Annie Oakley: Young Markswoman

My 6-year-old daughter loved this book. It has sparked an interest in learning all there is to know about Annie Oakley. I would like her to have all the books in this series. What a fantastic way to teach kids about American history and famous Americans. Great, great book.

Annie Oakley, a skilled hunter.Introductory- Annie Oakley had many talents, but the best was hunting! When she was only 7, she built a trap to get meat for her family. One night she surprised everyone. A wolf was teasing the chickens. Annie grabbed a gun. All of a sudden, CRACK went the rifle and there in front of her lay a dead wolf! These are just a few stories in the book Annie Oakley by Ellen Wilson.Analysis- Annie's family was poor, so the kids were sent to live in other houses. Annie had always wanted to go to school but she was sent to a home where she worked night and day. She did not like it so she ran away, even though she had no money to buy a train ticket. Finally, she was invited to stay with her sister in Cincinnati. There, she had a contest with the most famous shooter in the country and she won. Later on, he asked her to marry him. Of course she said yes! They did shows and many things together. In the end they were invited to perform for Queen Elizabeth!Critique- I liked everything about the book. My favorite part of the book was when her brother and she climbed a tree and watched a shooting contest. Most of the books I read use dialog too much. In Ellen Wilson's books, she thoroughly explains everything. She also makes the story fun to read. This is a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anybody who likes history or who likes famous women.Interpretation- My personal response is that I could not put this book down. It was written about her childhood so I could easily connect with her. I also connected because my dad, also a hunter, was bringing home pheasants and quail at the time. I learned that it takes skill to hunt and it is not easy.