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Ghetto Cowboy #1
Concrete Cowboy: Movie Tie-in Edition
From a 2011 Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor winner comes a street-smart tale about a displaced teen who learns to defend what’s right— the Cowboy Way.
When Cole’s mom dumps him in the mean streets of Philadelphia to live with the dad he’s never met, the last thing Cole expects to see is a horse, let alone a stable full of them. He may not know much about cowboys, but what he knows for sure is that cowboys aren’t black, and they don’t live in the inner city. But in his dad’s ’hood, horses are a way of life, and soon Cole’s days of skipping school and getting in trouble in Detroit have been replaced by shoveling muck and trying not to get stomped on. At first, all Cole can think about is how to ditch these ghetto cowboys and get home. But when the City threatens to shut down the stables— and take away the horse Cole has come to think of as his own— he knows that it’s time to step up and fight back. Inspired by the little-known urban riders of Philly and Brooklyn, this compelling tale of latter -day cowboy justice champions a world where your friends always have your back, especially when the chips are down.
When Cole’s mom dumps him in the mean streets of Philadelphia to live with the dad he’s never met, the last thing Cole expects to see is a horse, let alone a stable full of them. He may not know much about cowboys, but what he knows for sure is that cowboys aren’t black, and they don’t live in the inner city. But in his dad’s ’hood, horses are a way of life, and soon Cole’s days of skipping school and getting in trouble in Detroit have been replaced by shoveling muck and trying not to get stomped on. At first, all Cole can think about is how to ditch these ghetto cowboys and get home. But when the City threatens to shut down the stables— and take away the horse Cole has come to think of as his own— he knows that it’s time to step up and fight back. Inspired by the little-known urban riders of Philly and Brooklyn, this compelling tale of latter -day cowboy justice champions a world where your friends always have your back, especially when the chips are down.
147 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2011
150 people are currently reading
3212 people want to read
About the author
G. Neri
24 books342 followersG. Neri is the Coretta Scott King honor-winning author of Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty and the recipient of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award for his free-verse novella, Chess Rumble. His books have been translated into multiple languages in over 25 countries. They include the novels Tru & Nelle, A Christmas Tale, Ghetto Cowboy, Knockout Games, Surf Mules, and two free-verse picture book bios, When Paul Met Artie and Hello, I'm Johnny Cash. In 2017, he was awarded a National Science Foundation grant that sent him to Antarctica.
Prior to becoming a writer, Neri was a filmmaker, an animator/illustrator, a digital media producer, and a founding member of The Truth anti-smoking campaign. Neri currently writes full-time and lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with his wife and daughter. You can find him online at www.gneri.com.
Prior to becoming a writer, Neri was a filmmaker, an animator/illustrator, a digital media producer, and a founding member of The Truth anti-smoking campaign. Neri currently writes full-time and lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with his wife and daughter. You can find him online at www.gneri.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews
October 1, 2011
Fun Fact: Parents these days speak in code. As a New York children’s librarian I had to learn this the hard way. Let’s say they want a folktale about a girl outwitting a witch. I pull out something like McKissack's Precious and the Boo Hag and proudly hand it to them. When I do, the parent scrunches up their nose and I think to myself, “Uh-oh.” Then they say it. “Yeah, um . . . we were looking for something a little less . . . urban.” Never mind that the book takes places in the country. In this day and age “urban” means “black” so any time a parents wants to steer a child clear of a book they justify it with the U word, as if it’s the baleful city life they wish to avoid (this in the heart of Manhattan, I will point out). Any black author or illustrator for children that you meet will probably have stories similar to this. Maybe part of the reason I like Greg Neri so much is that he’s not afraid to be as “urban” as “urban” can be. He does all the stuff these parents cower from. He writes in dialect, sets his stories in cities, talk about gangs and other contemporary issues, and produces stories that no one else is telling. That no one else is even attempting to tell. Street chess? Try Chess Rumble. Graphic novels discussing how the media portrays black youth? Yummy. And how about black cowboys living in big cities like Philadelphia or Brooklyn? For that you’d have to find Ghetto Cowboy (not “Urban Cowboy”) and read it in full. Because if there’s one thing Neri does well it’s tell a tale that needs to be told.
Cole’s been in trouble plenty of times before, but this is different. This is worse. After getting caught after skipping school for large swaths of time, Cole’s mother has had all that she can take. Next thing he knows they’re barreling out of Detroit, the only home he’s ever had, straight for Philadelphia. There, Cole’s father, a guy he’s never met before a day of his life, lives a peculiar life. Cole’s heard of cowboys, sure, but whoever heard of cowboys in Philly? Turns out that his dad helps run an urban stable where he works to get neighborhood kids interested in helping care for and ride the local horse population. But with a city intent on carting the horses away, it’s going to take more than good intentions to keep these modern day cowboys up and running. It’s going to take Cole’s help.
Neri got the idea back in April of 2005 when he read an article in LIFE Magazine called “Street Riders”. The piece highlighted the urban black horsemen of North Philadelphia and the Brooklyn-Queens area. I would have liked the book to have said more about them, but there’s not much mentioned here aside from the Author’s Note. That said, Neri does provide a link to his website where kids can find out more about the real life stories behind that book. It’s a start. And with real people to talk to and base this book on, Neri manages to make this lifestyle sound not merely possible but appealing. Rare is the kid who can read this and not wish they had a horse of their own just waiting for them. Heck, it has the ability to use the term “The Cowboy Way” without sounding ridiculous.
