Cowboy Up!: Ride the Navajo Rodeo

Gr 1–5—The history and tradition of the Navajo rodeo are made lively and accessible in this "day-in-the-life" account. Short narrative poems accompany each spread, recounting the anticipation, determination, danger, and excitement of the day. "Big Brahma bull/stands square,/glares./Big Brahma bull/head down/ horns able/to rip a rider wide apart./Big Brahma bull…/My turn to ride." An announcer guides readers through the book (and each individual event) page by page. "Ladies and Gents, all eyes to the arena for our first timed event. Watch close, or you just might miss the action. These calf ropers are fast as lightning!" Children will easily be roped in, from barrel racing to steer wrestling, team roping to bareback bull riding. Each event is described in concise, informative detail. The colorful photos almost steal the show as they expertly capture the athletes and animals in action. Warm and inviting, the book gives a real sense of what it's like to be a part of the Navajo rodeo. A top-notch introduction to a unique event.—Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library