Addie Slaughter

Gr 2—5—This slim, fictionalized biography tells the story of Addie Slaughter, daughter of Arizona lawman and rancher John Slaughter, who lived on the Southwestern frontier in the late 1800s. The event mentioned in the subtitle is the subject of one brief chapter; others cover life on the ranch, Slaughter's father's career as sheriff, and her growing up and eventual marriage. While the woman's experiences make for several interesting, and occasionally truly funny, episodes, the narrative is largely unfocused, reading like a serial account rather than a well-chosen selection of highlights. The author's use of the first person makes the book a difficult sell for biography collections, but its lack of narrative momentum renders it not quite suitable for historical fiction, either. The appended curriculum guide may be used as a supplement to units on the Arizona centennial in 2012.—Rebecca Donnelly, Loma Colorado Public Library, Rio Rancho, NM