Tom Terry, peaceable tall-tale hero, spends his clays farming and growing in wisdom along North Dakota's Cannonball River...

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CANNONBALL RIVER TALES

Tom Terry, peaceable tall-tale hero, spends his clays farming and growing in wisdom along North Dakota's Cannonball River rather than whipsawing his way through the world. These five stories are less about Tom's prodigious feats of strength (and his willingness to exaggerate them in the retelling) than about the magical creatures he meets--the chatterbox grain spirit, Wheatberry; Theodore, a sarcastic tree spirit; the beautiful River Spirit; and others--all with lessons to teach about caring for wildlife, preserving natural beauty, and living in harmony with neighbors and the environment. Rounds seldom lectures; but the subdued humor, the lack of tension, and a hero who's anything but a typical, larger-than-life tall-tale figure all reduce the effectiveness of his message. Nonetheless, a strong first effort, appealing to the head if not the heart.

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1992

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 98

Publisher: Sierra Club

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1992

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