Dust Devil Book Review by Anne Issacs

Written by: Anne Issacs
Illustrated by: Paul O. Zelinsky
Published by: Schwartz and Wade Books in 2010
ISBN: 9780375867224

Plot Summary: Swamp Angel is a woman who is too big to fit in her state as she is the size of Paul Bunyan. She has to leave her home of Tennessee and she finds that the wide open spaces of Montana is the perfect fit for her homesteading ways. Through a series of challenges, Angel helps create a good home for herself by planting mountains for shade, planting giant crops that take the cows with them, and wrestling a dust storm that turns out to be a horse. Angel tames the dust devil horse and finds out that some outlaws are terrorizing the state of montana so with the help of her trusty steed she is able to trick the outlaws into jail and saves the day. 

Analysis: This story falls along the Tall Tales of Paul Bunyan with a sprinkle of Pecos Bill thrown in. The story is engaging and shows that sometimes things aren't always what they seem. The story explains some of the natural phenomenons found in Montana like buttes, geysers, and the sawtooth mountain range through the use of hilarious story and plot devices. It also explains how the Grand Canyon was made which will be sure to delight younger readers as they study geography and the world around them. The illustrations are very old timey and have a Wild West feel to them. The characters are very animated looking but the scenery is beautiful as the illustrator uses powerful images to show the different types of landforms. The illustrations help move the plot of the story along and with the caricature of the bad guys and Angel readers are sure to get some very good laughs.  

Reviews: Booklist
“Once again, Isaacs’ story and Zelinsky’s oil-paint-on-wood artwork create a laugh-out-loud tall tale with folksy phrasing and slapstick exaggeration. Children will delight in … this handsomely designed, thoroughly entertaining stand-alone sequel.”

Connections: 

Students could show on the map where the characters are traveling and they could point out all the different landmarks that are mentioned in the story. 
More to Read 
Swamp Angel by Anne Issacs
Paul Bunyan by Steven Kellogg

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