Flood,
Nancy Bo. Cowboy Up! Ride The Navajo Rodeo.
Boyd's Mills/Word Song 2013 40p $17.95 ISBN 978-1-59078-893-6 elem Nonfiction
E-BN
Rodeos are a cultural and community
event in almost every western state. This
book focuses on local rodeos held weekly that draw Navajo participants of all
ages, but it presents mainly children and teenagers who compete in the local
events. While the focus is on Navajo
rodeos, this book is a perfect introduction to rodeos of any type and locale,
from local events to national competitions. Kudos to the illustrators for using close-up photos of the faces of
young rodeo participants for the end pages, with the front two pages having different
photos from the last two pages. The two-page spreads feature poems that
reflect the training, pride, and sometimes fear associated with a particular
rodeo event; an announcer’s introduction to the event, and an action-packed photo of the
event along with a description of its rules and goals. Young people from age
four can participate in events such as mutton riding, while older children
will do roping and barrel racing, with teens competing in bronco-riding, bull-riding, and team roping
events. The cowboy prayer
reflects the Navajo reverence for the animals and kinship with nature. The community spirit
and ethics of participants reflect the desire to help fellow participants by
volunteering or training young riders.
An excellent introduction to a day in the life of a rodeo participant.
Grades 2-6.
Summary: Crisp, action-packed color photos of Navajo young people competing in local
rodeos. Each two-page spread starts
with an announcer’s set-up for an event, a poem related to the event, rules of the event and a color
photo of a rider in action. Excellent!
Gr. 2-6.
Rodeos --Lois
McNicol
