  | Black heroes of the wild west Author: Smith, James Otis | |
| Price: $18.88 | ||
Summary:
Celebrates the extraordinary true tales of three black historical figures in the Old West: Mary "Stagecoach" Fields, a cardplaying coach driver; Bass Reeves, the first black Deputy US Marshall west of the Mississippi; and Bob Lemmons, a cowboy famous for his ability to tame mustangs. In graphic novel format.
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| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 5.00 Points: .5 Quiz: 511038 |
Reviews:
School Library Journal (00/09/20)
Booklist (+) (09/01/20)
The Hornbook (00/11/20)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 09/01/2020 Gr 4–6—Saddle up! To highlight the significant African American presence in the story of the so-called "Wild West," Smith presents in graphic format dramatic exploits of three larger-than-life Western figures who were born into slavery, then switches to prose with mostly period illustrations and photographs for a wagon full of back matter on real cowboys, relations with Native Americans, cattle drives, the myth of the Old West, and related topics. The informational beef is nutritious, but the first part really brings the sizzle, as readers are treated to views of "gun-toting, pants-wearing, punch-throwing" Mary Fields, aka "Stagecoach Mary," fighting off a pack of wolves; deputy U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves cleverly collaring the murderous Clancy brothers without firing a shot; and "mustanger" Bob Lemmons corralling a herd of wild horses by convincing them that he's their lead stallion. The author sprinkles in colorful biographical details, adds nods to contemporaries such as Nat Love and Bill Pickett, then closes with generous dollops of relevant print and web resources. VERDICT Little dogies in middle grades won't need to be coaxed to snatch up this fresh and timely alternative to Lillian Schlissel's Black Frontiers: A History of African-American Heroes in the Old West.—John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New York - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
