Horse Thief by Robert Newton Peck

by Robert Newton Peck

After losing two fingers in his first bull ride, seventeen-year-old Tullis Yoder worries he'll never have a chance to top another bull. Then the rodeo show he works for goes broke, and he learns that its thirteen horses, his only family, will be slaughtered for dog meat. With the help of a lady doctor and an aging professional horse thief, Tullis steals his beloved horses. He wants to set the horses free, but with crooks, three sheriffs, and a powerful judge after him, will he have a chance?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Horses, Young Adult, Historical

Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Robert Newton Peck is an American author of books for young adults. His titles include Soup and A Day No Pigs Would Die. He claims to have been born on February 17, 1928, in Vermont, but has refused to specify where. Similarly, he claims to have graduated from a high school in Texas, which he has also refused to identify. Some sources state that he was born in Nashville, Tennessee (supposedly where his mother was born, though other sources indicate she was born in Ticonderoga, New York, and that Peck, himself, may have been born there). The only reasonably certain Vermont connection is that his father was born in Cornwall.

Peck has written over sixty books including a great book explaining his childhood to becoming a teenager working on the farm called: A Day no Pigs would Die

He was a smart student, although his schooling was cut short by World War II. During and shortly after the conflict, he served as a machine-gunner in the U.S. Army 88th Infantry Division. Upon returning to the United States, he entered Rollins College, graduating in 1953. He then entered Cornell Law School, but never finished his course of study.

Newton married Dorothy Anne Houston and fathered two children, Anne and Christopher. The best man at the wedding and the godfather to the children was Fred Rogers of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood fame.

A Day No Pigs Would Die was his first novel, published in 1972 when he was already 44 years old. From then on he continued his lifelong journey through literature. To date, he has been credited for writing 55 fiction books, 6 nonfiction books, 35 songs, 3 television specials and over a hundred poems.

Several of his historical novels are about Fort Ticonderoga: Fawn, Hang for Treason, The King's Iron.

In 1993, Peck was diagnosed with oral cancer, but survived. As of 2005, he was living in Longwood, Florida, where he has in the past served as the director of the Rollins College Writers Conference. Peck sings in a barbershop quartet, plays ragtime piano, and is an enthusiastic speaker. His hobby is visiting schools, "to turn kids on to books."

—From Wikipedia

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/robert-n...

Reviews

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a general rule, I don't like rodeos. I will not support that industry. But any person who steals horses from slaughter is a friend of mine.

This book had a realistic voice, you could really feel the characters in the words. Speaking of the characters, there were so many! I nearly lost track of them all.

But overall, I'd recomend reading this book once -just maybe not twice, though.

[Nathan Togstad]

Personal response:

This book felt like it was two different stories. Following Tillus and following OB were unrelated until the end. The relationship between them was clearly defined in the beginning, but it seemed disconnected. The entire story was pointless because no real punishment was enforced. It turned out that there was no crime committed.

Plot:

Tillis was part of a traveling rodeo that shut down. He moved in with a doctor and worked for a place to sleep. When he found that the horses he worked with were going to be killed, he asked her for help. They broke her father out of prison and took the horses. They made it to another rodeo for the horses to be used. Everyone was caught but not immediately arrested. Tillus rode a bull and Hitch saved his life. In the end nobody committed a crime, and Tillus grew up and had a family.

Characterization:

Tillus never had a family. The people he hung out with at the rodeo were co workers. The closest thing to a family he had were the 13 horses. When he found that the horses were going to be killed, he had to do something. He had to stand up to save his family. Tillus had no criminal background to speak of, so this was a large task. When it was all said and done, he did not regret his decision to steal the horses.

Impacts of setting:

The story followed a group of horse thieves around the state of Florida in the mid 1930s. The story seems realistic because of the time period it was set in. The automobile was well established as the best transportation. Horses were thrown on the wayside. This fits in with the theme of getting rid of the horses.

Theme:

The main theme of this book was to protect what is important. Tillus never had a real family. The only humans that he knew personally were part of the rodeo. The horses were the reason that he stuck around. When Tillus found that the horses were going to be killed, he was going to do whatever he could to save them. He risked going into jail for several years for the lives of 13 horses. The horses meant the world to Tillius, so he wanted to help them.

