Queen of the Falls

Chris Van Allsberg has chosen a fun subject: It's always exciting to read about eccentric people who are single-mindedly courageous, even when their feats border on the insane. When that daredevil is a 62-year-old woman who thought up the idea of riding over Niagara Falls, the story is even more fascinating, especially when accompanied by Chris Van Allsberg's amazing artwork. His sepia-toned sketches add emotion to Annie's story, bringing it to life more so than his words. Though readers may wonder why Annie came up with the idea for her daredevil feat, they are sure to be drawn into her unique story. The terrified look on her face as she begins her journey toward the brink of the fall will captivate any reader's attention.

Chris Van Allsberg's amazing sepia-toned sketches express all the sights, sounds, and emotions of the story. As readers look at the falls, they can hear the thundering sounds and realize the terror of what Annie is about to undertake. The drawings of Annie backing into the barrel looking more like a schoolmarm than a daredevil, or of the terrified look on her face as she begins her journey, tell a part of the story that words cannot express. That Allsberg actually modeled Annie on his daughter's teacher, and had her act out the scenes that he drew, accounts for some of the realism he captures.