(3) 4-6 Magnificent Mya Tibbs series. Illustrated by Eda Kaban. An adorable new baby sister leaves African American Mya feeling overlooked. A school project might just be the perfect opportunity for the now-middle child to distinguish herself. Meanwhile, Mya is also in the middle when her besties, twins Skye and Starr, become close with Mya's estranged friend, Naomi. The quirky, relatable Texas girl's third story probes the evolution of family and friendship with compassion and heart.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(4) 4-6 Jake Maddox Girl Sports Stories series. Illustrated by Katie Wood. These sports-themed stories starring girls highlight important skills necessary for success at a skate park (Longboard), a ranch (Cowgirl), on the ice (Ice Rink), and with the cheer squad (Squad). Fast pacing and black-and-white digital illustrations keep the predictable plots focused and easy to follow. Discussion questions, writing prompts, and facts about the sports are appended. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox Girl Sports Stories titles: Cowgirl Grit, Ice Rink Rookie, Longboard Letdown, and Squad Struggles.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 4-6 Magnificent Mya Tibbs series. Illustrated by Eda Kaban. Mya has competing priorities: spending quality time with her mom before the birth of a baby sibling, studying so she beats her rival at a school quiz competition, and making the best-tasting chili in Bluebonnet's annual cook-off. Mya's personality is big as ever; folksy language, fast-paced drama, and gently offered lessons on family and friendship make this second installment about the African American cowgirl a winner.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic. "I'll wear my boots and spurs and hat. / I'll say so long to my barn cat." A girl fantasizes about going West and becoming a cowgirl; as Vukovic's winsome mixed-media art shows, she doesn't have to leave her suburban home to do so--such is the power of her imagination. DiTerlizzi's rhymes have the snap of an expertly swung lasso.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jessie Hartland. Lexie, an unusual rancher, keeps words in line until an upstart rustler causes trouble. This clever picture book plays with how words might manifest their meanings if physically altered: helpful Lexie turns a "pest" into "pets," whereas the bandit turns "bandanas" into "bananas." Alongside the puns, anagrams, and banter, Hartland adds a folksy touch with her loose gouache illustrations. Glos.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Magnificent Mya Tibbs series. Illustrated by Eda Kaban. In this high-energy school drama, after nine-year-old wannabe-cowgirl Mya is paired with Mean Connie for Spirit Week (Mya's favorite week), her new friendship with Naomi is on the rocks. Meanwhile, the Bluebonnet, Texas, school is busy with cowboy-themed Fall Festival preparations. This first installment drops readers into Mya's world, where there are endless reasons to fret but also to laugh and cheer.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jonathan Bean. In this hymn to contemporary cowboys, a sentence beginning with "real cowboys..." introduces each new task or scene ("Real cowboys are patient..."). Young cowpokes will appreciate the seriousness given to their passion, an apparent respect shared by Bean's dramatic illustrations. With details that verge on the abstract, each page turn comes as a visual surprise. The book ends with an existential turn.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2017

(3) PS Illustrated by Tom Knight. "Giddy-up, Buckaroos! Here comes the sun. / Let's sneak past the sheriff and round up some fun." So begins two young siblings' Spanish language–tinged account of a day spent in vaquero (cowpoke) getups. The humor hinges on the adroit illustrations, as when they reveal that the "sheriff" is Mom and that the kids are eating store-bought beans rather than "rattlesnake stew." Glos.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Suzanne Beaky. Zesty art and energetic prose with folksy inflections tell the tale of the original "girl cowboy." Young Oklahoman Mulhall defied turn-of-the-last-century gender norms (defended by her ultra-traditional mother), entering rough-riding and roping competitions at thirteen and ultimately traveling the country showing off her prize-winning and record-breaking skills, including for President Teddy Roosevelt. An author's note fills in some gaps. Timeline.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Molly Idle. Rodeo Red--a red-haired girl in dress-up duds--is never without her (stuffed) canine companion "until Sideswiping Slim showed up." That baby-faced baby nabs the pooch when big sister's back is turned, so Red has to git back what's hers while avoiding a time-out. High-spirited illustrations straddle Red's real life and her wild (west) imagination; the drawling text is full of kid-centric, Old West–flavored expressions.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2015

(3) 1-3 Katie Woo series. Illustrated by Tammie Lyon. Katie overcomes her fear of horseback riding in Cowgirl and of flying in Fly High. Each transitional early chapter book features a simple but structured plot broken up by colorful, emotive illustrations. Vocabulary and sentences are complex enough for newly independent readers to start building confidence. Discussion questions, writing prompts, and a simple recipe conclude each book. Glos. Review covers these Katie Woo titles: Cowgirl Katie and Fly High, Katie!

