VOICES OF THE ALAMO

This picture book of history-through-poems follows on the heels of Garland’s novel, A Line in the Sand (1998, not reviewed), an intimate portrait of a girl’s experience during the Alamo. The pages are fewer but the coverage is broad: Garland offers a sweeping view of the events that led up to and followed the pivotal battle. Every milestone is described, from the year 1500 onward, through the voices of the participants. Particularly moving is the prose-poem about a Mexican peasant who was dragged from his farm, marched endless miles through rugged terrain and forced to join El Presidente’s army. The text leaps through history, briefly introducing the people whose roles helped shape the land, from the indigenous population and the conquistadors, to the mission padres and North American settlers. The narrative lingers, though, over the “Texian” struggle with Mexico, the devastating 13-day siege at the Alamo and eventual independence. The 100-year jumps are initially confusing, but the author successfully conveys an epic view of a land and its history. A detailed note provides facts left out of the narrative, while Himler’s engrossing watercolors draw readers into this true tale of struggle over rights and territory. (glossary, bibliography, further reading) (Picture book. 7-12)