Swamp Angel

Author: Anne Isaacs
Illustrator: Paul O. Zelinsky
Publisher: Dutton
Date: 1994
Awards: ALA Notable Book (1994), Caldecott Medal (1994), Boston Globe Horn Book Honor Book (1995)
Ages: 4-8
Topics: tall tales, angel, bear, settlers, Tennessee
Summary: This original tall tale follows Angelica Longrider, the Swamp Angel, who wrestles a bear and saves the supplies of settlers in nineteenth-century Tennessee.

Book Connections

• Swamp Angel from Anne Isaacs' website

Topic Connections

American Art

• American Painters from Wikipedia
• Grant Wood from Wikipedia
• Regionalism from Wikipedia

Tall Tales

• 42explore: Tall Tales
• American Folklore: Tall Tales
• Tall tales from Wikipedia
• Tall Tales, Whoppers, and Lies
  Listen to the stories using the links in the lower left side of the page.

Online Tall Tales

• Animated Tall Tales
• Paul Bunyan

Learning Connections

• American Art. What is American Art? What makes it unique? Examine the work of American artists such as Grant Wood.
• Mural. Create a mural of the United States and locate different tall tales. For instance, Swamp Angel is set in Tennessee. Draw the characters from each region.
• Settlers. Look closely at the way settlers were represented. What was life like on the frontier? Is this accurate? How do you know?
• Tall Tales. Read other tall tales online. How is a tall tale like and unlike other stories? How was the story exaggerated?
• Compare Tales. How does this tall tale compare to other tall tales. Read Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Johnny Appleseed or other tall tales.
• Strong Women. Many tall tales are about men, but this one is about a women. Read other tales about women such as Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett. Write your own tall tale about a strong girl or woman.
• Swamp Angel: The Sequel. Write another story about the swamp angel.
• Write a Whopper. Some people call tall tales "whoppers." Write a whopper.

Teaching Connections

• Appalachian Folktale Picture Books: Tall Tales
• Appalachian Tales of Strong Women
• Swamp Angel Study Guide (PDF) from Scholastic
• Swamp Angel Teaching Ideas

Learn More

Do a Thinkfinity search for lessons related to this book.

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