Dust Devil by Anne Isaacs illustrated by Paul O Zelinsky 38 pages

The team that created the Caldecott Honor Book Swamp Angel are back again. Tall tales have long been dominated by the male gender. Isaacs does a fine job creating this original folk heroine. When Swamp Angel grew too big for Tennessee she moved to Montana, a state just about big and tough enough for her. When a dust twister pulls her up into the air, she captures a buckin', neighin' whirlwind of a horse she names Dust Devil. With his help she is able to take on even bigger jobs, namely catchin' desperadoes. The Desperadoes ride mostquitoes( "a Montana mosquito can carry a heavy suitcase and two watermelons on each wing without sweating"). Although the Sherriff rejects her offer of help because she is a female, she gets his permission to go after the mosquitoes and saves the day. Zelinsky's American primitive-style illustrations perfectly capture the humor and energy of Isaacs' words.