Recommendation:

This book would be good for students around the age of 14. The vocabulary used was not difficult, and the story moved at a moderate pace. The book was not specifically written for one gender. There were more male than female characters, but it was within reason. Overall, the book was worth the time it took to read.

[Logan Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personal Response:
Horse Thief is and interesting book. I feel like the only reason I have trouble reading it is because of the lingo that it uses in it to simulate the atmosphere. I think the story is great but short. I think a short story is the correct choice for this type of story. I do believe that it is a standalone book because the author does not set up the ending for a second book. I like all the characters and how they change due to robbing horses for their own good. I do have a problem with the enemy. I feel all he does is sit around and wait for the police to do something. Then when he is at the ring he just falls and breaks his hip. He is not a huge enemy or bad guy just corrupt. In fact, Tullis does not even know who he is stealing the horses from.

Plot summary:
The story starts with a young boy named Tullis Yoder working for a rodeo and caring for the show horses. He eventually is told to care for a man called Big Bubb who is a bull rider, but he later gets bucked off and is killed during the show. The rodeo got shut down by the corrupt Judge and he assumes ownership. All Tullis is told was that the horses were going to be shipped to California, But the judge is actually going to have them butchered and sold for meat. Tullis figured this out and tells his current guardian, Doc. She initially declines then accepts, but they need to break her Dad out of jail and then steal the horses. They do this successfully w/o the authorities noticing until morning. They steal the horses and get them to a rodeo in the next state. The authorities learn of this and are there to capture Hitch, but He dies protecting Tullis during the show. Tullis and Doc get off scot free and the horses are left at the rodeo. Doc and Tullis start their own rodeo with out bull riding and it is a big hit.

Characterization:
Tullis Yoder was the main character of this book, but I didn't feel he changed over the course of the book very much. Besides the relationship between Doc and Tullis, nothing changed with their individual behavior or attitude. Hitch did change over the course of the book. When Tullis and Doc broke Hitch out of jail, Hitch said that he would repay Tullis in some way. It ends up being his life at the end of the book, but at the jail, he definitely would not have given up his life for Tullis.

Setting:
Horse Thief is set in Chickalookee, Florida in the year 1938. The only time the setting affected the story was when they were going through that small town as a religious group and due to the setting and the people that were present, they were able to get through without getting noticed.

Theme:
I think the theme of this book is doing something right is right even if it's wrong in the sight of the law.
The main part of the story was Tullis trying to save these 13 horses from being turned into dog meat, so he stole them and, afterwards, the judge was found crooked, he now owned the horses at the end.
So, what he did was truly the right thing to do, but in the sight of the law it was wrong.

Recommendations:
I would recommend this to Juniors and Seniors only because it's kind of hard to figure out what is happening in the book due to the lingo being used. It's a hard book to read in general. Boys and girls would like this, there is nothing promoting or against either gender.

[Debbie is on Storygraph · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover proclaims that the book is "by the author of A Day No Pigs Would Die," which I've never read so I didn't know what to expect. Once I started reading, though, it was hard to put down. The horse show that seventeen-year-old Tollis works at is sold and its horses destined to become dog food. Yet, with the help of a lady doctor and a down-on-his-luck conman and thief, he sets out to rescue his beloved horses. I kept reading it until the satisfying end.

[Samantha Martinez]

I really liked it. I like how the athour created the characters. I like the plot of the story. I love all the western slang. Over all this book was really good

[Cam F · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the Horse Thief was an amazing book. This book is about a boy named Tullis Yoder. Tullis lost half of his hand on his first bull ride. Tullis soon after heard that his rodeo is broke and all of the 13 horses in that rodeo are going to be sold to be slaughtered to be made into dog food. But, Tullis just can;t let that happen so he teams up with a doctor and her father to steal the horses. Then, they go on a journey night and day with the horses being chased by many different people.
A theme for this book is love is a very strong thing. During the book it talks so much about how much Tullis loves the horses and his giant connection to them. It also shows his love for his lover, Clemsa. Love is also what drove Tullis to steal the horses. I showed his true love. Those horses are Tullis's only family. He could not let them do this horrible thing to them.
The Horse Thief was great! I was very detailed and it used incorrect grammar for the characters. It really shows character for the book. The book was also intense. I would totally recommend this book to other people. It was awesome! It is a must read!