So here’s the thing that makes the book hard for white people to discuss. It’s written in natural speech. Neri has a keen ear for how people talk and so that’s how he writes the book. A typical sentence reads, “I guess I didn’t wanna waste no more time with teachers and homework and all a that, ‘cause what difference do it make in the end? I’ll never do nothing great in my life.” The argument that gets lobbed against books that use terms and phrases other than The Queen’s English is that if you write that way then kids will think it’s okay to write and speak that way themselves. Never mind that this is a book written for 9-14 year olds who already have a pretty darn good grasp on the language, or that when an adult novel is written in a vernacular it’s “artistic” whereas a children’s book that does the same thing it's “dumbed down”. Children’s books are battlegrounds. They’re where we fight out bigger issues. So yes, someone is going to complain about how this book is written. The fact that the language suits the characters, suits the setting, and does a great job of displaying the theme anyway? Apparently that doesn’t matter. Sheesh.
The book does get a little obvious thematically at times. You’ve a got a kid saying things like “Just thinking about all that work makes me tired. But then I think about this past week and how all that hard work turned into something good.” Yet even when Neri is saying what he means, you never doubt that character’s feelings. There’s an honesty to the book and to the changes Cole experiences. And while the story itself may contain a happy ending for both boy and horse, that doesn’t mean it’s an easy ending for either of them.
Artist Jesse Joshua Watson has been Neri’s longtime collaborator right from the start. Together they worked on Chess Rumble, when Watson wasn’t illustrating Bob Marley bios or Sharon Draper mysteries. One way or another, Watson has become the go-to guy when it comes to illustrating contemporary African-American boys. In Ghetto Cowboy, however, he’s had to add an extra difficult element: horses. I can’t tell you how many artists get stumped having to draw horses for books. Watson doesn’t shy away from the challenge, though. He has horses shying away from people, horses at rest, horses cantering, and horses running full throttle. I think it’s safe to say that it’s still people that Watson excels at, but there isn’t a moment in this book when you don’t believe in these animals.
Generally horse books are written off as girly affairs. Just one great big metaphor with a saddle. This book’s release, however, comes out almost in tandem with the cinematic and staged productions of Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse. Boys and their attachment horses haven’t garnered this much attention since the good old days of The Black Stallion. We are seeing a veritable horsey renaissance and Ghetto Cowboy fits right into all of that. There’s an honesty to Neri’s writing that kids are going to respond to. Let them get past the cover and they’ll discover a book that speaks to them. Inspiration comes from funny places sometimes. Wherever it comes from, though, it’s worth it in the end. Definitely recommended for everyone.
Ages 10 and up.
Cole’s been in trouble plenty of times before, but this is different. This is worse. After getting caught after skipping school for large swaths of time, Cole’s mother has had all that she can take. Next thing he knows they’re barreling out of Detroit, the only home he’s ever had, straight for Philadelphia. There, Cole’s father, a guy he’s never met before a day of his life, lives a peculiar life. Cole’s heard of cowboys, sure, but whoever heard of cowboys in Philly? Turns out that his dad helps run an urban stable where he works to get neighborhood kids interested in helping care for and ride the local horse population. But with a city intent on carting the horses away, it’s going to take more than good intentions to keep these modern day cowboys up and running. It’s going to take Cole’s help.
Neri got the idea back in April of 2005 when he read an article in LIFE Magazine called “Street Riders”. The piece highlighted the urban black horsemen of North Philadelphia and the Brooklyn-Queens area. I would have liked the book to have said more about them, but there’s not much mentioned here aside from the Author’s Note. That said, Neri does provide a link to his website where kids can find out more about the real life stories behind that book. It’s a start. And with real people to talk to and base this book on, Neri manages to make this lifestyle sound not merely possible but appealing. Rare is the kid who can read this and not wish they had a horse of their own just waiting for them. Heck, it has the ability to use the term “The Cowboy Way” without sounding ridiculous.
So here’s the thing that makes the book hard for white people to discuss. It’s written in natural speech. Neri has a keen ear for how people talk and so that’s how he writes the book. A typical sentence reads, “I guess I didn’t wanna waste no more time with teachers and homework and all a that, ‘cause what difference do it make in the end? I’ll never do nothing great in my life.” The argument that gets lobbed against books that use terms and phrases other than The Queen’s English is that if you write that way then kids will think it’s okay to write and speak that way themselves. Never mind that this is a book written for 9-14 year olds who already have a pretty darn good grasp on the language, or that when an adult novel is written in a vernacular it’s “artistic” whereas a children’s book that does the same thing it's “dumbed down”. Children’s books are battlegrounds. They’re where we fight out bigger issues. So yes, someone is going to complain about how this book is written. The fact that the language suits the characters, suits the setting, and does a great job of displaying the theme anyway? Apparently that doesn’t matter. Sheesh.
The book does get a little obvious thematically at times. You’ve a got a kid saying things like “Just thinking about all that work makes me tired. But then I think about this past week and how all that hard work turned into something good.” Yet even when Neri is saying what he means, you never doubt that character’s feelings. There’s an honesty to the book and to the changes Cole experiences. And while the story itself may contain a happy ending for both boy and horse, that doesn’t mean it’s an easy ending for either of them.
Artist Jesse Joshua Watson has been Neri’s longtime collaborator right from the start. Together they worked on Chess Rumble, when Watson wasn’t illustrating Bob Marley bios or Sharon Draper mysteries. One way or another, Watson has become the go-to guy when it comes to illustrating contemporary African-American boys. In Ghetto Cowboy, however, he’s had to add an extra difficult element: horses. I can’t tell you how many artists get stumped having to draw horses for books. Watson doesn’t shy away from the challenge, though. He has horses shying away from people, horses at rest, horses cantering, and horses running full throttle. I think it’s safe to say that it’s still people that Watson excels at, but there isn’t a moment in this book when you don’t believe in these animals.
