Longhorns
and Outlaws
by Linda
Aksomitis
Longhorns
and Outlaws is
a FINALIST in
the Foreward Magazine Award for Juvenile
Children's Literature for 2008!
Resource
Links listed Longhorns
and Outlaws as one of the Best Books
for 2008 in Fiction for Grades 3 - 6. Resource Links says: "Linda
Aksomitis has written an outstanding historical novel for young
readers..."
Twelve-year-old
Lucas Vogel
has
lost his
parents in the 1900 Galveston Hurricane. Now, eight months later, his
older brother, Gil, has shown up to drag him off to the frontier
chasing beeves and looking for their Cousin Henry.
Lucas, a
Pinkerton Agent-in-training, would rather be looking for outlaws than
learning to ride a horse in the thick dust following a cattle
drive.
However,
Lucas soon
discovers the buttes of Montana and the Big Muddy
make great outlaw hideouts and he finds himself deeper
into outlaw
adventures than he's ever imagined when he encounters the Sundance Kid.
But of course, Gil thinks
he's
imagining things. Will his brother ever realize he's growing
up—or give him some say in their future?
MORE REVIEWS
The Appaloosa
Horse Club of Canada magazine says, "The
author brings her
first hand knowledge of the landscape, flora and fauna, and of the
hardships
and simple joys to be found in the saddle in the real west, making this
work authentic,
historically correct and a great read for young and old.
"
SWON Libraries
(Southwest Ohio) says: "Strong characters, real wild
west action and authentic facts about cowboys and horses make this an
excellent adventure."
Jim Schaeffer, Excecutive Director for Custer Country Montana says in the Billings Gazette,
"Those unfamiliar with Eastern Montana will get a glimpse of the
landscape of the region and a feel for the harsh conditions of life on
the range. Written for younger readers, Longhorns and Outlaws can be enjoyed by adults as well."
Wainwright Star Chronicle
says: "Aksomitis weaves together a rich
cowboy tapestry of horses, cows and ranch life..."
Prairie Fire Magazine
says:
"Young readers who are interested in
cowboys, horses, or outlaws will enjoy Longhorns and Outlaws, and
they'll learn a lot about life in the early 1900s at the same time. "
Children's Bookwatch
says,
"Longhorns and Outlaws [is] a great
western fiction for young children about to move onto standard chapter
books."
CM
- Canadian Materials says, "Aksomitis
establishes the archetype of the wide-eyed boy amid the vast,
undiscovered American frontier by using vibrant descriptions of the
landscape and animated supporting characters. The character of Gil
provides a wonderful dynamic as the gruff and intolerant brother from
whom Lucas predictably seeks approval. The author’s grasp of
the Texas
twang is dead-on and helps to transport the reader immediately into
Lucas’s world. Trying to balance historic events in a work of
fiction,
particularly one intended for children, can appear clumsy if not
treated carefully. Aksomitis achieves this feat with the effortless
weaving of truth and fiction, not delving too far into the realm of
fact, allowing the story to unravel without having to substantiate on
every point. "
Longhorns
and Outlaws was one of only five novels for readers aged 9-12
featured in the 2008
McNally Robinson Books of the Season catalogue!
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