The Armadillo from Amarillo [Hardcover]

Lynne Cherry (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Sasparillo, an armadillo from Texas, leaves his home to find out where on Earth he is, and with the help of a golden eagle, he discovers where he lives--in a city, in a state, in a country, on a continent, on a planet, in the solar system, in the universe. Along the way, Sasparillo learns about geography, history, the environment, and animals native to Texas.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The musings of a Texas armadillo who wonders "Where in the world am I?" are the springboard for a journey and geography lesson that are wide-ranging indeed. Sasparillo climbs a tower in San Antonio, then sets out to explore the variegated terrain--canyons, woodlands, prairies, plains--of his native state. His curiosity unslaked, he then hops aboard a willing eagle's back for a true bird's-eye view. The armadillo and eagle eventually hitch a ride on the space shuttle, allowing them to contemplate the vastness of the universe--and pushing this flight of fancy rather too far. The rhyming text is merely workmanlike, but Cherry's peripatetic armadillo, bright-eyed and with a knapsack hung over his shoulder, makes a jaunty, appealing adventurer, and her meticulous lines and wide-ranging palette do full justice to the country through which he roams. The sheer beauty of her field of bluebells and her stark rock formations, to name just two scenes, speaks eloquently to the need to cherish and protect our earth. Sprinkled throughout are postcards from Sasparillo to a cousin in the Philadelphia Zoo. One quibble: the concluding author's note is unnecessarily long and belabored ("Some of the things that Sasparillo experiences could not happen to a real armadillo"). Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Spectacular watercolor and oil-pastel renditions of Texas scenes combine with the rhymed-verse explorations of a curious armadillo to form an excellent map-skills book for beginners. Sasparillo Armadillo decides to explore his native state, and travels from San Antonio to Amarillo. He's still not sure where in the world he is, so he catches a ride on the back of a golden eagle and eventually boards the space shuttle for an even larger perspective. Cherry's love for the environment, shown in The Great Kapok Tree (1990) and A River Ran Wild (1992, both Harcourt), is evident in this book as well. Fields of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes sprawl across borderless, two-page spreads, giving credence to the grandeur of the countryside. Indigenous plants, animals (some endangered), and unique geographical formations are introduced via inset postcards that Sasparillo sends to his cousin Brillo in Philadelphia. An author's note is packed with more cultural, historical, and scientific information, disclaiming some of the fantasy elements but assuring readers that "the geographical information in the text is accurate." An ecological jewel that sparkles with multifaceted spin-off possibilities.
Claudia Cooper, Ft. Stockton Independent School District, TX
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (March 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152003592
• ISBN-13: 978-0152003593
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,101,645 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for everyone who loves childrens books, September 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Armadillo from Amarillo (Hardcover)

I checked out this book from our local library because of the colorful illustrations, but as soon as I got it home I knew I had discovered a treasure. My children loved the rolling, tumbling word play and I loved the fact that they were learning as I was reading. Ms Cherry does a wonderful job of drawing you into the story and her illustrations are delightful. I have added this book to our home library and look forward to seeing new stories from this wonderful authoress. I highly recommed it to any one with children or a love for Texas. A must to own.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!!, February 8, 2004

By 

Homeschooling Unscripted "Gidget" (SE USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Armadillo from Amarillo (Paperback)

My daughter loves armadillos, so when I saw this book at the library, I had to bring it home. It is great. It took her interest in armadillos and combined it with geography. The author did a great job of intertwining the fact that there are 50 states and linking that with the continents and our place on earth and the planets in the solar system. For us, this is definately worth purchasing!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perspective, December 24, 2007

By 

P. Bell "longtime teacher" (Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Armadillo from Amarillo (Hardcover)

This is a book about an armadillo who wants to travel outside his small world - the
desert area of Amarillo. As he goes along, he sends back postcards of what he sees.
He is very ingenious in getting farther and farther away from Amarillo. He eventually
makes it to outer space. Cumulatively, the reader ends up with a sense of where we
are in the universe. It is a simpler book version of the Powers of Ten movie from many
years ago.