Grandpa Was a Cowboy [Hardcover]

Silky Sullivan (Author), Bert Dodson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

A young boy describes his grandfather's eventful life as a young man, from his first cattle drive at age thirteen, to a career as a photographer in the Ozarks, to his first meeting with grandma and their own children, including the soldier father whom the child has never known.

--This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Loss and the value of memory are the themes of Grandpa Was a Cowboy, and while the title character doesn't die within the pages of this book for 4- to 8-year-olds, it is clear that the end is near when he tells his grandson after a visit, "I won't be back. I'm too old." The saddened youngster finds strength and comfort in the tales that Grandpa left behind--stories of Indians, covered wagons, and a life of independence and accomplishment. "He never came back," says the grandson, who also realizes that in some important ways, Grandpa will never be gone, either. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4?Beautifully realistic watercolor paintings provide atmosphere and understanding to this story of a stalwart pioneer grown old. During a brief visit with his grandson, Grandpa, lean and weathered as a fencepost, tells the boy stories of his life as cowboy, photographer, farmer, and father of 11. The old man talks of the boy's parents?his mother, who died after his birth, and his father, who went to war. The child longs to live in the mountains with his grandfather instead of with his aunt and uncle, but Grandpa lovingly says, "Only trouble with us...is you're too young and I'm too old." When Grandpa boards the train to go back to the Ozarks, he leaves his grandson with stories enough to last a lifetime and a heavy silver ring as a token of his love. Illustrations and text are spare and strong, evocative and lyrical, effortlessly delineating characters and emotions while framing a span of time from the late-1800s into the mid-1920s. A memorable book.?Virginia Opocensky, formerly at Lincoln City Libraries, NE
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover
• Publisher: Orchard Books (NY) (March 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531095118
• ISBN-13: 978-0531095119
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,734,700 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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