Someday Rider

My son first discovered this book at the library when he was 2, and I bought it for him after he kept begging to get it again. The audio tape is well produced. The narrator doesn't do anything amazing, but my son liked his voice and style a lot. There's no special sound effects and only a simple song for music. The boy in the book wants to ride a horse, but everyone keeps telling him he can "someday." After trying to ride some of the other farm animals and helping out on the farm, his mother agrees to secretly teach him to ride. Later, when his father says he needs more hands for the roundup, the boy is able to surprise his father by telling him that he is able to help out because he can now ride on his own. This coming-of-age story appealed to my son in a strong way even as young as 2. I like the fact that it reflects several important themes besides just growing up: developing patience, practicing/working towards a goal, and helping out the family. The illustrations in the book are more subdued than many modern children's books, but the soft watercolor illustrations support the low-key, thoughtful tone of the book. We haven't used the audio tape with the book for a long time, but I suspect that he will start using it this year as he starts to read on his own (he's 4 now). My son and I have found Someday Rider to be one of the best cowboy books for kids available. Although you may only find it used, I also recommend Bronco Busters (by Herzig and Root) as a great cowboy book for kids 2-6.

This is my 3 year old son's all time favorite book. It perfectly captures the spirit of children yearning to become part of the adult world, in this instance, to be able to ride a horse. It's homey feeling and subtle humor make it a pleasure to read again and again and again...a must for little cowpokes.