Mr. Blue Jeans: A Story about Levi Strauss (Creative Minds Biographies) - Softcover

Weidt, Maryann N.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0876145888 ISBN 13: 9780876145883

Publisher: LernerClassroom, 1990

Synopsis

In 1847 an eighteen-year-old immigrant arrived in New York. He had little in his pockets and no knowledge of English. However, by 1874, people throughout the United States knew him as the man who made blue jeans with copper rivets. Even now Levi Strauss's name lives on as a mark of quality and style. In Mr. Blue Jeans, Maryann N. Weidt presents the history of this hardworking man, as he struggles through long, grueling days as a peddler and challenging times as a young businessman. His honesty, integrity, and generosity stand out as clearly as his name, making this rags-to-riches story well worth reading. The accurate and highly readable text is enriched by Lydia M. Anderson's dramatic black-and-white illustrations.

About this title

About the Author:

I grew up on a farm near Hutchinson, Minnesota. I can't say I always wanted to be a writer. But I did always love books. In the winter, my mother had to force me to go outside and play. I wanted to stay inside and read. Hey, it was COLD outside. In the summer, I would play on the swings or in the haymow with my friend, Jackie Bonniwell. But most of the time, I'd lie on a blanket under the oak tree in the front yard and read.

My favorite books were the Betsy Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace. (Look for them in your bookstore or library. They're available in paperback, too.)

I liked the Betsy Tacy books because they were about three friends—Betsy, Tacy, and Tib—and all they fun they had together.

I had two best friends in grade school. Their names were Sharon and Elaine. They're both still my friends. Sharon and I would play paper dolls and make up stories for hours. And we would put on shows where we would sing and dance for our parents. I directed the shows. Sharon says I never let her sing. That was because she couldn't sing. Elaine and I rode our bikes up and down the gravel road in front of her house. Our favorite pastime was following her older brother around and calling him names. Our second favorite thing was to hide from her younger brother.

Now I have many friends who are children's authors like me. Or I have friends who like to read books. If you want to be my friend, you'd better enjoy books.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-6-- A six-chapter narrative of the life of the German Jewish businessman who settled in New York and then San Francisco after the Gold Rush, making millions selling denim work pants. Written in a simple yet varied style, this book may be compared to Sondra Henry & Emily Taitz's Everyone Wears His Name: A Biography of Levi Strauss , (Dillon, 1990). Unlike that book, which offers a colorful, original cover and many photo reproductions, this book is illustrated with a few muted drawings that lend a folktale quality. Also, it's possible that the combination of illustrations and subtitles may lead readers to confuse fact with fiction. Mr. Blue Jeans focuses on important biographical facts about Strauss, and includes details of special interest to children, omitting the extensive historical background information found in Henry & Taitz's book. Because Weidt's book lacks an index, it will offer minimal help to researchers. --Phyllis Graves, Creekwood Middle School, Kingwood, TX
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: LernerClassroom
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0876145888
• ISBN 13: 9780876145883
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64
• Illustrator: Anderson Lydia M.