Generally horse books are written off as girly affairs. Just one great big metaphor with a saddle. This book’s release, however, comes out almost in tandem with the cinematic and staged productions of Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse. Boys and their attachment horses haven’t garnered this much attention since the good old days of The Black Stallion. We are seeing a veritable horsey renaissance and Ghetto Cowboy fits right into all of that. There’s an honesty to Neri’s writing that kids are going to respond to. Let them get past the cover and they’ll discover a book that speaks to them. Inspiration comes from funny places sometimes. Wherever it comes from, though, it’s worth it in the end. Definitely recommended for everyone.
Ages 10 and up.
March 20, 2023
I've seen this book around for years, but I've never had the chance to pick it up. Since it's middle grade March, I thought now would be the perfect time to pick it up.
Ghetto Cowboy follows 12 year old Cole who is dropped off with a father he's never really met after getting into so much trouble. While with his father, Cole learns more about Black cowboys and how they work together to keep youth from getting involved with drugs and gangs.
What Worked: Honestly, I really enjoyed seeing Black cowboys in a middle grade book. In all of the middle grade books that I've ever read, I've never come across one that details the history and experience of Black cowboys. The fact that they were using this as a method to keep kids off the street also captivated my attention. I was shocked at my interest in learning not only more about the characters, but also the horses and how they were cared for. I've never really interacted with horses much so that specific element of the story was rewarding. I also enjoyed that Neri allowed his characters to utilize AAVE in a way that wasn't forced and/or awkward.
What Didn't Work: One aspect of this book that wasn't realistic was how quickly Cole adjusted to being a cowboy and doing things the "cowboy way." For someone that was dropped off by his mother, abandoned, and left to live a parent he didn't know, Cole made a heck of an adjustment that just didn't feel real especially for a 12 year old. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the writing. It wasn't compelling and there were moments where I felt my mind wondering away from the text. I wish that there was a little more emotional exploration of Cole having to live with his father. Sure, he was angry, but it felt glossed over. The same thing applies for his experience back in Detroit. Readers don't really get the opportunity to learn more about the emotional impact of his time spent in Detroit. It was a missed chance to fully showcase the impact of parents who not only abandon their children physically, but also mentally and emotionally. While the title of this book did make me hesitant, I do recognize that this book was published in 2011. It's not a term that I like especially the way that it is associated with the Black community.
Overall, I think that a lot of younger readers will find this book interesting for the inclusion of tough topics and cowboys. While I don't think that this was particularly strong, I am interested in picking up the second book which released in 2021.
Ghetto Cowboy follows 12 year old Cole who is dropped off with a father he's never really met after getting into so much trouble. While with his father, Cole learns more about Black cowboys and how they work together to keep youth from getting involved with drugs and gangs.
What Worked: Honestly, I really enjoyed seeing Black cowboys in a middle grade book. In all of the middle grade books that I've ever read, I've never come across one that details the history and experience of Black cowboys. The fact that they were using this as a method to keep kids off the street also captivated my attention. I was shocked at my interest in learning not only more about the characters, but also the horses and how they were cared for. I've never really interacted with horses much so that specific element of the story was rewarding. I also enjoyed that Neri allowed his characters to utilize AAVE in a way that wasn't forced and/or awkward.
What Didn't Work: One aspect of this book that wasn't realistic was how quickly Cole adjusted to being a cowboy and doing things the "cowboy way." For someone that was dropped off by his mother, abandoned, and left to live a parent he didn't know, Cole made a heck of an adjustment that just didn't feel real especially for a 12 year old. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the writing. It wasn't compelling and there were moments where I felt my mind wondering away from the text. I wish that there was a little more emotional exploration of Cole having to live with his father. Sure, he was angry, but it felt glossed over. The same thing applies for his experience back in Detroit. Readers don't really get the opportunity to learn more about the emotional impact of his time spent in Detroit. It was a missed chance to fully showcase the impact of parents who not only abandon their children physically, but also mentally and emotionally. While the title of this book did make me hesitant, I do recognize that this book was published in 2011. It's not a term that I like especially the way that it is associated with the Black community.
Overall, I think that a lot of younger readers will find this book interesting for the inclusion of tough topics and cowboys. While I don't think that this was particularly strong, I am interested in picking up the second book which released in 2021.
June 23, 2020
Totally current for today's racial struggles. It is inspired by the real-life urban black horsemen of North Philadelphia and the Brooklyn-Queens area.
Great read.
Great read.
June 12, 2020
You know you want to read a book with this title: Ghetto Cowboy. I mean, c'mon--doesn't that pique your interest just a teeny tiny bit??
This was a very cool book on a number of levels. First, I had no idea that there WERE such things as ghetto cowboys (and, yes, there are!). Cool.
Second, the single-parent-drops-kid-off-with-long-lost-other-parent plot line has gotten old. Until now. Somehow, the setting of an urban stable with ghetto cowboys makes it cool. Really.
Third, the parents are better parents by the end of the book than they are at the beginning, but not so dramatically that it's unbelievable. Cool.
Fourth, kid-finding-himself themes can be trite. Again, that idea works in this book with its terrific setting. Very cool.
Fifth, this novel manages to be very urban in setting, characterization, etc. BUT manages to stay away from some of the messiness of lots of urban street lit (no profanity, no real violence, etc.). That makes it so much more approachable for younger kids, for folks looking for "clean" reads, and the like.
Sixth, the point that teens in particular, but extrapolated to all people in general, need to be productively engaged and, I dare say it, WORKING is a very cool one to make in a middle grade/YA novel.
Finally, I enjoyed the style in which it was written and the illustrations are a terrific complement to the "feel" of the text. This would make a great movie.
