The story of our tallest unknown folk hero, from his early days in colonial western ``Pennsylvanny'' to his epic battle with the young Paul Bunyan. Child of the inventor of the Lancaster rifle (illustrated in a left-handed version) and other home-grown Pennsylvania products, Jacob grew up to play no small role in history: among other exploits, he is credited with single- handedly driving the French from Fort Duquesne, a turning point in the French and Indian War; suggesting a design for the US flag based on George Washington's pajamas; making Mike Fink the victim of the first April Fool's joke; urging Audubon to add a few birds to his paintings; and inspiring John Chapman, later known as Johnny Peachfuzz—no, Johnny Peanutshell...Johnny Apricotpit? Something like that—the nameless narrator can't quite remember. The tale is told in ``countrified'' prose and illustrated with small, simple line drawings. Readers can absorb a fair dose of history while enjoying the droll adventures of this animal-loving, generally peaceable giant. (Fiction. 12-15)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1992
ISBN: 1-56412-003-1
Page Count: 164
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1992
paper 0-8225-9680-6 A biography that highlights Ventura’s controversial gubernatorial campaign; unfortunately, the book spends too much time fawning over Jesse “the Body” and too little time analyzing what’s coming out of “the Mouth” for young readers to truly understand the man. Greenberg (The Haitian Family, 1998, etc.), who assisted Ventura with his column for World Wrestling Federation Magazine, chronicles his subject’s life from his working-class background in Minneapolis, through his career as a Navy SEAL, his wrestling stardom, and his political aspirations. The book fails to offer any opposing views of Ventura’s celebrity or policies, painting Ventura as an environmentalist for supporting Minnesota wetlands as mayor but omitting any mention of how he has weakened environmental prohibitions of jet skis (of which Ventura owns four). The book ends with Ventura’s election, so no mention is made of his comments on the Littleton, Colorado, shootings, nor—of course—of his recent remarks concerning organized religion, depression, etc. Researchers will be better served by current magazine and newspaper articles about the governor than by this unfettered bit of boosterism. (photos, source, bibliography, index) (Biography. 12-14)
Pub Date: Dec. 28, 1999
ISBN: 0-8225-4977-8
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Lerner
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1999
The Lightmans have created a massive, illuminating alphabetical listing of 447 Greco-Roman women, who are each profiled in entries that range from a few lines to a few pages. The intriguing information is often presented in a lively manner, profiling women who influenced the times in which they lived. Through their lives, a picture of this particular era, from 6th-century b.c. to a.d. 476, emerges (with details often omitted from other history texts covering the same period) that powerfully evokes the past roles of women. Sources for the information are given following every entry. The format gives rise to one small problem, in that so many of those included have the same name. The book, by necessity, covers 15 Cleopatras; students seeking information on the one who got mixed up with Mark Antony will have to cover almost a dozen entries before locating her. The same is true for all the Agrippinas, Julias, Livias, etc. The glossary and bibliography will be useful to more scholarly readers; the hope is that less-practiced researchers won’t be frustrated by the stumbling blocks of the volume’s organization, and barred from its entertaining, solidly educational gems. (b&w illustrations, map, glossary, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 12-15)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-8160-3112-6
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Facts On File
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1999
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