This Is Texas [Hardcover]

Miroslav Sasek (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: This is . . .

Following the runaway bestsellers This is New York and This is Paris, Universe is pleased to reissue another title from M. Sasek's beloved and nostalgic children's travel series. Like the other Sasek classics, This is Texas is a facsimile edition of his original book that is still timely and current in every way. The stylish, charming illustrations, coupled with Sasek's witty, playful narrative, make the book a perfect souvenir that will delight both children and their parents, many of whom will remember it from their childhood. The brilliant, vibrant illustrations have been meticulously preserved, remaining true to his vision more than forty years later and, where applicable, facts have been updated for the twenty-first century, appearing on a "This is ... Today" page at the back of each book. In This is Texas, first published in 1967, M. Sasek rides high in the saddle, lassoing all the color and colossal span of Texas as he tours the state from Dallas, Houston, and Austin to the Alamo. From its cattle, coyotes, and cowboys to its oil wells, rodeo and rattlesnakes, everything in the biggest state is bigger than anywhere else.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

M. Sasek was born in 1916 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Best remembered for his classic stories on the great cities of the world, he died in 1980.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Universe (February 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789313898
• ISBN-13: 978-0789313898
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 0.6 x 12.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 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: #170,989 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Travel

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

93 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Is a Great Book, May 29, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: This Is Texas (Library Binding)

Ok, it's doubtful anyone will ever read this review, but as Mr. Sasek has passed away, this is the only tribute I can leave him.

I was born in Texas, and have lived my whole life there. For many people outside of Texas, our devotion to our state and the pride we take in being Texan can be confusing. After all, most people think Texas consists of nothing but cowboys and oil wells. But those who have lived here know that Texas is far more than the sum of her parts.

As a child, my parents bought this book, and we read it together. This book made me realize how lucky I am to have been born here, and what pride I should have in my state. How odd that this lesson would be taught by a writer from Prague! True, the book does contain many of the cliches associated with Texas (such as the aforementioned cowboys and oil wells), but it really tries to show that Texas is so much more. Mostly, I remember that, instead of focusing on one city in the state, this book covered the whole territory, from El Paso to Houston. From the King Ranch to the Mexican Border. As Sasek himself said in 'Books are by People': "Doing 'This is Texas' I had to travel 3,000 miles by bus to see all I had to see!" It shows in the quality of his writing.

Honestly, however, I can say that the one thing that sticks with me most from this book is the art. Mr. Sasek was an exceptionally gifted artist with a very quirky style that made everything seem vibrant and dynamic, but still utterly approachable. If there is any finer illustration in a children's book that the image of Tent Maker Creek Canyon on pages 48 and 49 of the original hard-cover edition, I've yet to see it. Evocative, poignant, yet still fun to view, his illustrations are what made him a superior author.

If there is any one critique that can be leveled against the book, it is that the information in the book is rather dated. However, for me at least, the book makes me nostalgic for times when technology had not conquered the world, and Texas was a state of plains and prairies, as much as a state of oil and microchips.

Miroslav Sasek traveled the globe painting beautiful pictures and writing books that have touched peoples live. Of his work, I can only say this: my wife is currently pregnant with our first child, and it will be my great honor to read this book with him/her when they are old enough. There can be no greater legacy than that.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best travel guides for kids and grown-ups!, August 18, 2009

By 

chuchichaeschtli (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Is Texas (Hardcover)

Sasek's children travel guides simply catch the spirit of the big cities and countries of the world.
The clever and appealing verse and the charming illustrations make this series not only informative but also fun to read.