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some history: This one has been on my to-read list for probably close to 20 years. Definitely more than 15. I finally got around to it, so yay, there. I remember wanting to read this book for the save-the-horses bit, but really, it wasn't a save-the-horses book. Yes, the horses are saved, but It's really more about the people, and I didn't really like the people. Probably the people I would have liked best got the least amount of page-time, so meh.

The prologue on this one went right over my head. Or, more accurately, in one ear and out the other. It was so dense with cowpoke-ness, and the narrator put on such a thoroughly cowpoke-y stereotype of an accent, that it was like listening to someone read French, if you took French in high school and haven't spoken it for years. You catch some words, but you have no idea what's going on, and eventually you realize that you don't really care. The not-really-caring bit stuck pretty well through the whole book. Might be a better read than a listen, but I'm not going to find out. It might be a good choice for reluctant male readers who are 15-20 younger than I am....

[Maddox A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horse Thief is a great book that I would recommend to anybody who likes rodeos and horses or wants to be a rodeo star! This book was very interesting. I gave it 4 stars because I liked it, but it wasn't perfect.

[Kim Hampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, although its portrayal of rodeo wasn't very realistic.

[Quinn Thede · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was great, it gets a bit confusing if you don't understand what's happening. It's about a boy named Tullis Yoder and he work at a rodeo then he gets on a bull and loses some fingers, then he figures out that the rodeo went bankrupt and the judge says that the horses are going to be turned into dog food. So Tullis steals the horses and with the help of a doctor and a professional horse thief steal the horses and goes on a three day trip. Do they get caught or do they get away read this book and find out.

I recommend this book to mature readers and people who like and care about rodeos and livestock industry it is a good book. I rated it a 4 star because I got a bit confused in the middle, but overall a good book.

[Sydney Bucknell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horse Thief Review By Sydney Bucknell ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Horse Thief
Robert Newton Peck
Horse- Fiction
231 Pages

I read Horse Thief by Robert Newton Peck. Peck is also the author of A Day No Pigs Would Die. Tulis Yoder wanted nothing more than to ride a bull for eight seconds. Just eight seconds, that’s it. But when he tried it, it was harder than he had expected. That wasn’t the only Tulis was fixing to do though. After an incident during one of the rodeos in town all the horses were going to go to be sent the slaughter house, but Tulis had different plans for them. He had bonded with each and every one of the 13 horses and wasn’t about to let them become dog food and glue. He had to save them. He came up with a plan that included the town’s only female doctor, a past pro horse thief, and himself. Between the three of them they were determined to save those horses.

Tulis Yoder is a 17 year old boy. He works at the local rodeo and wants to ride one of the bulls. His love for animals is tremendous. He makes sure that all 13 horse get the care and attention they need. He even sneaks out at night to go and see the animals. He is sort of a shy fellow. He doesn’t say much except when he is spoken to. He tries to be nice to everyone and he is a real hard worker even after he gets hurt.

Doc Platt is the only female doctor in town. She’s the best one too! She doesn’t charge much and she fixes everyone up good. Some people don’t go to her for help though because she is a woman and doctoring is a man's profession in other people’s eyes. She is very caring and takes in Tulis like he is her son.

Rubin Leviticus Hitchborn is a “retired” horse thief, or so people thought. People call him Hitch. He isn’t really the nicest person in the world unless he REALLY cares about certain people. He knows he has made mistakes and there is no way to fix them. He feels bad about them and even a little distant from his daughter.

This book reminds me of the movie The Longest Ride. They are both about bull riding and love. Horse Thief has more action in it than The Longest Ride but less love.

This book really drew me in. It was different that what I thought. It has enough action in it to keep it intense and enough love to keep it settled down. The way that Robert Newton Peck describes the settings, characters, and horses really draws out the images in my mind.

