Another Kind of Cowboy
by Susan Juby
by Susan Juby
ANOTHER KIND OF COWBOY by Susan Juby
Category: Contemporary
Age Recommendation: Grades 9+
Release Date: 12/18/07
Publisher: HarperTeen
Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"
Rating: 5 Stars
Cleo O’Shea rides horses. Her wealthy parents work in the movie business and have raised Cleo through a series of
housekeepers, drivers, and other assorted caretakers. When Cleo’s poor choices lead her into troubled times, they
decide to enroll her in a boarding school on Vancouver Island.
An early interest in horses prompted Cleo’s mother to enroll her in riding classes. In keeping with this interest, Cleo finds
herself at Stoneleigh, a school that focuses on equestrian training. As a hobby, riding had always been fun, but now that
Cleo’s school experience revolves around riding and competition, she is not so sure about it. Finding Alex Ford seems to
improve things a bit.
Alex has never truly fit in. His early childhood was spent pretending his bicycle was a horse. His odd obsession with
competitive dressage didn’t win him many friends or even acquaintances. When his mother left, Alex became more and
more responsible for his twin sisters. His father’s interests became more focused on staying drunk and living in the
driveway in an old RV. Grappling with a drunken father, a lack of money, and the possibility of being more interested in
boys than girls, has Alex feeling anxious and alone. Meeting Cleo gives Alex a courage he never realized he had.
Life in ANOTHER KIND OF COWBOY revolves around dressage riding and competition. Cleo and Alex meet and
then find themselves sharing the same trainers, a couple of retired horsemen living on a nearby farm. Filled with Susan
Juby’s refreshing humor, one-of-a-kind characters, and some serious teen issues, this book is sure to be popular with
both male and female readers. As a result of the detailed dressage descriptions and interesting storylines, I found myself
imagining what might be a fun film version of the book.
Category: Contemporary
Age Recommendation: Grades 9+
Release Date: 12/18/07
Publisher: HarperTeen
Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"
Rating: 5 Stars
Cleo O’Shea rides horses. Her wealthy parents work in the movie business and have raised Cleo through a series of
housekeepers, drivers, and other assorted caretakers. When Cleo’s poor choices lead her into troubled times, they
decide to enroll her in a boarding school on Vancouver Island.
An early interest in horses prompted Cleo’s mother to enroll her in riding classes. In keeping with this interest, Cleo finds
herself at Stoneleigh, a school that focuses on equestrian training. As a hobby, riding had always been fun, but now that
Cleo’s school experience revolves around riding and competition, she is not so sure about it. Finding Alex Ford seems to
improve things a bit.
Alex has never truly fit in. His early childhood was spent pretending his bicycle was a horse. His odd obsession with
competitive dressage didn’t win him many friends or even acquaintances. When his mother left, Alex became more and
more responsible for his twin sisters. His father’s interests became more focused on staying drunk and living in the
driveway in an old RV. Grappling with a drunken father, a lack of money, and the possibility of being more interested in
boys than girls, has Alex feeling anxious and alone. Meeting Cleo gives Alex a courage he never realized he had.
Life in ANOTHER KIND OF COWBOY revolves around dressage riding and competition. Cleo and Alex meet and
then find themselves sharing the same trainers, a couple of retired horsemen living on a nearby farm. Filled with Susan
Juby’s refreshing humor, one-of-a-kind characters, and some serious teen issues, this book is sure to be popular with
both male and female readers. As a result of the detailed dressage descriptions and interesting storylines, I found myself
imagining what might be a fun film version of the book.