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Cowboys and Coffin Makers

One Hundred 19th-Century Jobs You Might Have Feared or Fancied

by (author) Laurie Coulter

illustrated by Martha Newbigging

Publisher
Annick Press
Initial publish date
Sep 2007
Category
Recommended Age
9 to 12
Recommended Grade
4 to 7
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781554510689
    Publish Date
    Sep 2007
    List Price
    $25.95

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Out of print

This edition is not currently available in bookstores. Check your local library or search for used copies at Abebooks.

About the authors

Laurie Coulter is a children's book author who specializes in historical nonfiction. She lives with her husband in Toronto. You can learn more about her at www.lauriecoulter.net.

Laurie Coulter's profile page

MARTHA NEWBIGGING has illustrated for numerous magazines including TreeHouse Family, Canadian Business, Toronto Life, TV Guide, and Destinations. Her illustrations have also been featured on a line of t-shirts for the famous Canadian casual clothing retailer Marci Lipman. She lives in Toronto.

Martha Newbigging's profile page

Librarian Reviews

Cowboys and Coffin Makers: One Hundred 19th Century Jobs You Might Have Feared or Fancied

Moving on to the nineteenth century, Laurie Coulter’s Cowboys and Coffin Makers: One Hundred 19th Century Jobs You Might Have Feared or Fancied is a charming look at one hundred odd and ordinary jobs from the nineteenth century. Full of weird job titles, tips on answering Want Ads from the period, fun facts and great comics, this book truly provides young readers with an understanding of these different careers. The book covers everything from what you’d wear if you worked as a machinist to how to knock out your snakes when they start to tighten around you if you’re a snake charmer. Martha Newbigging’s tremendously expressive cartoons give the reader the opportunity to better understand everything from the drudgery of working as a Frontier Farmer to the satisfaction of being a Hokey-Pokey Seller.

All of the mesmerizing information in this book is meticulously organized. It has an excellent table of contents that quickly directs the reader to exactly what he or she is looking for and each page has clear, large headings that make the different sections easy to find. Because of the way the book is designed, readers can flip through it and read the choice bits and forget the parts that don’t interest them. These features make the book particularly welcoming for reluctant readers.

Source: The Canadian Children's Bookcentre. Summer 2007. Vol.30 No.3.

Cowboys and Coffin Makers: One Hundred 19th-Century Jobs You Might Have Feared or Fancied

The 1800s come alive through snappy profiles of the era’s employment options, from Civil War doughboys to hokeypokey sellers. Jaunty illustrations add to the appeal. List of recommended further reading and index included.

Source: The Canadian Children’s Book Centre. Best Books for Kids & Teens. 2008.

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