Plumfield Moms

C is for Cowboy: A Wyoming Alphabet

Reviewed by Diane Pendergraft
C is for Cowboy: A Wyoming Alphabet and Four Wheels West: A Wyoming Number Book are both written by Eugene Gagliano, a man who actually lives in Wyoming. Each book contains loads of information about the least-populated state. The items chosen for each letter of the alphabet and each number (1-10 and multiples of ten from 20-100) are introduced in four-line rhymes. A more detailed explanation is given in a sidebar. Read the full review

The Call of the Wild

Reviewed by Edward Garboczi
The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, is, at its heart, a story about a dog, with affection between dog and man and filled with exciting adventures. The book also shows how cruel people can be to animals. It has been in print ever since its publication in 1903 and has had several successful movie adaptations, the last as recently as 2020. What is its background? The 1849 gold rush in California transformed that territory, bringing a flood of new people resulting in it becoming a state in 1850. Similarly, the Klondike Gold Rush in 1890s Canada forced the development of that area of Canada. The Call of the Wild is set during this Canadian gold rush where powerful sled dogs were at a premium. Buck, a large St. Bernard mix, is kidnapped (dognapped?) from his comfortable California home where he is the pet of a kind affluent family. He is mistreated, becoming more savage and wild, yet is broken to sled duties by force. He goes through a series of owners, each illustrating part of the Klondike gold rush times, until he finally meets a kind owner, John Thornton, with whom he bonds and lives with. He experiences the ”call of the wild” through being attracted to a local band of wolves but stays with his owner through their mutual affection. After his owner and his companions are killed -it was a wild, lawless time and place – Buck, losing his master’s love, finally heeds the call of the wild and becomes the leader of the wolf pack. Read the full review

Canadian Summer

Reviewed by Sara Masarik
When Diane and I were preparing for our formal interview with Dr. John Tepper Marlin, son of Hilda van Stockum, he told us that people would often remark to his mother that she had “such interesting children.” Marlin said that his mother always chuckled at that remark because she thought that all children were interesting, but that most parents don’t listen much. Hilda was an astute observer of people, and children in particular. And John said that his mother was always listening to people, and afterward scribbling down detailed notes about their stories. All of her books were born out of overheard conversations, anecdotes from letters, and stories that people would tell her while with her. Read the full review