Text Summary
On the stormy night she was born, this little baby girl grabbed hold of the lightning outside her window, wrapped it up into a little ball, and raised it just above her shoulders. The doctor said, “She’s going to grow up to be good and strong, all right.” She did that and more. Thunder Rose, as she came to be named, could bend and twist metal with her own two hands and lift a cow high above her head just for a drink of milk to “quench her hungry thirst.” She uses her strength for good, not evil, as she puts a stop to a thieving gang of desperadoes. But in the end, it will take all of her physical strength as well as inner strength for Thunder Rose to overcome her biggest obstacle yet.
Literary Merits
Jerdine Nolen constructs a character to root for in this tall tale set in the Old West. Thunder Rose is a hardworking, independent young girl who’s not afraid to speak her mind, but she’s also kind and gentle—a combination of characteristics that is well-matched by her name. She has an energetic spirit to her that readers can appreciate. Nolen’s use of Southern dialect and construction of the “Old West” setting creates an authentic and engaging reading experience as well: “The next morning, when the sun was high yellow in that billowy blue sky, Rose woke up hungry as a bear in spring, but not the least bit ornery.” Kadir Nelson’s vivid illustrations draw the reader into Thunder Rose’s world, allowing readers to imagine themselves as cowgirls and cowboys too.
Classroom Recommendations
Age level: K-3—Teachers can do a read-aloud with any age group, but especially for kindergarten and most first graders. There is quite a bit more text than some picture books and more sophisticated vocabulary (e.g. “ornery,” “cantankerous”, etc.), so as an independent read this text may be better suited for 2nd and 3rd graders. This book would fit nicely into a unit on folklore—possibly a unit including folktales from various cultures.