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Pecos Bill: The Roughest, Toughest, Best
Troll First-Start Tall Tales bring favorite legends to life in a whole new way! These easy-to-read, beautifully illustrated stories are the perfect way to introduce children to the incredible adventures of some of the most famous tall-tale heroes.
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First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
August 8, 2023
This is a book that is dedicated to teaching young readers about some of the American heroes that can be found in local tall tales. As a result the author either used sources that I am not aware of to provide some details for her story or added her own details to make the story as her own thus there were a few parts that are quite different.
For those who would like a comparison to another of the Pecos Bill versions that I like and is also out on the market I would have to suggest the version by Steven Kellogg. The Kellogg version is much longer than this one, focuses more on the details of the tall tales that made Pecos Bill well Pecos Bill and is much more brightly colored as well as detailed while both books pretty much start off around the same place with one giving a reason why his family was moving while the second tells you how many children were in the family as well as a genetic birthmark that all the children have in one area. In the Kellogg version the coyote who takes to Pecos Bill is a mother coyote that makes it sound like an American take on Kipling's The Jungle Book while this version has him meet up with a coyote that is a friend.
To continue on with the the comparison the reader is told that the first cowboy that Pecos meets in Kellogg's version is a guy named Chuck while Chuck in Jensen's version is one of the brothers who can tell Pecos just by the birthmark on his arm. In Jensen's version there is an emphasis on civilizing Pecos Bill while he just puts on clothes then tames a bronc before a swift mention of his other accomplishments, which of course means his stallion and wife aren't give the respect that they deserve as other tall tale members.
And this is of course where Kellogg's version sparkles since the story is padded to included other adventures before he settles to become a top-rate cowboy, the adventure of a lifetime to get his special tall tale horse, his accomplishments as a cowboy and of course the wildness of his just as larger-than-life bride.
As a result I must say I still prefer Kellogg's version but this one has less nightmare-inducing elements in a sense I would say for those who do want some young readers to enjoy it. Furthermore the book isn't as text-heavy and the writing is simple to follow along thus would make for a great starter book in which the young reader in your class or home can show you whether they are interested in learning more about these Americana heroes.
For those who would like a comparison to another of the Pecos Bill versions that I like and is also out on the market I would have to suggest the version by Steven Kellogg. The Kellogg version is much longer than this one, focuses more on the details of the tall tales that made Pecos Bill well Pecos Bill and is much more brightly colored as well as detailed while both books pretty much start off around the same place with one giving a reason why his family was moving while the second tells you how many children were in the family as well as a genetic birthmark that all the children have in one area. In the Kellogg version the coyote who takes to Pecos Bill is a mother coyote that makes it sound like an American take on Kipling's The Jungle Book while this version has him meet up with a coyote that is a friend.
To continue on with the the comparison the reader is told that the first cowboy that Pecos meets in Kellogg's version is a guy named Chuck while Chuck in Jensen's version is one of the brothers who can tell Pecos just by the birthmark on his arm. In Jensen's version there is an emphasis on civilizing Pecos Bill while he just puts on clothes then tames a bronc before a swift mention of his other accomplishments, which of course means his stallion and wife aren't give the respect that they deserve as other tall tale members.
And this is of course where Kellogg's version sparkles since the story is padded to included other adventures before he settles to become a top-rate cowboy, the adventure of a lifetime to get his special tall tale horse, his accomplishments as a cowboy and of course the wildness of his just as larger-than-life bride.
As a result I must say I still prefer Kellogg's version but this one has less nightmare-inducing elements in a sense I would say for those who do want some young readers to enjoy it. Furthermore the book isn't as text-heavy and the writing is simple to follow along thus would make for a great starter book in which the young reader in your class or home can show you whether they are interested in learning more about these Americana heroes.
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