(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read: Childhood of Famous Americans series. In a story purportedly based on an incident from Oakley's childhood, young Annie Mosey's father goes to town for supplies. While awaiting his return, Annie makes a quail trap, which proves handy when Father arrives home nearly frozen from a blizzard: Annie helps to feed her family. The story is dramatic, but it has a choppiness that the inviting art can't completely mitigate. Timeline.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) 4-6 Best of the West Biographies series. This biography of Oakley--the expert sharpshooter with a heart of gold--keeps its sentences short and simple and its text full of interesting tidbits (e.g., after her hair turned gray, the "Western girl" wore a brown wig to perpetuate her youthful image). Scattered throughout the unattractive layout are archival photos outlined with olive-colored frames. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Larry Day. The fast-paced biographies in this series do a good job of revealing the personalities and significant achievements of their subjects. Plentiful black-and-white illustrations and simple prose make the books particularly appealing to reluctant readers, and the brief sidebars never overwhelm the main texts. Each volume has two timelines--one for the subject's life, the other listing concurrent world events. [Review covers these titles: Who Was Albert Einstein?, Who Was Ben Franklin?, Who Was Sacagawea?, Who Was Annie Oakley?.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Bernie Fuchs. This biography of the legendary sharpshooter, who attained great celebrity after knowing terrific poverty, achieves an impressive level of intimacy with its subject, no doubt because it was informed by Oakley's own writings. The impressionistic paintings, executed in sepia tones, are evocative of old-time photos.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 While Annie Oakley does not seem to offer much meat for the biographer's table, Macy does a creditable job, distinctly voiced, of giving us the facts of Oakley's life, her sharpshooting accomplishments, and her stature as an American icon and folk hero. The plenitude of black-and-white and sepia-toned photographs is sometimes repetitive but always atmospheric. A chronology is included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(4) 4-6 Famous Figures of the American Frontier series. Despite some oversimplifications, the books in this series provide adequate introductions to these individuals. After acquainting readers with the subject's more colorful accomplishments, succeeding chapters present a biographical sketch. Illustrated with (often colorized) archival photos, the texts are readable and accessible. Timelines are included. There are five other fall 2001 books in this series. [Review covers these titles: Crazy Horse, Davy Crockett, Annie Oakley, Wyatt Earp, Geronimo.]

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale