Customer Reviews

Pecos Bill

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This mild, but event-filled re-telling of the Pecos Bill story lacks the incorrigible air of tongue-in-cheek humour and bold-faced lies of the typical tall tale. However, and especially if your young`uns never heard a tall tale, the wonderful illustrations will partially make up for this. When we started to read this book, we thought those sweet-faced, round-eyed, snub-nosed cowboys looked a little familiar: this guy is the same feller who illustrated HOW MUCH IS A MILLION? which we like alot. My boys love the snake lasso, and we return many times to the fantastic "critter" that Bill wrassles into submission. But breaking-in "Widder-maker" is an let-down after that adventure, I am afraid. I recommend Adrien Stoutenburg`s AMERICAN TALL TALES for older children (9-12yrs) which has few illustrations but whose style is far better suited to the dramatic and poetic nature of the tall tale genre. My seven-year old loves to hear me read those aloud.

A legend about a boy who falls out of his family wagon as they are crossing the country. He is forced to raise himself in the wide open west and learn how to protect his life.
This was an ok book from my point of view. The illustrations were amazing they really kept my attention. However, the writing was nothing too spectacular. The story of Pecos Bill is one of adventure and I just didn't feel like this version of the story captured the really adventure of the legend. This book sends the message of standing up for yourself and never giving up on your dream. I think it did a good job of getting the message across and my second graders knew what the message was as soon as a closed the book.

Steven Kellogg's style is perfect for this classic tall tale. His illustrations of the animals are dynamite, and Pecos Bill looks good-natured on every page. The giant rattlesnake is scary on one page, and emaciated the next. Very funny. Super good scenery in this book, and I love the illustration of the cattle drive - two pages of longhorns.

Anyway, this book is sure to make your kids laugh.

While the book is filled with huge illustrations, the edge has been taken off the story. Part of what made the Pecos Bill story appealing when I was a child was the danger involved and the rough and ready lifestyle. This is just too "white bread" - boring, bland, yawn inducing. They completely domesticated Widowmaker (his horse), referring to him as "Lightening" for the majority of the story. On the plus side, the story retains a few more elements than Kellogg's abyssmal rendering of Paul Bunyan.

Pecos Bill is a good witten fantasy childrens book. Pecos and his family are moving and Pecos falls out of the wagon and raised by a pack of coyotes when he was young. Later he finds he is great at wrestling animals. Pecos finds a white stallion that is the fastest ever and helps heard the cattle so the town can do things without them in the way.

Pecos Bill takes place in Texas after he falls off the wagon. One thing I liked that the author did was make it a fast pace book and not run on. The problem was mainly that the texans were looking to get the cattle out of the way of their town. The best audience for this book are yong kids mostly boys. The author leaves the reading level basic and doesnt usse and confusing words. Steven Kellogg did a great job writing Pecos Bill

I love all of these Steven Kellogg American folk tales. Amazing illustrations and fun stories that were meant to be passed down.

great illustrations and fun story. My 25 year old daughter fondly remembers this and other Steve kellogg books from her childhood.

Must have to read to young sons and/or grandsons. Great adventure with wonderful illustrations and easy read - a six-year old can help you!

If you are looking for a book that is funny you should read Pecos Bill by Steven Kellogg. I think this book is good because how it explains the things that happened. Like how cattle roping was invented. But it is not non-fiction. If I were you I would get this book and read it!

Reading this book with my child was easy. The illustrations gave way to more imagination about the story, we both loved it.