The long draw out fight between Swamp Angel and the Thundering Tarnation makes the theme of this tale to be both tense and suspenseful. I would not say that there are big, global messages, however; there is a strong emphasis on character and values and on culture and diversity. I would state that I consider the style of this tale to have a western flare. The sound of spoken language is captured in print through the use of dialect specific to the culture and time and also through various idiomatic expressions. Swamp Angel is quoted as stating, “Varmint, I’m much obliged for that pelt you’re carryin’.” If we take a closer look at the word “carrying”, we notice that the “g” is left off. The same style of word expression can be seen when Swamp Angel states, “Confound it, varmint, if you warn’t the most wondrous heap of trouble I ever come to grips with! The dialect and idiomatic expressions brings forth a southern twang that encompasses not only the style of this tale but also the cultural markers. The descriptions of the characters also add to the style and cultural markers. The men are referred to as “buckskins”. Their caps are not baseball caps typical of today’s wear but rather, “coonskin caps”. The people are referred to as settlers and pioneers; they live in cabins, store their winter’s food in root cellars, and travel by means of wagons through wagon trails.
The illustrations in this tale have a life of their own yet, compliment and extend the story perfectly. The artistic style is reminiscent of American folk art framed by natural wood grain. The art technique used is oil painting and on the t.p. verso of the book it reads, “The illustration for this book were painted in oils on cherry, maple, and birch veneers.” The style compliments the story immensely as the story occurs within the American Frontier and is set within the wilderness of Tennessee. This tale is a prime example of illustration and story coming together to create an award winning book. The detail in each illustration is astonishing, adding depth to each character. I like how through the illustrations we can see the all sides to Swamp Angel. For instance, on one page she is illustrated helping others by putting out a house fire and on another page, she sitting on the hillside knitting, and then on another we can vividly see the wind blowing and the muck flying as she is wrestling with the beastly bear. The illustration, which displays Swamp Angel and Thundering Tarnation coming face to face, is priceless. The facial expressions are so apparent that I can easily see Swamp Angel speaking the words.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:Caldecott Honor Book, 1994
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, 1995
ALA Notable Book, 1994
New York Public Library, 100 Books Every Child Should Read
New York Times Best Illustrated Books of 1994
School Library Journal Best Books of 1994
Booklist Children's Editors Choices, 1994
Publisher's Weekly Best Books of 1994
Time Magazine's 8 Best Children's Books, 1994
Parenting Magazine Reading-Magic Award, 10 Best Books of 1994
Notable Trade Book in Language Arts, National Council of Teachers of English, 1995
EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
"This delightful production deserves a place in all tall tale collections." -- School Library Journal
"A perfect introduction to folk tales and storytelling." --Booklist
“Move over, Paul Bunyan, you are about to meet Swamp Angel, an original creation in the tall-tale tradition whose exploits are guaranteed to amaze and amuse a wide swath of readers. . . Visually exciting, wonderful to read aloud, this is a picture book to remember.” --Horn Book
CONNECTIONS –Activities
Discuss with children the differences between a tall tale and a true story; have children pick out parts from the tale, which they believe to be true.
Have a discussion about life on the American frontier, relating parts of the story that resemble.
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