Overview
Out west, a lonesome prairie or two from anywhere, was a town called Sunshine. Sunshine was smaller'n most, bigger'n some, but cleaner and more civ'lized than 'em all. Sheriff John saw to that—him and his 10-gallon hat. . . .Sheriff John is a lawman in the wild, wild West. It's not just his badge and his gun that send robbers and rustlers galloping out of town, it's also his 10- gallon hat. Or so he thinks. . . .This new picture book by critically acclaimed author-illustrator James Rumford is a delightful addition to the bookshelves of young cowboys and cowgirls everywhere!Synopsis
Out west, a lonesome prairie or two from anywhere, was a town called Sunshine. Sunshine was smaller'n most, bigger'n some, but cleaner and more civ'lized than 'em all. Sheriff John saw to that—him and his 10-gallon hat. . . .
Sheriff John is a lawman in the wild, wild West. It's not just his badge and his gun that send robbers and rustlers galloping out of town, it's also his 10- gallon hat. Or so he thinks. . . .
This new picture book by critically acclaimed author-illustrator James Rumford is a delightful addition to the bookshelves of young cowboys and cowgirls everywhere!
Publishers Weekly
Convinced he owes his prowess and acts of bravery to his cowboy hat, Sheriff John has an attachment to the ten-gallon talisman that borders on obsession. Page after page of watercolor illustrations show the sheriff in various settings at the barber shop, in the bathtub all the while consumed with his hat's whereabouts. Rumford tempers this seriousness with a text steeped in Western twang ("Takin' his Saturday bath:/ 'Sugar,/ don't touch/ my hat!'/ Afore he turned out the light:/ 'Now, Darlin',/ don't touch/ my hat!' "). But on a night the likes of which gave the "Ol' West" its "wild" reputation, the Sheriff unknowingly grabs his wife's utterly feminine hat and learns a lesson: "It's your heart, not your hat" that counts. Rumford's depictions of the Wild West setting and attire are stronger than his portraits (filled with profiles and squinty-eyed faces), but this romp of a read suggests that a hero need not don a superhero's cape; he need only be himself. Ages 4-8. (Feb.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationEditorials
Publishers Weekly
Convinced he owes his prowess and acts of bravery to his cowboy hat, Sheriff John has an attachment to the ten-gallon talisman that borders on obsession. Page after page of watercolor illustrations show the sheriff in various settings—at the barber shop, in the bathtub—all the while consumed with his hat's whereabouts. Rumford tempers this seriousness with a text steeped in Western twang ("Takin' his Saturday bath:/ 'Sugar,/ don't touch/ my hat!'/ Afore he turned out the light:/ 'Now, Darlin',/ don't touch/ my hat!' "). But on a night the likes of which gave the "Ol' West" its "wild" reputation, the Sheriff unknowingly grabs his wife's utterly feminine hat and learns a lesson: "It's your heart, not your hat" that counts. Rumford's depictions of the Wild West setting and attire are stronger than his portraits (filled with profiles and squinty-eyed faces), but this romp of a read suggests that a hero need not don a superhero's cape; he need only be himself. Ages 4-8. (Feb.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationChildren's Literature -
Sheriff John is a lawman in a prairie town called Sunshine. He believes that as long as he wears his ten?gallon hat, he is able to keep his town "cleaner and more civ'lized than ‘em all." He thinks that without his hat, he can do nothing. Wherever he goes, he reminds everyone not to touch his hat. His wife loves hats, too, and has a big collection of her own. But one night robbers are breaking into a bank, so Sheriff John jumps out of bed, throws on his clothes and hat and goes out to successfully catch all the criminals. Only after he gets home does he discover that he is wearing his wife's fancy new hat. It is a fun ending for a cute story that contains both action and humor. The illustrations are reminiscent of old cowboy movies. Sheriff John wears his holsters and spurs, rides his horse, and uses his rope to round up the rustlers. Children will enjoy the Western theme and the adventures of these likeable characters. The pages on the inside of the covers show a variety of "newspaper" articles about Sheriff John that add to the enjoyment of the story.School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2
In the isolated town of Sunshine, Sheriff John keeps everything clean and "civ'lized." He believes that he owes his success to his special partner-a lucky ten-gallon hat. His wife has a penchant for hats, too, fancy ones. One night, in his rush to get to the scene of a saloon fight and to "a range war a-brewin'," the lawman grabs her new, ornate chapeau. He looks quite silly in it, but his crime-fighting abilities are unaffected. In the end, Sheriff John realizes that his hat has little to do with his achievements. The simple text written in Western dialect makes this a fun story to use with a group. The color cartoon illustrations add punch lines and, according to the book, draw inspiration from artist Leonetto Cappiello and old Western movie posters. Clever endpapers feature newspaper clippings that provide extra humorous details about John's life before and after the story.
—Julie RoachCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.