Thunder Rose

Thunder Rose. Jerdine Nolen. Illus. by Kadir Nelson. Orlando: Silver Whistle, 2003. 32 pages. $16.00 (Hardcover). ISBN 0-15-216472-3. Grades K-3.

From the day she was born Thunder Rose was a power to be reckoned with. Not only did she arrive in her parents’ presence with the wisdom and resourcefulness of an elder, but the strength of the largest ox and the power of a raging storm. As she grew Thunder Rose became more and more helpful, using her skills to build fences, baby sit, stop a stampede of wild steer, and even bring the cattle to Abilene. Thunder Rose ruled the West and became a hero to all when she channeled the “music ringing so sweetly in [her] ears [that she] register[ed] at the bull’s-eye set in the center of [her] heart” to do good. Award winning author Jerdine Nolen has created an American folktale full of power, adventure, and strength that will brighten the eyes of children everywhere. The strong African American hero Thunder Rose is a delightful presence in literature and serves to represent the influence of those who have often been omitted from American history and literature. The Coretta Scott King Award rightly honored the bright, colorful illustrations of Kadir Nelson; who paints Thunder Rose in the image of a child but with the emotion and delight of an era. The details of each page bring the story to life before reader’s eyes; securing Thunder Rose and her tale in their memories forever. Highly Recommended