That may be one of the reasons I approached the writing of my first biography with a certain amount of trepidation. How could I capture the basics of Annie Oakley’s life in only 64 pages? Granted, I wasn’t writing a scholarly study like my professor, but I still felt the need to report some essential truths of Annie’s life. Yet there were even disagreements about such a simple thing as her real name. (Some people say she was born Phoebe Ann Moses; others say Phoebe Ann Mozee.)

I did my best to sort out the true story of Annie Oakley, and when there were conflicting “facts,” I made sure to say so. But beyond the year-by-year account of her life, there was one crucial element about Annie that I wanted to get across in Bull’s-Eye: her character. As a celebrity and Wild West star, Annie Oakley worked hard to live up to the highest standards of behavior and fair play. She would not cheat in her performances, and she could not tolerate anyone questioning her integrity. She set out to be a role model and she was, raising vast sums for charity and giving free lessons to an estimated 15,000 women so they could learn to shoot for sport and protection. Those actions say much more about the woman than the correct spelling of her last name.

What the Critics Said

“This book is exemplary non-fiction: well documented, lots of period photos with credits, a resource list, and a chronology. Equally important is its engaging and well-crafted account of this famous woman of the West.”
—School Library Journal, October 2001

“Sue Macy offers a vibrant portrait of famed sharpshooter Annie Oakley….Macy works hard to separate the facts of Oakley’s life from the nearly mythological woman she has become in American culture. Although the shows and movies focused on her are more fantasy than fact, Macy notes that all of the stories about Oakley have one common thread: They show a woman of great inner strength who was determined to succeed in life.”
—Washington Post, December 9, 2001

“I put aside this book to read the next day, but opened it just for a peek. Before I knew it, I inhaled it cover to cover and thoroughly enjoyed it. Readers will sail through this well-written story.”
—The First Coast Parent, (Jacksonville Beach, FL), November 2001

Awards and Distinctions

• Best Books, 2001 (School Library Journal)
  
• Notable Books for Children, 2002 (American Library Association)
  
• Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2002 (Children’s Book Council, Inc. and National Council for the Social Studies)
  
• Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices, 2002 (University of Wisconsin)
  
• 2001 Gold Medal for Non-Fiction (National Parenting Publications Association)
  
• Children’s Literature Choice List, 2002 (Children’s Literature)
  
• Top 25 Books of 2001 (Peggy Sharp, Designs for Learning)
  

Links:

Buy Bull’s-Eye from Amazon.com

Order an autographed copy.

Learn more about Annie Oakley.

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