Paul Bunyan lit a forest fire to heat his flapjack griddle, and his ox weighed more than the combined weight of all the fish that ever got away. Some say that Pecos Bill's rope was exactly as long as the equator; some argue it was two feet shorter. Wild, bragging, and absurd, Osborne's versions of nine tall tales are perfect for telling to all ages. Rooted in the nineteenth-century struggle with the huge, overpowering American wilderness, the tales snap with insult (you mangy bobtailed fleabag) and witty confrontation, though there is an occasional melancholy note, as when the giant John Henry dies fighting the new steam-driven machines. In her general introduction and her notes for each tale, Osborne talks about the mixture of history and wild fantasy, and about how she's adapted her sources. Sometimes a ludicrous didactic tone creeps into her commentary, as when she apologizes for these nineteenth-century macho types who tamed the environment instead of preserving it (Sadly, the lumber industry was not concerned then with the conservation of forestland, as it is today). But the tales themselves keep the boasting humor and hyperbole of the originals. One of the most entertaining characters is Osborne's composite of many extraordinary females: Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind is a hero for us all (Don't call me sweetie . . . I can outgrin, outsnort, outrun, outlift, outsneeze, outsleep, outlie any varmint from Maine to Louisiana). The oversize book is clear and accessible in design, and it has a long, detailed bibliography. The handsome color woodcuts are full of the exaggerated action and comedy of the stories. (Reviewed Mar. 15, 1992)

A handsome collection of retellings includes all the familiar American folk heroes from Johnny Appleseed to Stormalong. Traditional escapades are described and illustrated with energy and humor.

For the 90's, a handsome, well-documented collection of stories about nine uniquely American characters. In her intelligent introduction, Osborne explains their genesis from various combinations of historical fact, the storytelling of ordinary people, and the imagination of professional writers'' and notes that changing times put a new light on stories deriding various groups (including women and even animals). Thus her intention is to emphasizegargantuan physical courage and absurd humor'' and to bring out the vulnerable and compassionate side'' despite the stories'ineradicable taint of violence.'' Osborne succeeds pretty well in her intention, piecing together stories that make fine introductions to characters like Mose and Stormalong. Her approach suits Johnny Appleseed and John Henry better than it does Davy Crockett battling a panther, but she does manage to put a new slant on Pecos Bill and his bouncing bride without undermining the story (there's no question of a wife's disobedience here; Sue wants to ride Bill's horse as a test of skill). The telling is more polished than lively—Glen Rounds's irrepressible wit (Ol' Paul, the Mighty Logger, 1949) is more fun, but these versions are perfectly acceptable. McCurdy's vigorous wood engravings, tinted with lucid color, contribute a rugged frontier flavor; lively, though a bit formal in style, they suit the text admirably. Each story is introduced by source notes; a story-by-story bibliography provides a good roundup of this popular genre. (Folklore. 6-12)"

American folk heroes of the 19th century spring to life in these splendidly retold sagas. Osborne's reputation as a gifted raconteur ( Favorite Greek Myths ; Beauty and the Beast ) is reaffirmed in this compendium, which retells the legends of familiar figures (Davy Crockett, Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Pecos Bill), as well as lesser known personalities, such as Crockett's fictional wife Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind, a composite character shaped by tales of various real-life women. Also chronicled are heroes hailing from places other than the backwoods, including Stormalong, a giant sailor who as a baby was washed onto a Cape Cod beach by a tidal wave, and Mose, a New York City fireman immortalized in an 1848 Broadway play. As tantalizing as Osborne's storytelling are McCurdy's ( The Owl-Scatterer ) elaborate, full-color wood engravings, which in their robust stylization dramatically render the grandeur of these engrossing yarns. Ages 6-up. (Oct.)

Gr 3-6-- This strikingly handsome, oversized volume presents nine all-American figures whose overblown exploits take them from coast to coast and through all manner of occupations and preoccupations. Osborne has chosen familiar fictitious characters--Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, Febold Feboldson--and actual people, such as Johnny Appleseed and Davy Crockett, and relates episodes that stress the individuals' human weaknesses as well as strengths. She has melded several legendary characters into a single heroine, Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind, who more than holds her own in such grand company. The rip-roaring action, broad humor, and colorful language of the convention are all here, but the violence is kept to a minimum and the laughs aren't at anyone's expense, except perhaps the subjects, who feel rather foolish on occasion. McCurdy's intricate wood engravings tinted with watercolor equal their tall task. He sets these larger-than-life folk on majestic landscapes brimming with energy, rich with wildlife and local color. The author's thoughtful introduction and notes round out this superlative offering. It's ``the whole steamboat!'' --Luann Toth, School Library Journal