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karalee's review
4.0
I received Polo Cowboy by G. Neri for Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2022. Ghetto Cowboy is published by Candlewick Press.
In this sequel to Ghetto Cowboy, Cole is excited to be back in Philly with his dad and his horse, Boo. Cole starts at a new job and struggles to get along with the rich, white boys there. He makes a new friend, Ruthie, and must face new challenges with meeting his father’s expectations, staying out of his cousin’s business, and thinking about his future.
This middle-grade book deals with growing up and staying true to yourself, as well as racism, classism, and gentrification.
My favorite part of this sequel is the continued development of the father-son relationship!
Fantastic illustrations by Jesse Joshua Watson!
In this sequel to Ghetto Cowboy, Cole is excited to be back in Philly with his dad and his horse, Boo. Cole starts at a new job and struggles to get along with the rich, white boys there. He makes a new friend, Ruthie, and must face new challenges with meeting his father’s expectations, staying out of his cousin’s business, and thinking about his future.
This middle-grade book deals with growing up and staying true to yourself, as well as racism, classism, and gentrification.
My favorite part of this sequel is the continued development of the father-son relationship!
Fantastic illustrations by Jesse Joshua Watson!
crystal_reading's review
Review copy: ARC via publisher
Cole still has a lot to learn about horses, being a young Black man, and relationships. Watching him put in effort and yet stumble over and over is difficult. Polo Cowboy isn't an easy book to read, but it is meaningful. Again, it deals with a topic that was unfamiliar to me. Polo is not a sport I have much experience with and for most middle grade readers it may also be new to them, but since Cole is in the position of a newbie, there is plenty of explanation.
This is a great middle grade read that has the excitement of competition along with a bit of danger and a possibility of romance so there's a lot there to interest a variety of readers. It's one I can see many young readers enjoying. The addition of illustration is nice with both novels too. I hope to see many young readers picking up both books and getting to meet Cole and his friends and loved ones.
Cole still has a lot to learn about horses, being a young Black man, and relationships. Watching him put in effort and yet stumble over and over is difficult. Polo Cowboy isn't an easy book to read, but it is meaningful. Again, it deals with a topic that was unfamiliar to me. Polo is not a sport I have much experience with and for most middle grade readers it may also be new to them, but since Cole is in the position of a newbie, there is plenty of explanation.
This is a great middle grade read that has the excitement of competition along with a bit of danger and a possibility of romance so there's a lot there to interest a variety of readers. It's one I can see many young readers enjoying. The addition of illustration is nice with both novels too. I hope to see many young readers picking up both books and getting to meet Cole and his friends and loved ones.
resslesa's review
5.0
Amazing book. Learned so much about polo and how it can be played by more than just elite white guys. Definitely great for middle school and beyond.
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