This was a very cool book on a number of levels. First, I had no idea that there WERE such things as ghetto cowboys (and, yes, there are!). Cool.
Second, the single-parent-drops-kid-off-with-long-lost-other-parent plot line has gotten old. Until now. Somehow, the setting of an urban stable with ghetto cowboys makes it cool. Really.
Third, the parents are better parents by the end of the book than they are at the beginning, but not so dramatically that it's unbelievable. Cool.
Fourth, kid-finding-himself themes can be trite. Again, that idea works in this book with its terrific setting. Very cool.
Fifth, this novel manages to be very urban in setting, characterization, etc. BUT manages to stay away from some of the messiness of lots of urban street lit (no profanity, no real violence, etc.). That makes it so much more approachable for younger kids, for folks looking for "clean" reads, and the like.
Sixth, the point that teens in particular, but extrapolated to all people in general, need to be productively engaged and, I dare say it, WORKING is a very cool one to make in a middle grade/YA novel.
Finally, I enjoyed the style in which it was written and the illustrations are a terrific complement to the "feel" of the text. This would make a great movie.
April 5, 2021
Summary: Cole, 12 years old, lives in Detroit with his mother but can't seem to keep out of trouble. After a harrowing visit with the principal, his mother, burnt-out and dejected, takes Cole to Philadelphia to lives with his estranged father.
Topics Covered
1)Historical Black Cowboy Facts
2)Erasure of Black Cowboy History
3)Urban Cowboy History
4)Father-son relationships
5)Black men as fathers
6)Black male comradery
7)Mental health
8)Inner-city violence
9)Restorative justice and community outreach
10)Government corruption
11)Gentrification
12)The Cowboy Way (I loved)
13)Coming-of-age
Setting: When I think of Philadelphia, cowboys would be the last thing to come to mind. Normally, Texas (my home state) is the poster child for boots, Stetsons, Wranglers, lassos, and country twang. But Neri adds another signpost along the road of history.
Plot: The nexus of the story is Cole and Harper's (Cole's father) relationship. Cole resents his father for their separation, which is reasonable. Harper's priorities haven't included much other than horses, cowboying, and community - caring for a preteen isn't in his wheelhouse. As a result, their bonding is stunted until it's not. Their growth is tear-jerking to watch.
Characters: Harper is such a well-written character! Cole is a wounded child looking for love and confused about his place in the world. Tex is who they needed. Boo is a sweetheart. Cole's mom is beautifully human. The supporting cast rounds out the story nicely.
Growing up, most books focusing on horses featured Caucasian girls getting their equestrian life. At the book fairs, I didn't give those novels a second glance. But Neri's writing lends gravitas to horses & underserved communities by using authentic dialect to chronicle an engrossing tale for young readers.
Surprisingly, Beverly Jenkins and Brenda Jackson, two Black romance authors, have integrated Black, Indigenous, and Mexican cowboy history and characters into their novels over the years. Yet, I still learned something new from Neri.
Oh, did I mention there is an upcoming movie? The movie is called Concrete Cowboy and will premiere on April 2, 2021, on Netflix, starring Idris Elba
Topics Covered
1)Historical Black Cowboy Facts
2)Erasure of Black Cowboy History
3)Urban Cowboy History
4)Father-son relationships
5)Black men as fathers
6)Black male comradery
7)Mental health
8)Inner-city violence
9)Restorative justice and community outreach
10)Government corruption
11)Gentrification
12)The Cowboy Way (I loved)
13)Coming-of-age
Setting: When I think of Philadelphia, cowboys would be the last thing to come to mind. Normally, Texas (my home state) is the poster child for boots, Stetsons, Wranglers, lassos, and country twang. But Neri adds another signpost along the road of history.
Plot: The nexus of the story is Cole and Harper's (Cole's father) relationship. Cole resents his father for their separation, which is reasonable. Harper's priorities haven't included much other than horses, cowboying, and community - caring for a preteen isn't in his wheelhouse. As a result, their bonding is stunted until it's not. Their growth is tear-jerking to watch.
Characters: Harper is such a well-written character! Cole is a wounded child looking for love and confused about his place in the world. Tex is who they needed. Boo is a sweetheart. Cole's mom is beautifully human. The supporting cast rounds out the story nicely.
Growing up, most books focusing on horses featured Caucasian girls getting their equestrian life. At the book fairs, I didn't give those novels a second glance. But Neri's writing lends gravitas to horses & underserved communities by using authentic dialect to chronicle an engrossing tale for young readers.
Surprisingly, Beverly Jenkins and Brenda Jackson, two Black romance authors, have integrated Black, Indigenous, and Mexican cowboy history and characters into their novels over the years. Yet, I still learned something new from Neri.
Oh, did I mention there is an upcoming movie? The movie is called Concrete Cowboy and will premiere on April 2, 2021, on Netflix, starring Idris Elba
February 21, 2017
I took WAY too long to read this. Almost actually too long.
I got it originally at a library conference in 2012 (signed by the author, no less), and because I had a copy with no due date, didn't read it until summer 2016. I liked it even more than I expected to, and ended up booktalking it to my local middle schools in January 2017.
We meet Cole in the midst of a traumatic event in his life, and watch him encounter the nature of animals in an unnatural habitat. The story eventually gets to NIMBY issues, gentrification, the inner city, ownership, legality vs. morality, and a lot of other stuff which hit home for me.
Cole's voice is very strong (the first sentence: "We drivin' into the sunset, the car burning up from the heat.") with a recognizable cadence. Some might find his unfamiliarity with horse things hard to believe, but I found it insightful and illuminating. I'm sure those kids exist. I also side-eyed the illustrations at first glance, but after seeing them in context, they make sense to me. I spent a semester in north philly in college, making the story particularly vivid. I want to have hope for these characters (both horse and human). They came to life for me.
