They call him the Cowboy Kid, the strange boy who lassoes trash cans and whinnies like a horse. He dreams of escaping the city, of riding away on a golden steed of his own. And then, one wonderful night, the Cowboy Kid’s dreams come true. A magnificent stallion carries him to the heavens on a magical ride. Soon they are joined by other horses, leaping from paintings, jumping down from stone pedestals in parks, and breaking free of merry-go-rounds – and they lead a riotous stampede of marble, wood, and paint through the streets of the town and beyond. A beautiful book about freedom and the urge to break away for the child in everyone.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
"In the time of then and once, of yet and still and will be, a boy lived deep in the canyons of the city," opens Tibo's (the Simon picture-book series) labored, open-ended fantasy. Barefoot and ragged, the homeless, solitary Cowboy Kid plays in a city dump, riding a "horse" made from a rusty oil drum and a mop. One day the lad awakens "on the other side of sleep" (Has he died?) to find a golden horse, which carries the boy through the sky. Rocking horses, horse statues and carousel horses break away and follow the flying duo. When the animals touch down and ride through "grand museums," horses leap out of paintings to run with them. Rising up "beyond the borders of time," the horses are "all free together in one great wild race under the pale, white moon." First-time illustrator Kapas's paintings look frozen, even though they are meticulously detailed and imaginatively conceived. In the last illustration, for example, a child lies in her bed, an expression of awe on her face, while horses rise off her patterned pillowcase and make their way toward the airborne herd that is visible in the night sky. Due out simultaneously is a French-language edition, entitled L'enfant cow-boy ($16.95 ISBN 0-88776-511-4). Ages 5-7. (May)
Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
K-Gr 2-This dreamlike tale has neither substance nor narrative completeness. A homeless city child on a rusty "oil-tank horse" embarks on a wild ride through the sky joined by rocking, statue, carousel, and painted horses, all of which magically come to life as the adventurous pair gallop by. Dramatic double-page spreads alternate with pages of text or a page of text facing an illustration. Kapas presents an almost surreal world, largely filled with trash, in which city skylines merge buildings from diverse countries (e.g., the Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty). While this wild ride may appeal to imaginative children, the story itself is not satisfying. There is no real resolution-just the suggestion that readers may dream of the boy's adventures. The opening and closing references to "the time of then and once, of yet and still and will be-" will intrigue some readers and just puzzle others.-Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ
Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
The Cowboy Kid,
By Debbie Baxter (Willoughby Hills, OH United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Cowboy Kid (Hardcover)
A story about a boy who roams the streets of the city in reality but in his imagination he's a cowboy in the Wild West. One day his dreams come true and a beautiful horse appears to him and takes him on a magical trip. Wonderful story about imagination and the power it has to transport you. The illustrations (many 2 full pages) are stunning.
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