Module 3 Book Blog 1: Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal

Book Cover Image:

Book Summary:  Bad News for Outlaws, is the true story of Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves.  The story follows Reeves from his time as a slave, through his infamous years as a remarkable deputy, to his death.  Readers are told the story of his tremendous skills of finding and capturing outlaws in the Indian territory (current day Oklahoma), as well as his outstanding character traits.

APA Reference of Book:

Nelson V. M. (2009). Bad news for outlaws: The remarkable life of Bass 

      Reeves, deputy U.S. marshal. Minneapolis, MN.  Carolrhoda Books.

Impressions: This is a captivating story about an amazing man in our history.  Not only does it give an interesting glimpse into the history of outlaws and the men who aimed to capture them, but it also helps readers learn of a truly fascinating person in our history.  Reeves was a man who saw many aspects of history and defied his generation by being a respected, and feared, African American man.  Absolutely a must read story.

Professional Review:

School Library Review:

Gr 3-8- Reeves is an unsung hero of the American West whose honesty and sense of duty are an inspiration to all. In a frontier brimming with treachery and lawlessness, this African-American peace officer stood out as a fearless figure of unparalleled integrity, arresting more than 3,000 outlaws during his 32 years of service as a deputy U.S. marshal, all without suffering an injury. He was a former slave who became a successful farmer and family man before accepting the appointment to serve as a lawman in the Indian Territory in 1875. While Gary Paulsen's The Legend of Bass Reeves (Random, 2006) mixes fact and fiction to great effect, Nelson chooses to keep her telling as close to documented research as possible. Selected anecdotes ranging from a humorous encounter with a skunk to an intense gunfight with an outlaw provide a sense of the man's courage and character. The text is chock-full of colorful turns of phrase that will engage readers who don't "cotton to" nonfiction (a glossary of "Western Words" is included). Christie's memorable paintings convey Reeves's determination and caring, while rugged brushstrokes form the frontier terrain. Youngsters will find much to admire here.-Lisa Glasscock, Columbine Public Library, Littleton, CO

Source:  Glasscock, L. (2009).  Bad news for outlaws: The remarkable life of Bass

Reeves, deputy U.S. Marshal [Review of the book Bad news for outlaws: The

remarkable life of Bass Reeves, deputy U.S. Marshal by V.M. Nelson].  School Library Weekly,

134.

Found Through: UNT Library Database – LexisNexis Academic

Link: http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2052/hottopics/lnacademic/?verb=sr&csi=256569

Library Uses:  This would be an excellent book to use in a variety of studies.  The librarian could do a study of Coretta Scott King award winning books and have the students create a comparison and contrast of different books.  This could be a simple venn diagram or as complex as an infographic, depending on the age of the class.  This could also be used in a study of prominent African American citizens, or simply citizenship in general.  Reeves contributed to society in a positive manner so it would be a good contribution to such a study.