Unfortunately, copies of this book have become hard to find in my library system in the four years since it came out. Fortunately, there are other writers writing about similar themes (see Riding Chance).
Extra star for the underexposed topic.
I got it originally at a library conference in 2012 (signed by the author, no less), and because I had a copy with no due date, didn't read it until summer 2016. I liked it even more than I expected to, and ended up booktalking it to my local middle schools in January 2017.
We meet Cole in the midst of a traumatic event in his life, and watch him encounter the nature of animals in an unnatural habitat. The story eventually gets to NIMBY issues, gentrification, the inner city, ownership, legality vs. morality, and a lot of other stuff which hit home for me.
Cole's voice is very strong (the first sentence: "We drivin' into the sunset, the car burning up from the heat.") with a recognizable cadence. Some might find his unfamiliarity with horse things hard to believe, but I found it insightful and illuminating. I'm sure those kids exist. I also side-eyed the illustrations at first glance, but after seeing them in context, they make sense to me. I spent a semester in north philly in college, making the story particularly vivid. I want to have hope for these characters (both horse and human). They came to life for me.
Unfortunately, copies of this book have become hard to find in my library system in the four years since it came out. Fortunately, there are other writers writing about similar themes (see Riding Chance).
Extra star for the underexposed topic.
July 11, 2022
What a great book about a subject that I had no idea was a real thing! Look up cowboy and you will see that it has connotations to slave days…there were house boys and there were “cow boys”. These modern day inner-city cowboys have a rich history and you will learn about “the cowboy way”. Greg Neri writes from the perspective of a young boy named Cole who has been getting himself into trouble. So his mother drives him to Philly where he will live with his father who is a Ghetto Cowboy. Yes that’s the original name of this book before it was a Netflix movie. Pick up this book for yourself or the young one in your life, it’s a great story with beautiful illustrations.
August 6, 2013
Awesome book!
This excellent book was a fairly quick read with a interesting plot, great characters, and a rousing message. The book begins with African American 7th grader Cole getting suspended from school for the rest of the school year for vandalism after skipping school for four weeks. His mama decides to take action by driving him from Detroit to Philadelphia to live with the father he has never known. There he discovers an unusual world of a stable full of cowboys right in the middle of inner-city poverty. Cole's initial reaction: "Cowboys are white, not black." His father rescues unwanted, used racehorses from being turned into dog food and offers inner-city kids a way off the streets by caring for the horses and learning the "Cowboy Way." Cole is naturally horrified at his mother's abandonment of him to the freaky big horses and big old guys with cowboy hats. He quickly is put to work mucking out the stables and makes friends with a horse which he names "Boo." The lifestyle of the urban cowboy is endangered as they barely have the money to keep the stables intact and supplement their earnings by racing in a local park. They are also in danger of being shut down as even though much of the property around them is abandoned and boarded up, the city wants to confiscate the property for destruction in order to build a shopping mall. All of this is rather stunning and also exciting to Cole. He finds a connection to his father as well as a new sense of pride and purpose. This comes to a head when the city arrives to begin their planned takeover and Cole finds a way to stand up and effect positive change in the "cowboy way."
The Cowboy Way is a basic code of honor: don't steal or cheat, treat your friends and animals with respect, and stand up for what is right. This is a wonderful book that fired up my sense of injustice as well as allowed for tangible hope. Simple things can facilitate change.
However, I will say that this is obviously not a typical horse story about farms or upper class girls' riding lessons. It is not really a traditional juvenile horse story, although the horses still have the same power to transform as they do in any story. This book in an unapologetic inner-city story. In many ways it is particularly an African American story; the author tells us that the word cowboy originated with the slaves and the urban cowboys in the story freely talk about how white people always win and get what they want. As a school librarian in a small midwestern town, my 5th graders may need some context for this book. For example, will they catch that Cole's "tagging" is vandalism--the reason for his suspension? Additionally, a horse is hit by a car in the beginning of the story, and many of my girl horse lovers will have a difficult time with this reality.
However, I'm quite sure that just because this reality may be unfamiliar to many of my readers, it does not mean that they will not appreciate it. This is a great book with a straight forward plot and a pull to the heartstrings. Best for middle school or adventurous or experienced upper elementary students.
This excellent book was a fairly quick read with a interesting plot, great characters, and a rousing message. The book begins with African American 7th grader Cole getting suspended from school for the rest of the school year for vandalism after skipping school for four weeks. His mama decides to take action by driving him from Detroit to Philadelphia to live with the father he has never known. There he discovers an unusual world of a stable full of cowboys right in the middle of inner-city poverty. Cole's initial reaction: "Cowboys are white, not black." His father rescues unwanted, used racehorses from being turned into dog food and offers inner-city kids a way off the streets by caring for the horses and learning the "Cowboy Way." Cole is naturally horrified at his mother's abandonment of him to the freaky big horses and big old guys with cowboy hats. He quickly is put to work mucking out the stables and makes friends with a horse which he names "Boo." The lifestyle of the urban cowboy is endangered as they barely have the money to keep the stables intact and supplement their earnings by racing in a local park. They are also in danger of being shut down as even though much of the property around them is abandoned and boarded up, the city wants to confiscate the property for destruction in order to build a shopping mall. All of this is rather stunning and also exciting to Cole. He finds a connection to his father as well as a new sense of pride and purpose. This comes to a head when the city arrives to begin their planned takeover and Cole finds a way to stand up and effect positive change in the "cowboy way."