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ard Hoyt. Alice, who lives in Dallas, Pennsylvania, loves to pretend to be a Wild West cowgirl until Lexis from Texas (or is she?) comes to town and threatens to usurp her. A high-noon playground showdown leads to an injury and an inevitable but satisfying partnership. This mild rivalry-turned-friendship tale conveys its message smoothly, while Hoyt's watercolor and pen illustrations embody the "Yippee ki-yay!" spirit.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Xtreme Rodeo series. Each book briefly explores a popular rodeo event, explaining procedures, variations, rules, and possible dangers involved; only Barrel Racing depicts an event reserved for women. The writing is bland, but young rodeo fans will be drawn to the rugged, action-packed photos, many with a long exposure to dramatically capture movement. Font superimposed over images contributes to the books' cluttered appearance. Glos., ind. Review covers these Xtreme Rodeo titles: Barrel Racing, Bareback Riding, Bull Riding, and Roping.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lynne Avril. Can Nellie Sue's cowgirl spunk, captured in the peppy illustrations, save her when the new school year dishes out some challenges, including new-girl Maya, who threatens Nellie Sue's best friendship with Anna? Like the Fancy Nancy series, the Every Cowgirl books feature reliably engaging scenarios starring an unsinkable girl who is a suburban everykid, despite her insistence otherwise ("How-dee, Pardner!").

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Lynne Avril. In her third literary outing, cowgirl-infatuated suburbanite Nellie Sue enters her "two-wheeled horse" in the bike rodeo at a county fair. The central drama--she diverts a goat that threatens to derail her friend's attempt at the blue ribbon--doesn't wash (wouldn't the judges call a do-over?), but it's the rare reader who won't be caught up in the gleefully illustrated drama.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lynne Avril. Every suburban cowgirl knows "you can't go dancin' all alone," especially not in brand-new boots. However, the "glitter girls" across the street prefer ballet to boot-scootin'. Undeterred, our cowgirl plans a barn dance and invites the neighborhood. The result is chaotic fun, with a happy ending and a new friend. The text twangs, and the cartoon-style illustrations jump with action.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(2) 4-6 George-Warren opens with a description of the lives of women in the Old West, using quotations from their writings. In topically organized chapters, the volume then discusses these outlaws, show girls, rodeo stars, etc., concluding with an overview of twenty-first-century cowgirls. Augmented with archival images and photographs, the book may spur horse-loving readers on to cowgirl careers of their own. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Kathleen Isaacs | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2010

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lynne Avril. Birthday girl and self-described cowgirl Nellie Sue "needs" a horse; instead, her parents give her a pink bicycle ("I wasn't real keen on ridin' a horse with wheels where hooves ought to be"). The book's humor comes from the contrast between Nellie Sue's cowpoke imaginings and her reality, exhibited in the energetic illustrations of her suburban home and family.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Herb Leonhard. A curious girl in a pink cowboy hat imagines riding west on her pony and encountering animal life along the way--a buffalo, prairie dog, armadillo, roadrunner, and the like--before trotting back home to Grandpa. The repetitive, singsong text never finds its rhythm, but the art creates a sense of mood and place.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. Four short stories mark Cocoa and Kate's sixth adventure. Sweety Pie gives birth to a frisky calf; the calf diverts Cocoa from work; Cowgirl Kate receives a puppy as a present; and Cocoa and Kate discover a nest of barn owls. Full-color illustrations appear in multiple shapes and sizes, duplicating the action while providing text breaks for new readers. Home on this range is sweet and predictable.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2010