When Todd Linder reached out to me about reviewing the book that he had just written I was so excited! First off, I send my little ramblings out to the world with great hopes that many will read and enjoy but thinking that the only ones that actually read my blog is my mom and dad and my close girl friends. So when someone wanted me check out what they had created I felt and still do feel so honored! Then, my next thought was what if I don’t like it?!?! Thank goodness I loved this cute book and as soon as I saw that they used Bronc instead of Bronco that thought disappeared!
I have loved reading since I was a little girl and I endlessly bugged my mom and dad to read to me and then advanced to becoming obsessed with the Saddle Club and any other horse book, when I could finally read by myself.
They always talk about how you have that one teacher that you never forget and that opens the door of learning up so wide that you remember them forever, well while I had many great teachers my favorite was Mr. Weller. He talked me into taking his advanced placement English classes where he stoked my passion for literature (Which while I like to read, English class was not a class I enjoyed pre Mr. Weller.) What made Mr. Weller special was that he had us read all of the classics but, he also sprinkled in books that were our own personal book list with titles like All the Pretty Horses for me. When we had to study poetry and recite a poet he let me do Baxter Blacks, Legacy of a Rodeo Man. Getting to dip by toes into books that actually interested me and where about the same things that I love made me that much better of a student.
My husband always thought that he didn’t like reading because in school he never connected with the books that they had him read. Being the avid reader that I am I was not going to let him get away without at least trying some and when we came across Ed Ashurst books, he finally found books that he couldn’t put down until they were over and then wanted to read more.
I truly think that the way to get kids (and adults) into reading, is by giving them things to read that actually interest them. The Big Sky Boys and Life on the Spinnin’ Spur does just this! I don’t have kids but I would say that it is geared more towards kids that are just starting on reading chapter books but honestly as an adult I enjoyed the stories and think that it would be a fun bedtime book to read that mom and dad might actually not want to skip pages to get through it.
While to book takes you on some adventures that the boys go on it also teaches some lessons along the way. Here are some of the lessons that you and or whoever you buy the book for might be able to take away.
- Don’t be afraid to think out of the box and try something different and new. You might get made fun of and sometimes it doesn’t go like you had wanted to but it’s worth trying.
- Those in agriculture take care of their animals because those animals take care of them. My favorite quote was “If’n you scare up them chickens and run the meat off ’em all you gonna get to eat with your dumplin’s is chicklets ‘stead of chicken! And if them chickens ain’t layin’, you got no cake, no cookies, no pie, and no pancakes!.”
- Make due with what you have. Peewee showed that when he wanted to paint and didn’t have to supplies he needed he got creative and made his own canvas and brushes and asked around for paint that others didn’t need anymore and ended up having a lot of success.
These are just a few of the lesson that can be taken away from this book and I’m sure Mr. Weller would not approve my not pulling out all of them but ya’ll don’t tell on me!
I am so excited to see chapter books like this coming out that are geared towards cowkids and can even be enjoyed by city kids. I know that I would have loved this book as a kid, heck I enjoyed it as an adult.
Y’all go out and get a copy for your kids or the kids that you know in your life! I think that they will like it! https://www.amazon.com/Big-Boys-Life-Spinnin-Spur/dp/0578511002
Ranch Wife Ramblings 