Another Kind of Cowboy
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.