Shooting For The Moon: The Amazing Life and Times of Annie Oakley [Hardcover]

Stephen Krensky (Author), Bernie Fuchs (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

A survivor who refused to give up.

The Amazing Life and Times of Annie Oakley.

"Aim at a high mark and you will hit it" is the motto the legendary sharpshooter and star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, Annie Oakley, lived by. How did a young girl growing up on a hardscrabble Ohio farm become a legend in her own time?

Based on her own writings and illustrated with hauntingly expressive oil paintings by one of America's foremost illustrators, this dramatic picture-book biography offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of a courageous young girl who went on to break barriers in the field of sports, becoming recognized by Will Rogers and others as "the greatest woman rifle shot the world has ever produced."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fuchs's (Ghost of the Southern Belle) light-dappled, impressionistic oil paintings provide a dramatic backdrop to this picture book-biography of 19th-century sharpshooter Annie Oakley. As a child, Annie helped support her impoverished Ohio farming family with her hunting skills and, at 20, outshot a professional, Frank Butler, whom she later married. Stepping in for her husband one night at an exhibition, she became an instant hit with the crowd ("A woman who could shoot like Annie was a rare sight indeed") and her speed, accuracy and daring stunts such as shooting an apple off her dog's head earned her a spot with the circus, then with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, where she went on to fame and glory. Krensky (How Santa Got His Job) paints a vigorous portrait of this legendary sportswoman, drawing from her own diaries for the crisply informative text and afterword. Fuchs heightens the drama by drenching his canvases with layers of earth tones and touching the shadowy images with light, from the reflection on the glass balls Annie targets to the gleam of the sun through the high canopy of trees in the Ohio forest. "Aim at a high mark and you will hit it," was Annie's life motto words which effectively describe this bull's-eye of a collaboration as well. Ages 5-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-This picture-book biography follows Oakley from age 5, when her father died, through her starring role, at age 26, in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. An afterword tells of her international fame and some of her life until her death at age 66. Overall, Krensky does a good job of relating the highlights of the sharpshooter's intrinsically interesting life and setting them in historical perspective. Fuchs's oil paintings in muted earth tones have a hazy, slightly unfinished look, which works well with the text, though sometimes they are so dark it is hard to see the subjects he depicts. A fine introduction to a fascinating and resourceful woman.

Louise L. Sherman, formerly at Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1st edition (September 14, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374368430
• ISBN-13: 978-0374368432
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,459,916 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aim High....., February 3, 2002

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shooting For The Moon: The Amazing Life and Times of Annie Oakley (Hardcover)

Stephen Krensky details "the amazing life and times of Annie Oakley" in this engaging and creative picture book biography. From her hard and impoverished childhood in Ohio, to her young adult years as a sharpshooter and entertainer in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, the story of her life is fascinating and full of drama. Annie was resourceful and tough as nails. She knew what she wanted, and made it happen through hard work and determination. Mr Krensky's interesting and informative text, draws on Annie Oakley's own autobiographical writings, and is enhanced by Bernie Fuchs' marvelously expressive and evocative oil paintings done in dark and subdued earth tones. Together word and art paint a portrait of a remarkable woman who never let anyone or anything get her down for long. With an afterword to fill in the gaps and complete the story of Annie Oakley's amazing life, Shooting For The Moon is perfect for youngsters 5-9, and is definitely an introductory biography that shouldn't be missed. As Annie always told everyone..."Aim at a high mark and you will hit it. No, not the first time, nor the second, and maybe not the third. But keep on aiming and keep on shooting. Finally you'll hit the bull's-eye of success, for only practice will make you perfect."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful woman, great book -- for kids, January 25, 2002

By 

"mike_the_navigator" (Bridgewater, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shooting For The Moon: The Amazing Life and Times of Annie Oakley (Hardcover)

The book fulfilled my expectations. I wanted an easy-to-read and attractive book for one of my granddaughters. I got it. She loved it too, but I'm not sure about her mom (my daughter).

Get one, read it, and then pass it on to a child.

5.0 out of 5 stars wow, January 6, 2009

By 

Robert J. Davidson (grand rapids mich) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shooting For The Moon: The Amazing Life and Times of Annie Oakley (Hardcover)

I can not remember purchasing this book but all ANNIE O books get 5 stars from me....
Now I have to find it !!!