Minnow and Rose (Tales of Young Americans) [Hardcover]

Judy Young (Author), William Fransworth (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Tales of Young Americans

In the mid-1800s thousands of pioneers crossed the western plains of the United States using the 2,000-mile pathway called the Oregon Trail.

Minnow and her family live in one of the many native villages scattered across the plains. She has a lively sense of adventure and her favorite pastime is swimming in the nearby river where she rightly earns her nickname.

Rose and her family are traveling in one of the many wagon trains making their way west. It’s been a tedious journey with little excitement. Rose can’t wait for something thrilling to happen.

And one day it does. On the banks of a rushing river that divides one way of life from another, two very different cultures come face-to-face, with life-changing results.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This entry in the Tales of Young Americans series of historical picture books depicts an encounter between Minnow, a Native American girl living in a village by a river, and Rose, a pioneer girl traveling west in the mid-1800s. Upon first seeing each other, the girls keep their distance. Then Minnow’s father offers to help the pioneers cross the river, and during the wagon’s passage, Minnow rescues Rose when she falls into the river. Later, the two celebrate their brief though rewarding meeting with handmade gifts. The descriptive, third-person narrative alternates between each girl’s story and incorporates details of everyday life, while the softly rendered, realistic paintings expressively depict the characters and events. Transitions between viewpoints are sometimes abrupt, and one visual spread of Rose struggling underwater may disturb some kids. Still, this is an appealing, child-centric story of communicating across language and culture and finding friendship despite differences. An introductory author’s note provides some historical background. Grades 3-5. --Shelle Rosenfeld

About the Author

Judy Young has always had a fascination with words and a love of language, which she expresses through her poetry. Judy's poetry has won many awards and has been published in literary journals and magazines. Her interest in words and language also led her to receive a Masters in Arts in Speech and Language Pathology at the University of Tulsa in 1980. As a speech and language pathologist, Judy works with elementary children, helping them to understand and use language. She also encourages children to write by reading and discussing poetry in elementary classrooms. Judy and her husband, Ross, live in the country near Springfield, Missouri. They have a daughter, Brett, a son, Reid, and five dogs.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 37 pages
• Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press (January 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585364215
• ISBN-13: 978-1585364213
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

When Judy was about ten years old, she showed her grandmother a poem she had written. Her grandmother encouraged her to keep writing and Judy has done so ever since. Judy's fiction, poetry and nonfiction children's books are used extensively in classrooms across the country and have also been honored with numerous awards and recognition. One of Judy's most cherished honor was having "R is for Rhyme, A Poetry Alphabet" performed by the Tanner Creative Dance Program and Children's Dance Theatre of the University of Utah for their 58th annual performance.

A frequent speaker at schools nationwide, Judy's author visits include both educational presentations and poetry writing workshops for elementary and middle school students. Judy also conducts writing workshops for teachers for their professional development in-services and is a frequent speaker for educational organizations and professional conferences. With twenty years previous experience in the public schools, Judy has first hand experience with improving students' writing skills and her presentations and workshops are directly related to school curriculum.

Judy resides in the country near Springfield, MO, where she writes full time. Her husband, Ross B. Young, is a professional artist. He illustrated Judy's "S is for Show Me, A Missouri Alphabet" and "Show Me the Number, A Missouri Number Book." They have a grown daughter and son, and several dogs. When not writing or speaking at schools and conferences, you can find Judy hiking, fishing, or gallivanting around the country in "Arlo," the Young's traveling studio.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Oregon Trail, November 2, 2010

By 

Catherine W. Hughes (Cambridge, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Minnow and Rose (Tales of Young Americans) (Hardcover)

When Rose's family reaches a river, they set camp with their wagons for the night on the Oregon Trail. Rose catches sight of some teepees, as well as a Native American girl, when she goes to fetch water. The two girls, Minnow and Rose, form a friendship, as Minnow's father helps the white men make the river crossing. When Rose falls into the river, Minnow pulls her to safety. The two girls celebrate their friendship, finding similarities across a great divide. This is a cultural and historical picture book story that will appeal to readers ages 6-8.