From the Publisher
A fascinating glimpse of a culture most readers will not have heard of.
—Kirkus Reviews
Neri's story is original in theme and inspirational in tone and content.
—Booklist
Coltrane's narration is written in easy-reading colloquial language, making the book a likely sell to reluctant readers and possibility for older readalouds.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
This well-written book is based on a true story of urban cowboys in Philadelphia and New York. Cole's spot-on emotional insight is conveyed through believable dialogue and the well-paced plot offers information about a little-known aspect of African-American history as well as a portrait of contemporary urban stable life. Watson's illustrations punctuate the intriguing aspects of the story and make the novel more appealing.
—School Library Journal
There’s an honesty to the book and to the changes Cole experiences. And while the story itself may contain a happy ending for both boy and horse, that doesn’t mean it’s an easy ending for either of them...Definitely recommended for everyone.
—A Fuse 8 Production (SLJ blog)
School Library Journal - Audio
Gr 5–8—Cole has lived in Detroit with his mother for as long as he can remember. His father has never been part of their life. So, when Cole's mother, unable to handle parenting an adolescent boy alone, drops him off in front of his father's Philadelphia home, Cole is beyond surprised. And then the horse appears. Cole's father is an urban cowboy, part of a small group that cares for retired racehorses in the city's abandoned inner-city lots. Just as Cole begins to get comfortable with his new life—living with his dad, mucking out stables, learning to ride—the city threatens to take away everything he has come to love. Desperate to save the stables and his horse, Cole has to step up and become the responsible young man his father knows he can be. G. Neri's compelling tale (Candlewick, 2011), complemented by JD Jackson's smooth narration, will resonate with many urban kids. The story's drama is based on real life events, a fact that will intrigue listeners. An excellent choice for school and public libraries.—Beth Gallego, Los Angeles Public Library, CA
School Library Journal
Gr 5–8—Cole has been skipping school so much that he might have to repeat seventh grade. His fed-up mom drives him from Detroit to North Philadelphia to live with the father he's never met. Feeling abandoned, Cole at first struggles to get along with his father. But eventually his dad's vocation as a horse-whispering cowboy—he runs a stable in the inner city, which is a safe haven for local kids—gives them a chance to connect. Cole learns the history of black horsemen and how to live the "Cowboy Way," befriending a horse of his own and joining a fight to save the stable when it's threatened by the city. This well-written book is based on a true story of urban cowboys in Philadelphia and New York. Cole's spot-on emotional insight is conveyed through believable dialogue and the well-paced plot offers information about a little-known aspect of African-American history as well as a portrait of contemporary urban stable life. Watson's illustrations punctuate the intriguing aspects of the story and make the novel more appealing.—Shawna Sherman, Hayward Public Library, CA