The Cowboy Way is a basic code of honor: don't steal or cheat, treat your friends and animals with respect, and stand up for what is right. This is a wonderful book that fired up my sense of injustice as well as allowed for tangible hope. Simple things can facilitate change.
However, I will say that this is obviously not a typical horse story about farms or upper class girls' riding lessons. It is not really a traditional juvenile horse story, although the horses still have the same power to transform as they do in any story. This book in an unapologetic inner-city story. In many ways it is particularly an African American story; the author tells us that the word cowboy originated with the slaves and the urban cowboys in the story freely talk about how white people always win and get what they want. As a school librarian in a small midwestern town, my 5th graders may need some context for this book. For example, will they catch that Cole's "tagging" is vandalism--the reason for his suspension? Additionally, a horse is hit by a car in the beginning of the story, and many of my girl horse lovers will have a difficult time with this reality.
However, I'm quite sure that just because this reality may be unfamiliar to many of my readers, it does not mean that they will not appreciate it. This is a great book with a straight forward plot and a pull to the heartstrings. Best for middle school or adventurous or experienced upper elementary students.
July 10, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book. Cole’s mom had to see the restlessness in her child and had to take her child to the one who could calm him, and bring him back to center. Mom had a bit of restlessness of her own to face. A lot of taming in this family because Cole’s dad had to learn how to reach his own child in the same manner, and better than the children in the community. Everyone appears a s wild horses at first and become tame as they step into their new roles, while trying to maintain the cowboy way of life.
May 26, 2022
A Heartwarming Story
Honestly, initially I was turned off because the book has been made into a movie. Secondly, the story is told from Coltrane’s perspective. Coltrane is a textbook juvenile delinquent. However, it truly turned out to be a endearing tale and Train grew on me.
Some of Train’s growth happens too quickly along with Harp’s acceptance of a son he doesn’t know. Nevertheless, as someone who met their biological father at an older age and “found “ myself in him, I understand how quickly bonds can develop.
Train learns many lifelong lessons and finds his way in a most unlikely place: rundown horse stables in the middle of one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Philly. The author threw in some Black history which always endears a story to me.
If you love family drama, coming of age themes, and a little history, then I think you’ll enjoy “Concrete Cowboy “ by G. Neri. I literally said “awww” when I finished it.
#mochagirlsreadbookclub #bookwormette #mochagirlsreadreviewteam #concreteciwboy #gneri #representationmatters #blackstoriesmayter
Honestly, initially I was turned off because the book has been made into a movie. Secondly, the story is told from Coltrane’s perspective. Coltrane is a textbook juvenile delinquent. However, it truly turned out to be a endearing tale and Train grew on me.
Some of Train’s growth happens too quickly along with Harp’s acceptance of a son he doesn’t know. Nevertheless, as someone who met their biological father at an older age and “found “ myself in him, I understand how quickly bonds can develop.
Train learns many lifelong lessons and finds his way in a most unlikely place: rundown horse stables in the middle of one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Philly. The author threw in some Black history which always endears a story to me.
If you love family drama, coming of age themes, and a little history, then I think you’ll enjoy “Concrete Cowboy “ by G. Neri. I literally said “awww” when I finished it.
#mochagirlsreadbookclub #bookwormette #mochagirlsreadreviewteam #concreteciwboy #gneri #representationmatters #blackstoriesmayter
December 16, 2013
***SPOILER ALERT***
the last thing Cole expected to see was a horse, and that is what he saw. this urban realistic-fiction book is about a bad kid (Cole) moved to philly with his dad that he never met before, but at the end he learns, The Cowboy Way.i thought the book had many mistakes but some parts were good, overall, not good 2 stars. Some parts i will show you about so you see my statement. too mush slang, like, "they is electricians",and "I is going get me some food", and that is not how kids talk today.
The setting book was the urban ghetto of Northern Phildelphia, and present time. Cole wanted to stay with his mom but he stayed in Phildelphia with his dad, got along with everyone, and got a horse, Boo so then the stables were not approved by the City and we're going to get distoryed then Cole and Harper convinsted the City to keep the stables and they did. The conflict of the story was person v.s sosity because the "cowboys" try to keep the stables open for the kids and community. At the beginning:cole was one of those kids that always ditched school and dettentions but towards the end he turned A little responsible. Harper was one of those people care more about the horses than that and his family, that's why cole and his mom move to Detroit. Tex was one of the old cowboys in the west, he learned all about the Wildwest and lived in Texas.
I don't get why the author put too much slang into this book, examples from the first paragraph Show that the kids don't talk like that today. I wish the first chapter was more about how he did that stuff in Detroit, like ditching school and being bad all of the city. I agreed with how Harper tried to help the community and try not to get the kids in trouble and Gangs, an example in the book of this is When Harper said to cole, "i'm the man I tried to get these kids the future!!". I couldn't understand why behind the "Ritz Clarton" there was a mountain of Poop because it could just give it to a gardener. The main character problem was he was always Bad and his mom drove him to Philly, examples were when the mom told Cole that she was told by the principle that he was ditching School. One interesting thing that I learned about this book was that there are cowboys in Brooklyn Queens and Northern Philly, on the back, it shows that there real story's like this in Times magazines.
An author I would compare this Book To are, marget Peterson haddex, that's because she writes the same Genres and other good Genres. Another author I would compare this to is Jeff Kinney, because he writes the same type of book can be real and about kids between 12 and 18. A relaetion of text to world would be at this release to the TIME Magazine issue when they were talking about Brooklyn Queens ghetto cowboys and how it helps the communitys.
