From Publishers Weekly
For 18 months during the 1860s the Pony Express delivered the mail between Missouri and California, its riders keeping to a grueling schedule, facing Indian attacks and inclement weather. Kroll and Andreasen, previously paired for By the Dawn's Early Light, dramatically capture the pioneer spirit of this forerunner of the modern postal service while providing an enticing glimpse of American history. A brief introduction fills the reader in on events leading up to the formation of the Pony Express, with succinct references to the effects of the Gold Rush and the Civil War. Then Kroll transports readers to the scene of the Pony's first mail delivery; riders are introduced and their experiences recreated in a deadpan, race-against-the-clock presentation of the facts. Oil paintings set within trompe l'oeil wood frames document important scenes and the actions of individual riders, showing their unflagging spirit and determination as they battled to get the mail through on time. Maps and photos at the end of the book are a useful addition. An absorbing and enlightening dose of history and adventure. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4?A vivid picture of the mail service whose fame has far outlasted its 18-month actuality. Kroll tells of the first deliveries from the east and west, rider by rider, giving the narrative the thrilling pace of a race and including interesting details. The excitement of the crowds, the display value of the opening ceremonies, and the national changes that were behind the urgency for fast mail delivery are all strongly realized. The author keeps the early drama in perspective with his coverage of the subsequent months of the service and its replacement by the telegraph. An appended "Mini Photo Museum" gives a brief history of mail delivery from clipper ships to jets, while a map of the pony express routes and most of the stations gives children a sense of the distance covered. Andreason's illustrations evoke the Old West of Frederick Remington. Full-page paintings with woodgrain frames put readers right in the center of the action. Far more than a book for reports, this is a stirring title that should appeal to action-loving adventurers.?Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
