The Buffalo Storm [Hardcover]

Katherine Applegate (Author), Jan Ormerod (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

Hallie isn't afraid of anything--that is, anything but storms, which she braves along with her grandmother, huddled beneath a special quilt. When her family decides to join a wagon train and go west, leaving her grandmother--and everything Hallie has ever known--behind, Hallie knows she will have to be braver than she's ever been before. Then one day on the trail she witnesses the wildest, most glorious storm imaginable. How can she be afraid of anything after that?
Lyrical text from an exceptional writer is paired with gorgeous, jewel-like paintings in this evocative story of westward expansion.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Teachers and parents will appreciate this high-quality combination of text and illustration.
Kirkus Reviews

Richly descriptive verse narrative about a girl on the Oregon Trail.
Publishers Weekly

Ormerod's texured watercolors and pastels employ billowy swatchs of color to suggest th vastness of the setting. . . . Vivid imagery makes this lyrical tale an accessible, fresh addition to the children's pioneer genre as it tackles themes of change, courage and home.
Publishers Weekly

"Readers will be convinced by the girl's sentiments on the last page: "Oregon's a fine place . . . . It's home now for me.'" Horn Book

"Add this stirring story to the growing number of picture books about pioneer life." Booklist, ALA, Starred Review

About the Author

Jan Ormerod is the acclaimed illustrator of more than 50 books for children. She lives in England.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (October 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618535977
• ISBN-13: 978-0618535972
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,077,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Katherine Applegate's many books include the Roscoe Riley Rules chapter book series, the picture book The Buffalo Storm, and the award-winning novel Home of the Brave. With her husband, Michael Grant, she wrote the hugely popular series Animorphs, which has sold more than 35 million copies worldwide.

Katherine was inspired to write The One and Only Ivan after reading about the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, the Shopping Mall Gorilla. The real Ivan lived alone in a tiny cage for twenty-seven years at a shopping mall before being moved to Zoo Atlanta after a public outcry. He is now a beloved celebrity at the zoo, which houses the nation's largest collection of western lowland gorillas. Ivan is well known for his paintings, which he "signs" with a thumb-print.

Katherine lives in California with her husband and two children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars An Unexpected Pleasure, March 17, 2011

By 

Thomas J Feller "Rockville Dad" (Rockville, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Buffalo Storm (Hardcover)

I just finished putting my 5 year old son reading this book which my oldest daughter borrowed from her school library. I enjoyed the cadence and the symbolism. The book is written in more of a poetic, rather than narrative style, in the manner of the great folk story author William Faulkner. My son enjoyed the pictures and I enjoyed how a period of American History was brought to life through the eyes of a child. A very good read.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book - interesting, well-written, memorable, January 26, 2011

By 

E - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Buffalo Storm (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful, wonderful book - so well written, it tugs at the heartstrings and it very memorable. My 5 year old loves it. I highly recommend this book - one of the top 5 children's books that we've found.