Miss Sally Ann and the Panther

August 15, 2012
Miller and Lloyd team up for another rollicking tall-tale adventure (Davy Crockett Gets Hitched, 2009). While gathering onions on a bone-cold morning in woods so thick the sun can't shine through, Miss Sally Ann Thunder, dressed in her best bear fur, and Fireeyes, the "hugeceously smart and mean as tarnation" panther, come face to face, each coveting the other's coat to keep out the winter chill. The rip-roaring battle that ensues changes the world around them--a new gorge is formed, skunks lose their stripes, the Milky Way curdles--but neither is able to gain the upper hand. By the next morning's light, they stop to appreciate each other's fine fighting skills...and smile at one another, suddenly great friends. Fireeyes lives with Miss Sally Ann now, helping around the house and lying on her feet to keep them warm in the winter, her best bear fur around his shoulders. Miller's rambunctious read-aloud is peppered with word itching to be shared--thunderific, swaggerous, conbobberation, terrifiacious, ripsnorting, as well as the delightful, though too-often-repeated, varmint. Lloyd's acrylic artwork masterfully conveys texture, each hair on the panther and needle on the evergreens sharply defined. Miss Sally Ann's larger-than-life personality comes through as she wrestles with the giant cat, though some readers may have trouble with her pioneer attitudes: She collects eagle eggs for eggnog and wants to kill the panther just for his pelt. Still, another solid addition to tall-tale collections. (Picture book/tall tale. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2012

K-Gr 3-Miller has a talent for distilling tall tales to a simple plot that young children can comprehend, and she does it without compromising the language that exemplifies them. Miss Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind is truly a force to be reckoned with. She goes out to collect wild onions for a stew, wearing a bear fur to stay warm. When she meets an enormous panther, he covets that warm fur, too. In turn, she thinks his sleek panther fur will keep her even warmer. The fight for possession is ferocious, lasting days and nights. Miller describes it as "thunderific" and a "conbobberation." The end of the fight suits this heroine perfectly. Lloyd's full-spread illustrations in vibrant colors are framed with logs, and the characters are large and imposing. At the height of the brawl, the panther bursts out of the frame, chewing logs with his sharp teeth. It changes the dynamics of the conflict, showing action and struggle. This tall tale is a surefire win for a spitfire of a lady. Read it out loud for the best impact, and listeners will be clamoring for more tales about Sally Ann.-Susan E. Murray, formerly at Glendale Public Library, AZ

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2012
Grades K-3 Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind, tall-tale heroine, legendary gal pal of Davy Crockett, comes center stage and meets a panther. And not just any ol' panther. This savage cat is called Fireeyes, and he is hugeceously smart and mean as tarnation. Fireeyes and Sally have one fandango of a nighttime fight. It's so wild, the Milky Way curdles. But by dawn, the duo have earned each other's respect, and living together seems like a better idea than killing each other. This wild romp will be enjoyed as a read-aloud or read alone, with the pictures adding an extra bit of frisson. Birchbark frames set off some of the scenes, but Lloyd cleverly uses them as something to break out of, not hold within. That's especially true in the spread where Fireeye's massive hindquarters push past the border. The art, however, can be unevenSally sometimes looks like a different gal from scene to scene. Still, kids will have fun with this and perhaps find inspiration to make up some tall tales of their own.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013
Miss Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind of Davy Crockett fame meets and wrestles with Fireeyes the panther in this upbeat tall tale. The epic woman-versus-panther brawl gives way to a "great and glorious" friendship. Wonderful language ("swaggerous stretch"; "thunderferous racket") and dynamic, folksy acrylic paintings framed with birch branches combine to make this a fine choice for story time.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)