Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 4-7. In a highly readable blend of history and fiction, this illustrated paperback in the I Am America series tells the elemental cowboy story from the viewpoint of two fictional teenage boys--Josh, 14, an African American wrangler, and Davy, 13, a white wagon driver--who help 13 men drive 3,000 cattle from southern Texas to Nebraska in 1887. Although it's hard to accept that such kids would write journals and letters on that exhausting three-month journey, their voices ring true as they record the excitement, the adventure, the grueling work, and the danger. Oatman weaves lots of historical notes into the personal experiences, including the roles played by vaqueros and the anger of Indians displaced from their homeland. The focus, though, is really on the exciting action and the wild fun. The design resembles a magazine, with dramatic archival photos and paintings on every double-page spread. There's also a clear map. The idea that young teens were part of the cowboy adventure is sure to grab readers. --Hazel Rochman Copyright 2004 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
