Review of "From Cabin to Capital: A Brief History of Des Moines and Polk County Iowa" by LeRoy Pratt

Review of

From Cabin to Capital: A Brief History of Des Moines and Polk County Iowa by LeRoy Pratt

Five out of five stars

 This book is a “just the facts” style of book, there is very little in the way of the unnecessary. For example, there is a list of the members of the first military garrison stationed at Fort Des Moines and brief descriptions of all the Polk County Iowa place names. While some of them still exist, many of the settlements have vanished with little left behind. When known, the origin of the names is given.

 The last section is a list of the important dates and events in the history of Des Moines and Polk County. It is presented in the form of a bulleted list, the date followed by a paragraph as to why it is significant. The first entry is at 1673, when the first white men set foot on Iowa land and the last is in 1974, when the book was published.

 If you are curious about the history of the capital city of Iowa and have no need of analysis, this book is for you.

Review of "Sleeping Ugly," by Jane Yolen

Review of

Sleeping Ugly, by Jane Yolen ISBN 0590461052

Five out of five stars

 This is a fairy tale that goes to the heart of what they are, a lesson about personal conduct and interactions with  people. Those lessons are presented in a form that children can understand and relate to. Princess Miserella is a beautiful woman, but that beauty is only superficial, underneath she is all meanness and wickedness. Being a princess, she is of course wealthy. Plain Jane is exactly what her name implies, she is nowhere near pretty but has a sweet and lovely disposition and is poor. She is kind to the animals of the forest she lives in and they love her for it.

 When Miserella gets lost in the forest and encounters a fairy disguised as an old woman, she treats her like she does all others. When the fairy leads Miserella astray, they encounter Plain Jane in her humble abode. At no time does Miserella change her behavior, and she suffers for it while Plain Jane is eventually rewarded.  

 The lessons here are simple, old and yet very appropriate. A beautiful person can be ugly inside while the plain old girl can be a jewel underneath. Always treat people with kindness, for you never know what they really are. The seemingly inconsequential individual may be someone that holds your fate in their hands. These are essential lessons for life, as applicable a thousand years ago as they are today.

Review of "Wee Gillis," Munro Leaf

Review of

Wee Gillis, Munro Leaf

Five out of five stars

 Although there are eight words in his name, the main character of this story is a Scottish lad called Wee Gillis. His mother’s relatives are all Lowlander Scots, they live in the valleys and tend to their cows, while his father’s relatives are Highlanders that stalk stags. Both sides laugh at the other’s lifestyles, considering them foolish, so Wee Gillis cannot determine which lifestyle he wants to make his own.

 Therefore, he went to live with his relatives in the Lowlands for a year, where he learned to tend the cows and developed powerful lungs so that he could call the cows loud enough for them to hear through the heavy mists. The following year he went to the Highlands where he learned to stay stationary for extended periods of time in order to get close to the stags. When he once let out a sigh, the stag he was stalking ran away. Therefore, he had to learn to hold his breath for extended periods of time.

 At the end of the second year when it was time for Wee Gillis to make his decision, he could not. This led to a great deal of consternation among his uncles with a lot of stomping and shouting. Finally, Wee Gillis spotted his uncle Angus with his new bagpipes. Angus was despondent because he did not have enough breath strength to play his new instrument. After several trials by others, Wee Gillis with his powerful breathing apparatus was able to play the pipes and his role in society was determined.

 This book is a peek into the Scottish culture that is well suited for the young reader. The character is one that they can identify with in terms of being conflicted and they learn about the differences between the Lowland and Highland Scots.