This book was great. It really drew me into it. I didn’t want to put it down. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes horses.

[Lane Nett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personal Response:
Overall, I enjoyed Horse Thief very much. It was very interesting because Tullis Yoder had to steal 13 horses from the corral and he was only 16. When everything was put against him, he still came out victorious by bringing the horses to a safe spot so they would not be butchered. I also thought it was cool how when they passed through Pittman, they pretended to be a religious group to avoid compromisation. My favorite part about this whole book was that Tullius had to think of a way to steal 13 horses and move them over 100 miles to safety.

Plot Summary:
Tullis Yoder was a 17 year old boy who lived with a rodeo in the southern part of Florida. The rodeo was very quickly declining in popularity. Tullius loved the rodeo horses very much; he would visit them every day to feed and water them. He also took care of Bubb. He was a fairly large man who rode a Clydesdale horse. Bubb was riding Clyde when he got spooked and launched Bubb into the air. When he came down he broke his neck, which shocked the crowd so much that everyone left. The town decided to put an end to the rodeo and have the horses butchered. Tullius had gone to Ms. Hitchborn, the doctor to get his hand patched up, and she decided to take him in. He talked about his plan with Ms. Hitchborn, and she told him to find her dad because he was a notorious horse thief. They stole the horses and dyed their coats a different color. They avoided the sheriff the entire time and finally got the horses to another rodeo where they were safe and able to live their full lives.


Characterization:
Tullis Yoder was the main character in the story. He was a 17 year old rodeo worker in southern Florida. He was determined, brave, and hardworking. Throughout the book, he tried to protect the only family he had: the horses. Finally in the end, he succeeded.

The sheriff was the antagonist in the book. He was an older gentleman who tried to sell the horses to make money. He had a very hard time trying to capture Tullius and Hitch.

Setting:
This book took place in Southern Florida in a town rodeo. The reader can assume that the setting took place around the early 1900s because of the barren land and guns. The setting was very important because if it were in a modern era the book would have not made sense.

Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for ages 10 and up. I would recommend this because there was a little bit of violence, but it also would be a good book for an older person. I think that either gender would enjoy this book.

[Matthew Cranston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was awesome. It was very realistic. It show the lofe of a rodeo cowboy. I think the author wrote this book because he wanted to tell the reader to do what they love. No matter waht. This book made me feel inspired. It told me to keep my love for rodeos and livestock. this book reminds me of the movie Urban Cowboy. The character on the movie went through almost the same struggles as the boy in Horse thief has. This book also reminds me of the time on the news when a kid was severley injured in a bull riding accident. The same thing as the young cowboy went through in this book. This book can relate to my life because of my love for rodeos and working with livestock. This book inspired me to keep doing what i love. If you like western books, then this book is right for you.

[Adessa Leibfried]

This book was okay. It had a lot of bad gramer talk. It was about a cowboy and getting took in. I didnt like how they werent that descriptive. I wish they would be more descriptive. The book out of all was okay. If it was 3 stars possible and 1 star at the lowest I would give this book a 2. I just wish it was eisear to follow. THey kept switching from 1st person to 3rd person. So then it was harder to follow on what they were saying.

[Arianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seventeen-year-old Tollis decides he should rescue thirteen horses from becoming dog food. He steals them from the rodeo and gets the help from a doctor and her father. I like the slang that is in this story because it makes it unique. I also liked the part when they had to make the horses a different color so they wouldn't be recognized

[Fernando]

This book is about a young man who lost two fingers in his first bull ride at a rodeo. The rider was an orphan and lived with friends. And one day they were going to slaughter the rodeo horses but he realized they were like his family so he stole the horses. This book is a good fiction book that i would highly recommend.

[Kourtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. One of my favorites. Robert Newton Peak does a beautiful job at writing this story of a young boy becoming a man and trying to find his place in this crazy world. Mr. Peak is one of my favorite writers.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an enjoyable read, easy nothing too gripping or boring just nice and easy.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn't the best, yet it wasn't the worst.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought at a cute South Dakota bookshop during a road trip. Really enjoyed it.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. I just loved how real the language was: takes you right there.