I would rate this book a three out of 10 I didn't really think it was good because they words that kids don't use, and because it Didn't make sense. I would recommend this book to people who like country but also people would like realistic fiction it's a combination of both next time you want to read something that has those two , combinations read ghetto cowboy.
the last thing Cole expected to see was a horse, and that is what he saw. this urban realistic-fiction book is about a bad kid (Cole) moved to philly with his dad that he never met before, but at the end he learns, The Cowboy Way.i thought the book had many mistakes but some parts were good, overall, not good 2 stars. Some parts i will show you about so you see my statement. too mush slang, like, "they is electricians",and "I is going get me some food", and that is not how kids talk today.
The setting book was the urban ghetto of Northern Phildelphia, and present time. Cole wanted to stay with his mom but he stayed in Phildelphia with his dad, got along with everyone, and got a horse, Boo so then the stables were not approved by the City and we're going to get distoryed then Cole and Harper convinsted the City to keep the stables and they did. The conflict of the story was person v.s sosity because the "cowboys" try to keep the stables open for the kids and community. At the beginning:cole was one of those kids that always ditched school and dettentions but towards the end he turned A little responsible. Harper was one of those people care more about the horses than that and his family, that's why cole and his mom move to Detroit. Tex was one of the old cowboys in the west, he learned all about the Wildwest and lived in Texas.
I don't get why the author put too much slang into this book, examples from the first paragraph Show that the kids don't talk like that today. I wish the first chapter was more about how he did that stuff in Detroit, like ditching school and being bad all of the city. I agreed with how Harper tried to help the community and try not to get the kids in trouble and Gangs, an example in the book of this is When Harper said to cole, "i'm the man I tried to get these kids the future!!". I couldn't understand why behind the "Ritz Clarton" there was a mountain of Poop because it could just give it to a gardener. The main character problem was he was always Bad and his mom drove him to Philly, examples were when the mom told Cole that she was told by the principle that he was ditching School. One interesting thing that I learned about this book was that there are cowboys in Brooklyn Queens and Northern Philly, on the back, it shows that there real story's like this in Times magazines.
An author I would compare this Book To are, marget Peterson haddex, that's because she writes the same Genres and other good Genres. Another author I would compare this to is Jeff Kinney, because he writes the same type of book can be real and about kids between 12 and 18. A relaetion of text to world would be at this release to the TIME Magazine issue when they were talking about Brooklyn Queens ghetto cowboys and how it helps the communitys.
I would rate this book a three out of 10 I didn't really think it was good because they words that kids don't use, and because it Didn't make sense. I would recommend this book to people who like country but also people would like realistic fiction it's a combination of both next time you want to read something that has those two , combinations read ghetto cowboy.
March 17, 2016
I can't believe I didn't read this book until now.
4th grade book talk
Picture a cowboy for a second. You’re probably thinking of someone in the Wild West, in the desert, with a cowboy hat and cowboy boots, a lasso, a horse and saddle, and some cows. Right? What color skin do these cowboys in your head have? White, but tanned from being out in the sun, right?
Cole, the main character of this book, thinks the same way you do. All the cowboys you or he has seen on TV or in movies are white – but he learns that the word cowboy started as a black word. The original cowboys were black – not white. ‘Back in the slave days,” he learns, ‘the slave who worked in the house was called a houseboy. The slaves who worked with the cows was called cowboys.’ Make sense? Black cowboys were so good at their jobs, working cattle before and after slavery, that whites stole the name for themselves. Even today, you might not think cowboys still exist – white or black – but they do.
In Philadelphia, – and Brooklyn, too – blacks in the ghetto are trying to take back the word cowboy. In poor, bad neighborhoods in Philly and in Brooklyn, blacks like Cole’s father, Harp, keep horses. They sometimes keep them inside their houses, or in yards, or they tear down walls inside abandoned houses to create barns – but right in the inner city, in whatever kids of shelters they can build - you can find horses. Men like Cole’s dad teach kids and teens how to ride, how to care for horses and how to be a real cowboy.
The black cowboys of the inner city are a real thing on the East Coast – something I had absolutely no idea bout until I read this book. I can’t imagine horses living in my neighborhood in Chicago, or my neighbors riding horses down the street for anything other than a parade… but in some neighborhoods, it really happens as a way to reclaim African American culture and provide opportunities for young people that don’t involve joining gangs or doing drugs.
Ghetto Cowboy is about more than horses living and working in the inner city – it’s a story about a troubled boy who can’t seem to stay in school or care about the direction of his own life; about a boy whose family is in pieces and whose mother has abandoned him – and it’s a story about how a giant horse named Boo helps all those pieces come together.
4th grade book talk
Picture a cowboy for a second. You’re probably thinking of someone in the Wild West, in the desert, with a cowboy hat and cowboy boots, a lasso, a horse and saddle, and some cows. Right? What color skin do these cowboys in your head have? White, but tanned from being out in the sun, right?
Cole, the main character of this book, thinks the same way you do. All the cowboys you or he has seen on TV or in movies are white – but he learns that the word cowboy started as a black word. The original cowboys were black – not white. ‘Back in the slave days,” he learns, ‘the slave who worked in the house was called a houseboy. The slaves who worked with the cows was called cowboys.’ Make sense? Black cowboys were so good at their jobs, working cattle before and after slavery, that whites stole the name for themselves. Even today, you might not think cowboys still exist – white or black – but they do.
In Philadelphia, – and Brooklyn, too – blacks in the ghetto are trying to take back the word cowboy. In poor, bad neighborhoods in Philly and in Brooklyn, blacks like Cole’s father, Harp, keep horses. They sometimes keep them inside their houses, or in yards, or they tear down walls inside abandoned houses to create barns – but right in the inner city, in whatever kids of shelters they can build - you can find horses. Men like Cole’s dad teach kids and teens how to ride, how to care for horses and how to be a real cowboy.
