Books in Legends of the Wild West series

Notorious for his widely publicized bank and train robberies, Jesse James will forever be known as the American outlaw and gang leader. James began his infamous career during the Civil War, as part of a group of Confederate guerrilla fighters in his native state of Missouri. But as the war ended, James turned his life toward crime and soon became a man on the run from the law. Joined by his older brother, Frank, and another set of brothers, James became one of the leaders of the famous James-Younger gang. As a group, these bandits ruled the West, terrorizing banks, stagecoaches, and railroads. Although James was feverishly hunted, he was never taken prisoner by US law enforcement. Instead, his career as an American outlaw was cut short when he was betrayed and murdered by a member of his own gang: Robert Ford. Already a celebrity when he was alive, Jesse James became a legend after his unforeseen death. With exciting text, vivid photos, and historical relics, Jesse James, part of the Wild West for Kids series, teaches kids why this one outlaw still fascinates people more than a century later!

A hunter, woodsman, and frontiersman who was an excellent shot with a rifle, Davy Crockett's adventures became well-known legend after his death at the siege of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Although he is remembered as an American pioneer, he also forged a career as a politician, serving as a Tennessee state legislator and later as a U.S. Congressman. Crockett had a remarkable life, from running away from home when he was 13 to holding political office with virtually no formal education. The desire for more land led Crockett to journey to Texas, where he joined the volunteer army to offer allegiance to the formation of a free Texas. At the Battle of the Alamo, Mexican general Santa Anna wanted to make an example of those involved in the rebellion; his take no prisoners order resulted in Crockett's execution. In Davy Crockett, read about a man whose life became a symbol of America's pioneering spirit.

Tales of intrigue in this book include unusual unsolved crimes, legends of lost treasure, spine-tingling ghost stories, well-documented sea creature sightings, and more. Based on historic accounts from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, author L.E. Bragg recounts seventeen myths and mysteries from Washington's past, verifying some tales from multiple accounts and exposing some stories for what may have really occurred. Readers will be riveted by the detailed descriptions of Puget Sound's demon of the deep, Northwest gold fever may strike again after readers learn the details of Captain Ingalls's lost treasure, and believers will be surprised to learn that strange sightings over Mount Rainier predate the famous Roswell event. Enjoy these tales and more from Washington's suspicious past.

The life of Crazy Horse, the greatest warrior of the Lakota people, is filled with mystery. He did not leave any letters, diaries, or speeches, and it is still unclear whether his death was a murder or an accident. Yet Crazy Horse remains a compelling symbol of freedom and dignity. As whites invaded Lakota lands and the buffalo herds shrank, many Lakota settled on reservations. Crazy Horse, however, completely rejected the reservation system and negotiations with the invaders. He helped lead the Lakota in two of the greatest defeats ever suffered by the U.S. Army: the Fetterman Fight in 1866 and the Battle of Little Bighorn against General George Armstrong Custer in 1876. In Crazy Horse, read about this mysterious man who played a large role in the Native American battles in the West.

Jesse James may be the most famous outlaw from the wild days of the Old West. He began his career during the Civil War, as part of a group of Southern-supporting guerrilla fighters in his native Missouri. After the war, James turned his hand to crime, becoming one of the leaders of the famous James-Younger Gang, along with his brother Frank and another set of brothers, the Youngers. These bandits became notorious for their bold robberies of banks, stagecoaches, and railroads around Missouri, but James was never taken prisoner, despite years of manhunts for him. James's legendary career ended when he was betrayed and murdered by Robert Ford, a member of his gang. As proved in Jesse James, his daring exploits are still fascinating more than a century after his death.

Billy the Kid is one of the most famous outlaws ever to come out of the Old West an expert at rustling, thieving, shooting, and breaking out of jails. Over the years, he has been the subject of hundreds of books, articles, movies, and more. Still, tantalizingly little is known about the Kid, and many questions remain. Before he died at the age of about 21, how many men did he kill? Was he a ruthless criminal or a good-hearted Robin Hood of the American Southwest? And why have his fame and legend survived for so long? Separate the fact from fiction in this new biography about Billy the Kid and how he played an important role in the legends during the settlement of the American West.

Wyatt Earp remains one of the Old West's most iconic figuresOCoperhaps the most famous lawman who ever lived. He has become the ultimate symbol of the stern, righteous, brave, and principled deputy. Over the years, countless books, articles, movies, television shows, andaWeb sites have burnished this image. Yet, Earp was only a lawman for a total of about six of his 80 years. Among the many other occupations he tried in his long life were gambling, saloon-keeping, mining, racehorse ownership, and real estate speculation. Nor was he always on the right side of the law; there is strong evidence to show that Earp was sometimes involved in slightly less-than-legal activities. Nonetheless, it is as a lawman that Earp is remembered. Discover the man behind the deputy star who was made into a legend after one 30-second gun battleOCothe famous shootout at the O.K. Corral.

Born in South Dakota in 1831, Sitting Bull was given his father's name after killing his first buffalo as a teenager. Sitting Bull witnessed the downfall of his people's way of life after the California gold rush of 1849 and the opening up of the West by the railroad. After he was wounded in battle, his views hardened about the presence of whites in Sioux land. He began to assume an uncompromising militancy that would characterize the rest of his life. Developing into one of the most important chiefs, Sitting Bull was able to unite a multitude of Sioux bands and other tribes at his camp, which continually expanded as the tribes sought safety in numbers. It was this camp that General George Armstrong Custer found on June 25, 1876, when he led the 7th Cavalry advance party to the Little Big Horn River. Sitting Bull, who had seen a vision of this attack during a tribal dance, and his people were able to defeat Custer and his men, but their victory was short-lived as thousands more outraged soldiers pursued the Sioux, forcing their surrender. This brave warrior was finally brought down in 1890 by tribal police who had been sent to arrest him. In Sitting Bull, read about a man who refused to back down from his convictions, even when they brought him face to face with the United States Calvary.