From Publishers Weekly
In her standard approach, combining text, realistic art and maps annotated with historical information, Harness (Ghosts of the White House) presents a spotty portrait of Mark Twain and the majestic river that inspired much of his writing. The opening history of the area surrounding the Mississippi River devolves into meandering sentences that readers may find difficult to navigate (e.g., "As far back as three thousand years ago, people in the valleys of the Mississippi and the Ohio Rivers were building big burial mounds, and the river people built some of North America's first cities, such as Cahokia in what is now called Illinois"). Harness sometimes strains to interweave the story of Samuel Clemens's life and career with that of the stately steamboats' heyday. The connection is initially obvious: as a youngster, Clemens watches the steamboat operators in awe?and with envy; later he works as a pilot on the Mississippi until the outbreak of the Civil War. But as Clemens's exploits take him far from its shores, the book skips haphazardly between highlights of his life, both personal and professional, and key developments on the river where steamboats were being usurped by the more efficient railroads. The twain do meet at story's end, yet the split focus makes for a fragmented narrative that gives neither the renowned novelist nor the Queens of the Mississippi their due. Harness's detailed, energetic watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations supply a vitality and focus missing from the text. Ages 6-10.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5-Harness uses Mark Twain as a focus for a historical look at the Mississippi River and the steamboats that plied her waters. A double-page spread depicting the river's early users leads into a map of the Mississippi's various tributaries and the 2,348-mile journey it makes from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. In her signature style, Harness briefly describes the Mississippi's history, while surrounding images and hand-lettered information expand the presentation. When the author reaches the early 1800s, steamboats are introduced and then, in 1835, young Samuel Clemens comes on stage. Here, Harness touches on his determination to be a river pilot and his years as a newspaperman and writer, and then returns to the river and its role in the Civil War. She concludes with the decline of the steamboat and neatly ties Clemens's last years and death back to his Mississippi River days. The time period, deftly captured through dress and background details, sets the scene for a particularly warm and vivid portrayal of the famous writer. This book makes a great companion to Kathryn Lasky's biography, A Brilliant Streak (Harcourt, 1998), and to her novel Alice Rose & Sam (Hyperion, 1998), which features Sam Clemens as a major character. A fine link to the Mississippi River, to steamboats, and to Mark Twain and his books; Old Man River would be pleased.
Barbara Elleman, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WICopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
