Synopses & Reviews
She had visited the Falls as a child and could remember, clearly, the thundering waters and crowds of people drawn to them. She could remember standing in a park near the Falls, hypnotized by the sight and sound, and holding her fathers hand as they took a walk that would lead them closer. Thats what everyone wonders when they see Niagara…How close will their courage let them get to it? Well, sir, you cant get any closer than I got. At the turn of the nineteenth century, Annie Edson Taylor decided to do something no one in the world had ever done before: she would go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The sixty-two year old woman would perform one of the greatest feats in American history and this is precisely why they called her the Queen of the Falls. Mrs. Taylor, a short, plump, and fussy sixty-two year old widow, finds herself in Bay City, Michigan after her travels around America as a charm schoolteacher, teaching at her very own charm school, right by Niagara Falls. But when her charm school starts to fail, Annie needs a plan to keep from becoming penniless; a way to strike it rich and put her money worries behind her for good. After reading about Niagara Falls in a newspaper, she had an epiphany: shed find fame and fortune in being the first person to ever to go over the thundering waters of Niagara Falls.
Review
"The book is impeccably designed . . . In this unromantic and bittersweet account, Van Allsburg presents the feat as born as much out of need as of courage, with Taylor portrayed as a hardheaded eccentric and an unlikely queen."
Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Taylors gender and age make her as unlikely of a hero as any child protagonist; readers will embrace her resolve."Booklist
Jumanji
Caldecott Medal, 1982
• Caldecott Medal winner 1982
• New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year
• Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award
• School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
• ALA Notable Book for Children
• Booklist Editors' Choice
• IRA/CBC Children's Choice
• 1995 blockbuster movie starring Robin Williams
"A beautiful simplicity of design, balance, texture, and a subtle intelligence beyond the call ofillustration." New York Times Book Review
The Polar Express
Caldecott Medal, 1986
• Caldecott Medal winner, 1986
• 5 million copies sold worldwide
• New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year
• New York Times Bestseller
• 2004 blockbuster movie starring Tom Hanks
"The Polar Express is magic indeed." The New York Times
"This is one of Van Allsburgs most treasured visions." Newsweek
Zathura
A New York Times Bestseller
A major motion picture in 2005
"On the twentieth anniversary of Jumanji, Van Allsburg picks up right where his Caldecott Medal book left off, with similarly terrifying adventure set this time in outer space." Booklist, starred
"Van Allsburg illustrates the surreal events in a grainy charcoal-black that seems to shimmer on a rough, cream-colored ground...Zathura, like Jumanji, is a satisfying enigma" Publishers Weekly
"Van Allsburg is a terrific illustrator, and his images here, including one where the boys open their front door and are greeted with a breathtaking views of the cosmos, are memorable." The New York Times Book Review
Review
"This picture-book presentation of the exploits of a little-known figure in aviation history introduces a new heroine to young adventure fans. Brown's enthusiasm for and knowledge of his subject are clearly evident, and he includes several fascinating details in his brief account of Law's record-breaking feat of flying nonstop from Chicago to New York . . . An intriguing glimpse at a bygone era." School Library Journal
Review
She could remember standing in a park near the falls, hypnotized by the sight and sound, andholding her fatherand#8217;s hand as they took a walk that would lead them closer.Thatand#8217;s what everyone wonders when they see Niagara . . . How close will their courage letthem get to it? At the turn of the nineteenth century, a retired sixty-two-year-old charm school instructor named Annie Edson Taylor, seeking fame and fortune, decided to do something that no one in the world had ever done beforeand#8212;she would go over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel. Come meet the Queen of the Falls and witness with your own eyes her daring ride!
"Van Allsburgand#8217;s foray into nonfiction is filled with the same suspense, surrealism, and menace that have thrilled readers of his fiction."and#8212;School Library Journal,starred review
"In this unromantic and bittersweet account, Van Allsburg presents the feat as born as much out of need as of courage, with Taylor portrayed as a hardheaded eccentric and an unlikely queen."and#8212;Publishers Weekly,starred review
"An odd, unsettling meditation on fame."and#8212;Kirkus Reviews
"This illustrated biography climaxes beautifully with a double-page spread of the great falls, a tiny barrel bobbing in the current, and a powerful one-line text: '"Oh, Lord," she whispered, and then she was gone.'"and#8212;The Horn Book
Review
"Van Allsburgand#8217;s foray into nonfiction is filled with the same suspense, surrealism, and menace that have thrilled readers of his fiction."and#8212;School Library Journal, starred review
"In this unromantic and bittersweet account, Van Allsburg presents the feat as born as much out of need as of courage, with Taylor portrayed as a hardheaded eccentric and an unlikely queen."and#8212;Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A daredevil story is an easy sell for almost any kid audience, and a daredevil story by a beloved storyteller is just about as good as it gets."and#8212;The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review "An odd, unsettling meditation on fame."and#8212;Kirkus Reviews
"This illustrated biography climaxes beautifully with a double-page spread of the great falls, a tiny barrel bobbing in the current, and a powerful one-line text: '"Oh, Lord," she whispered, and then she was gone.'"and#8212;The Horn Book
Synopsis
She could remember standing in a park near the falls, hypnotized by the sight and sound, and holding her fatherand#8217;s hand as they took a walk that would lead them closer. Thatand#8217;s what everyone wonders when they see Niagara . . . How close will their courage let them get to it?
At the turn of the nineteenth century, a retired sixty-two-year-old charm school instructor named Annie Edson Taylor, seeking fame and fortune, decided to do something that no one in the world had ever done beforeand#8212;she would go over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel.
Come meet the Queen of the Falls and witness with your own eyes her daring ride!
Synopsis
In 1916 a young woman named Ruth Law attempted to fly from Chicago to New York City in one day--something no one else had ever done. This is the story of that daring attempt. Beautifully detailed watercolors dramatize a dangerous journey made by the pilot President Woodrow Wilson called "great." Full-color illustrations.
About the Author
Don Brown is a professional illustrator. His first children's book, RUTH LAW THRILLS A NATION, was a Reading Rainbow feature selection and an NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. His second book, ALICE RAMSEY'S GRAND ADVENTURE, received starred reviews in THE BULLETIN, KIRKUS REVIEWS, and SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL. School Library Journal has called him "a current pacesetter who has put the finishing touches on the standards for storyographies." RARE TREASURE, was selected as a NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. His most recent book was a look at the childhood of Albert Einstein, called ODD BOY OUT. He lives in New York.