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Queen of the Falls

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Queen of the Falls

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Overview

Come meet the Queen of the Falls and witness with your own eyes her daring ride!

At the turn of the nineteenth century, a retired sixty-two-year-old charm school instructor named Annie Edson Taylor, seeking fame and fortune, decided to do something that no one in the world had ever done before—she would go over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel.

She could remember standing in a park near the falls, hypnotized by the sight and sound, and holding her father’s hand as they took a walk that would lead them closer. That’s what everyone wonders when they see Niagara . . . How close will their courage let them get to it?

This gorgeous, imaginative picture book is from two-time Caldecott winner Chris Van Allsburg, creator of Jumanji and The Polar Express.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547315812
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/04/2011
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	445,185
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 11.60(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	1060L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Chris Van Allsburg is one of America’s most innovative picture book creators. He was awarded the Caldecott Medal for Jumanji and The Polar Express and received a Caldecott Honor for his very first book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi. He has received the Regina Medal for lifetime achievement in children’s literature, a National Book Award, and a Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement Award, among other honors. He lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Visit him at chrisvanallsburg.com.

Hometown:

Providence, Rhode Island

Date of Birth:

June 18, 1949

Place of Birth:

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Education:

University of Michigan College of Architecture & Design, 1972; Rhode Island School of Design, MFA, 1975

Website:

http://www.chrisvanallsburg.com

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Van Allsburg’s foray into nonfiction is filled with the same suspense, surrealism, and menace that have thrilled readers of his fiction."—School Library Journal, starred review

"In this unromantic and bittersweet account, Van Allsburg presents the feat as born as much out of need as of courage, with Taylor portrayed as a hardheaded eccentric and an unlikely queen."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A daredevil story is an easy sell for almost any kid audience, and a daredevil story by a beloved storyteller is just about as good as it gets."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"An odd, unsettling meditation on fame."—Kirkus Reviews

"This illustrated biography climaxes beautifully with a double-page spread of the great falls, a tiny barrel bobbing in the current, and a powerful one-line text: '"Oh, Lord," she whispered, and then she was gone.'"—The Horn Book

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Editorial Reviews

In 1901, 62-year-old widow Annie Edson Taylor needs "a way to strike it rich" after closing her Michigan charm school. Spying an article about Niagara Falls as a tourist destination, she decides to become a popular attraction, too. She commissions a barrel "big enough to hold herself and a large number of pillows," hires a publicist, calls on reporters, and finds a boatman willing to tow her into the river. In his first book since 2006's Probuditi! Van Allsburg chronicles Taylor's determination along with public surprise (and disappointment) at such an unglamorous daredevil. In sepia-tinted portraits, Van Allsburg pictures her in a ruffled blouse, cameo brooch, and billowing skirt, her white hair swept under a dowdy hat. The book is impeccably designed; Van Allsburg's grainy, closely observed colored-pencil scenes mimic documentary photos and are beautifully balanced by blocks of text. There is one full-bleed spread: the falls after the barrel has disappeared. In this unromantic and bittersweet account, Van Allsburg presents the feat as born as much out of need as of courage, with Taylor portrayed as a hardheaded eccentric and an unlikely queen. Ages 6–9. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Van Allsburg’s foray into nonfiction is filled with the same suspense, surrealism, and menace that have thrilled readers of his fiction."—School Library Journal, starred review

"In this unromantic and bittersweet account, Van Allsburg presents the feat as born as much out of need as of courage, with Taylor portrayed as a hardheaded eccentric and an unlikely queen."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A daredevil story is an easy sell for almost any kid audience, and a daredevil story by a beloved storyteller is just about as good as it gets."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review "An odd, unsettling meditation on fame."—Kirkus Reviews

"This illustrated biography climaxes beautifully with a double-page spread of the great falls, a tiny barrel bobbing in the current, and a powerful one-line text: '"Oh, Lord," she whispered, and then she was gone.'"—The Horn Book —

From the Publisher

K-Gr 4—Van Allsburg's foray into nonfiction is filled with the same suspense, surrealism, and menace that have thrilled readers of his fiction. The opening illustration of a 17-story building set in the cascading waters of Niagara Falls establishes scale. Onlookers focus on a barrel that has just "plunged over the Falls, disappearing in a liquid avalanche." The year is 1901. The action cuts to a waning charm school in Michigan, where widow Annie Edson Taylor fears a future in the poorhouse. A newspaper story triggers visions of fame and fortune, and ensuing text describes her preparations to build the barrel and promote the stunt. The artist's familiar warm sepia and cream tones, depth of field, and solid architectural details continue to please. What is new is the wonderful freedom in his lines. The long squiggles that comprise the water sparkle and shimmer on their drop, until their distinctive paths disappear in the spray. Shifting perspectives and varying page design convey Niagara's majesty and Taylor's risk. Some facing pages are symmetrical; others contrast a long shot of nature with a close-up of a facial expression. Especially effective is the upside-down (womblike) view of the old woman, face and body scrunched inside the barrel. The escapade did not bring financial security, but in a final exchange with a reporter, the widow takes pride for doing what others only dreamed about. There are no citations or explanations for this dialogue in the author's note, although a bibliography is provided. This is a fascinating study of two forces of nature.—Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

School Library Journal

Darkly moody illustrations capture a daredevil's successful stunt. In 1901, "short, plump, and fussy" Annie Edson Taylor is 62 years old. Her charm school folds, and she fears "the poorhouse, an unhappy place where old people without money or a family... live out their years." Annie's no thrill-seeker, just astoundingly matter-of-fact and audacious—so she decides to be the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. As Annie designs her own barrel, "with iron bands wrapped around it" and a leather belt and metal handles inside, Van Allsburg uses scale and angle for drama. Annie meticulously squints down an oak plank to choose the best one; a close-up of a broken egg oozing out of a can speaks volumes about Annie's potential experience. The highly skilled black-and–antique-cream drawings have a bleak, unsettling vibe, matching first the danger of the feat and then Annie's disappointment at the lack of financial profit, for this was to be her road to security. On tour, audiences are skeptical or bored to see that "the fearless 'Queen of the Falls' [is] a little old lady." At the end, Annie claims contentment, but it's hard to believe; still, daredevil fans will appreciate the triumphant stunt and the details of how it worked. An odd, unsettling meditation on fame. (author's note, bibliography, list of barrel riders) (Informational picture book. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews

Van Allsburg delivers plenty of narrative tension and captivating perspectives as he tells of [Taylor's] dangerous and discombobulating ride over the falls.
—The Washington Post

Abby McGanney Nolan

On the afternoon of October 24th, 1901, seeking fame and fortune to last into her old age, widow Annie Edson Taylor, a 62-year-old charm school teacher, plunged over Niagara Falls nestled inside a carefully crafted oak barrel. Angela Goethals’s deliberate yet leisurely narration lets all the aspects of Taylor’s exploit resonate—from the design and building of the barrel to Annie’s growing apprehension as the falls approach. The meticulous preparation that led up to the day is thoroughly detailed in both Van Allsburg’s trademark sepia illustrations and carefully researched text. Goethals’s tone and clipped diction present Taylor’s life matter-of-factly. This title is best suited to middle grade listeners who will benefit from having the book available to fully appreciate the interplay of story and illustrations. A.R. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2011 - AudioFile

Queen of the Falls

Queen of the Falls

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