Book Review: Diamond Jim Dandy and the Sheriff

“Diamond Jim Dandy and the Sheriff,” by Sarah Burell. Pictures by Bryan Langdo. I had mixed feeling about this book, so I had a friend read it. She too ended up with the same opinion as me; you shouldn’t have children think playing with a rattlesnake in any way is okay. They are dangerous. I have no idea with such a great premise the writer used a rattlesnake as the hero. Why not use a king snake? I think it came down to the rattle on the rattlesnake. The baby in the story grabs it after falling down a cliff and the snake saves her. But I personally think it is wrong to send a message to kids that if you grab a rattlesnake’s rattle you won’t get bit. Maybe if she saw kids in the hospital who have been bitten by rattlesnakes the author, who otherwise is a fine writer, would have made the snake a different kind. And maybe my friend and I are being extra harsh because we live near rattlesnakes and we know people who've had their beloved dogs die after getting bit by rattlesnakes.