Minn of the Mississippi (original 1951; edition 1978)

NA

My daughter enjoyed this book a lot though sometimes it was hard to see why. A snapping turtle makes a 25-year journey downstream the Mississippi. The book gives a tour guide of the geology, geography, history and ecology of the river as well and interesting natural history information about turtles. The text is not the best written -- really heavy on metaphor that my daughter had trouble understanding (during the day a paddle boat is a lady throwing back a silky scarf of smoke, at night, a layer cake.) Also, the turtle is a pretty passive observer of men's history and geology. Nevertheless, I loved the big pages, big old-fashioned illustrations and little diagrams along the margins (how canal locks work, turtle nests, maps). I guess I love the IDEA of this book, but in actual execution it's not as good as you'd hope. ( )

This sixty two year old Newberry Honor book, which was way ahead of its time, is right up my alley. I love Holling Clancy Holling’s “Minn of the Mississippi”. It is an interdisciplinary, imaginative account of a Minnesotan snapping turtle’s adventure down the Mississippi, but it provides a beautifully detailed nonfiction look at the scenery and natural life identified with the famous river. The text can offers an engaging story while giving many interesting facts about the river. I was instantly drawn to the margins where maps, biological diagrams and scenes from the story are beautifully drawn. You could easily use this book in a social studies, science or English class. I just ordered myself a copy from Amazon. ( )

A fictional account of a turtle who lives in the Mississippi. There are many science lessons in the margins that teach biological concepts. ( )