Conrad and the Cowgirl Next Door
by Denette Fretz
illustrated by Gene Barretta
published by Zonderkidz
The Blurb
“I hear that becoming a cowboy can be dangerous. Especially if you don't know the rules.
I don’t know the rules.”
It’s a good thing Conrad brought his Mega Ultimate Extreme First Aid Kit to Uncle Clint’s ranch because learning how to be a cowboy turns out to be a lot harder—and more painful—than he thought. Conrad has a lot to learn – including don’t squat with spurs on and never wave your red sweatshirt at a bull. But the biggest challenge of all is dealing with Imogene Louise Lathrup, the know-it-all-cowgirl next door. When Imogene shows up, she is all too happy to point out Conrad’s shortcomings. In this follow-up to their debut hitPirates on the Farm, author Denette Fretz and illustrator Gene Barretta team up once again to tell a humorous tale about what it means to love your neighbor.
My Two Cents
I initially wanted this book for the title alone! I have a sweet little Conrad in my life who needs this book! Plus the cover is adorable!
The main character is Conrad and he longs to be a cowboy, but he isn't sure exactly what cowboys do. In preparation, he packs up his first aid kit--which was a great idea because he certainly gets to put it to use! Conrad has a good attitude about learning all the cool, new cowboy stuff, even when Imogene Louise Lathrop harasses him. Imogene is up on her high horse, as we here in Texas say!
Conrad finds a way to be a good friend to Imogene despite the fact that she hasn't been too kind to him.
I love kid stories with real conflict that kids face. That's what this story has. And I especially love that Conrad meets his antagonist with kindness and figures out a way to be friends with Imogene without letting himself be a doormat! I think any little buckaroo would love this cute picture book. I can't wait to check out the other book in this series, Pirates on the Farm.
Labels: picture book, series
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