24 days until TBF! Who's counting down, besides me? :-)
Seventh grader Cole is suspended from school for skipping and hanging with his friends on the street. Cole's mother is fed up with his behavior and drives him from their home in Detroit to his father in Philadelphia. Cole never met his father; his mama won't talk about him. When Cole is dumped on his daddy's doorstep, he is shocked--his dad helps care for horses in a stable located in North Philly. Cole doesn't know what to make of his father or the horses, but is forced to help out if he wants to stay.
I really enjoyed this book. The plot is fast-paced and the characters are interesting. I like G. Neri's style and learned a bit about the subculture of urban cowboys, which is a real thing!
G. Neri describes himself like "a mash-up DJ of a writer: I sample real life and re-mix it into story." Check out his website here to learn more about G.Neri and what inspires him to write.
It's always hard to say which of the authors coming to TBF is my new favorite, but I have to give a shout out to G. Neri as one of my TOP new TBF-ers. I loved the book Ghetto Cowboy and I had no idea that there actually are urban cowboys?!
ReplyDeleteAlso, for those who want to learn a little more about G. Neri and his diversity as an author, check on this book trailer for another of his books, Chess Rumble. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHPpsU7aYHQ&feature=player_embedded
While Ghetto Cowboy is a contemporary work of fiction, Chess Rumble is a narrative told through free-verse poetry and incredible illustrations. The book trailer provides the perfect "hook" for the book.
For all you TBF fans out there, I definitely would say G.Neri is one to look out for!