1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Isaacs, Anne. 2010. DUST DEVIL. Ill. by Paul O. Zelinsky. New York: Schwartz Wade Books. ISBN 9780375982699 (eBook)
2. PLOT SUMMARY
This TALL Montana tale of how Angel tamed the stormy steed she calls Dust Devil is a treat for readers of all ages. Extending on the success of their previous Caldecott Honor Book that introduced the world to “Swamp Angel”, Isaacs and Zelinsky return with a fantastical tale in a western setting with all the makings of legend. When Angel relocates from Tennessee to the wide open spaces of Montana she begins by making, “a few adjustments.” She moves mountains to make buttes which provide her shade, she plants corn which grows in a day, rides storms into submission and, on her mighty mount Dust Devil, chase Backward Bart and his Flying Desperados all around and finally jail them for good. Their nasty mosquito mounts go on to change the Montana landscape and lead to more adventures, “but that’s another story.”
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Excellent for both reading to oneself and reading aloud to a rapt audience, Dust Devil, paints pictures with words that are only enhanced by Zelinsky’s images. Reminiscent of the wonderful Walt Disney cartoon tall tales, the story evolves to explain many of the great natural wonders of the state of Montana. “So Angel grabbed an armful and planted mountains one by one on the prairie. ‘That’s a beaut,’ she’d say proudly every time she set one down. And to this day, every stand-alone peak in Montana is called a butte.” The humorous writing, with the detail and flavor that makes the story come to life, will keep readers coming back for more stories of Angel. Most likely her legend will grow like that of Pecos Bill.
The humor of the story is coupled with the larger than life representations through Zelinsky’s illustrations. The oil paintings on wood veneers are vibrant and colorful with clean lines and a significant amount of detail. When Backwards Bart rides atop his wily mosquito, the weight of his large frame can be seen to bear down on the bug. The clean lines of Dust Devil’s strong hooves seem to embed into the door of the jail as he bends down the sharp, drilling noses of the mosquitos. The illustrations are a most necessary and fantastic element of the book.
One element of the book that may be a significant challenge for early readers is the dialog of Backwards Bart and his gang. While the backwards language is engaging and fun to work through, almost like a puzzle or game embedded in the story, this may make reading difficult for some younger readers. This would be a great element to be read aloud and puzzled through with young listeners together.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Review in KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Singsongy, colloquial narration guides readers from predicament to outlandish predicament with humor and folksy charm. Angel’s antics, pictured in oval and rectangular panels and surrounded by rippling wood grains, neatly explain the topography of the West in traditional folk-story fashion (wrestling the bucking bronco, Angel’s feet drag across the ground, creating the Grand Canyon).”
Review in THE NEW YORK TIMES: “In the end, of course, the heroine saves the day through bravery, pluck and a clever ploy. In all the scuffling, Angel creates the Sawtooth Range and the geysers of Yellowstone, a couple of Montana-size instances of what an economist might call unintended consequences.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*A story circle where each student researches and presents one other tall tale explaining the West can lead to comparisons and contrasts with folktales from other cultures that explain natural phenomenon. Suitable for older students.
*Children can create a puppet show representing the characters in Dust Devil, and then design a with the characters that explains another phenomenon of the West.
Schanzer, Rosalyn. DAVY CROCKETT SAVES THE WORLD. ISBN 0688169229
Bania, Michael. KUMAK’S FISH: A TALL TALE FROM THE NORTH. ISBN 0882405837
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