Texas Rangers: Legendary Lawmen Book

In the 1820s, the Texas frontier was a rugged, lawless place that needed defending. The men that banded together to protect the citizens of Texas from the threats of bandits and raiding native tribes were known as the Texas Rangers. Since bravery was never in short demand, any unmarried man with a good horse and a sharp shot could be selected to join the ranks. As they roamed the Texas frontier maintaining peace and order, the Rangers were present for many of the most famous moments in Texas’s exciting history—they defended the Alamo alongside Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, spied on the Mexican army during the war for independence, and chased down outlaws in the booming oil towns of the Wild West.

The thrilling history of these legendary lawmen is detailed in this fast-paced and richly illustrated account. Readers will be rootin’ for the Rangers at every turn and learn a thing or two about keepin’ the peace.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-4- This picture-book account of the nearly 200-year history of the Texas Rangers begins in 1823, when Governor Stephen Austin formed a band of volunteers, soldiers without uniforms, to defend early Texians. The bulk of the book covers the 1800s, when the Rangers fought Indian tribes; participated in the war against Mexico; and defended settlers from bank robbers, cattle rustlers, and horse thieves. Brief biographical vignettes introduce individuals such as John Coffee Hays, who gave Colt revolvers to his men, making the pistol a lasting symbol; William A. A. "Big Foot" Wallace, who was captured and imprisoned by the Mexican cavalry; and John B. Armstrong, who tracked down the notorious outlaw John Wesley Hardin. The violent and somewhat reckless history is downplayed for young readers. There is a brief section on modern Rangers, with the recent inclusion of African Americans and women to the ranks, and the intense competition involved in joining up. Munro's colorful illustrations provide a look at the lawmen, depict the action and locales, and portray the changing times. They're sure to entice youngsters and keep them turning the pages.-Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library