The black cowboys of the inner city are a real thing on the East Coast – something I had absolutely no idea bout until I read this book. I can’t imagine horses living in my neighborhood in Chicago, or my neighbors riding horses down the street for anything other than a parade… but in some neighborhoods, it really happens as a way to reclaim African American culture and provide opportunities for young people that don’t involve joining gangs or doing drugs.
Ghetto Cowboy is about more than horses living and working in the inner city – it’s a story about a troubled boy who can’t seem to stay in school or care about the direction of his own life; about a boy whose family is in pieces and whose mother has abandoned him – and it’s a story about how a giant horse named Boo helps all those pieces come together.
July 7, 2019
Ordinarily, I would not pick up a novel with the word 'ghetto' in the title. I have many thoughts and feelings about the word, the most prominent being that a ghetto is a neighborhood, full-stop, so why are we treating them differently from neighborhoods that have a lot more money? (Where is the special nickname for rich, white neighborhoods?) When that neighborhood is forced upon Jewish people, it sends one image; when it denotes under-resourced Black Americans, there's a different message. Neither of these are the fault of this novel's author or illustrator, but I feel wary of the assumptions made about the audience for the book, especially when the title is combined with the cover illustration that shows a twelve-year-old who looks like a grown man.
Beyond the cover, I wanted to like this novel more than I did. I think the story was fine -the writing clear and strong; plot was compelling; I wanted to know about the horses and the guys taking care of them; pacing and character development made sense. Like a number of 'middle grade' novels I've read recently, this felt like struggle-lite: a lot of very tough life situations painted over lightly with a soft brush in a way that feels protective of the reader. Really, my argument is probably less with the writer and more with the recent trends in the genre.
Finally, the paintings in the book are lovely. I'm sure kids dig 'em. I'm sure kids will enjoy the novel, too. There just needs to be more to the form than impoverished, neglected Black kids struggling to make it. As a girl, I read DOZENS of books featuring kids and horses and just one that featured a Black child. There's certainly room for more.
Beyond the cover, I wanted to like this novel more than I did. I think the story was fine -the writing clear and strong; plot was compelling; I wanted to know about the horses and the guys taking care of them; pacing and character development made sense. Like a number of 'middle grade' novels I've read recently, this felt like struggle-lite: a lot of very tough life situations painted over lightly with a soft brush in a way that feels protective of the reader. Really, my argument is probably less with the writer and more with the recent trends in the genre.
Finally, the paintings in the book are lovely. I'm sure kids dig 'em. I'm sure kids will enjoy the novel, too. There just needs to be more to the form than impoverished, neglected Black kids struggling to make it. As a girl, I read DOZENS of books featuring kids and horses and just one that featured a Black child. There's certainly room for more.
September 13, 2013
Who exactly is the audience for this book? The voice of the narrator would suggest that it is for middle school aged kids, particularly black kids. However, there is not a kid that age I know that would enjoy the story in the least. Not only is it a kids book about horses in an urban setting, which is boring enough, but there is nothing real to connect with or like about the narrator. I can certainly see why it was chosen as a nominee for the Rebecca Caudill Award as it is exactly the kind of garbage that old lady librarians think would resonate with "tough" middle school kids. It certainly will not.
My biggest issue with the book was the inconsistent narrator. Neri tries to present the narrator and main character, Cole, as a tough kid from Detroit by having him speak in slang/dialect. However, it comes off as forced and unnatural - basically what an older writer thinks kids talk like. Worse, Cole tends to lose his language when it is convenient and Neri wants to create a special moment for the reader and drive a point home. Cole all of a sudden becomes a bit poetic describing things that affect him. There becomes a separation between the narrator and author. Additionally, the change in Cole from being a punk who might have to repeat a grade to a responsible urban cowboy happened over the course of only a couple of days - it was not at all believable.
My biggest issue with the book was the inconsistent narrator. Neri tries to present the narrator and main character, Cole, as a tough kid from Detroit by having him speak in slang/dialect. However, it comes off as forced and unnatural - basically what an older writer thinks kids talk like. Worse, Cole tends to lose his language when it is convenient and Neri wants to create a special moment for the reader and drive a point home. Cole all of a sudden becomes a bit poetic describing things that affect him. There becomes a separation between the narrator and author. Additionally, the change in Cole from being a punk who might have to repeat a grade to a responsible urban cowboy happened over the course of only a couple of days - it was not at all believable.
December 21, 2011
Ghetto Cowboy illuminates a tradition many people may not have learned about.
I lived in Philadelphia more than 30 years and had never heard about the cowboys and stables in North Philadelphia, giving kids a chance to care for horses rather than join gangs.
Neri's story, while based in fact, focuses on a fictional character, Cole, and his struggle to find his place in the world. It's well-told, uses realistic, gritty dialogue and grips readers with a story that needs to be read.
This book belongs in every Philadelphia classroom -- all classrooms for that matter.
With this book, G. Neri did everything right. Jesse Joshua Watson's illustrations are perfect for this story.
I lived in Philadelphia more than 30 years and had never heard about the cowboys and stables in North Philadelphia, giving kids a chance to care for horses rather than join gangs.
Neri's story, while based in fact, focuses on a fictional character, Cole, and his struggle to find his place in the world. It's well-told, uses realistic, gritty dialogue and grips readers with a story that needs to be read.
This book belongs in every Philadelphia classroom -- all classrooms for that matter.
With this book, G. Neri did everything right. Jesse Joshua Watson's illustrations are perfect for this story.
August 22, 2019
This book is charming and sweet and a fun read. The narrative arc is extremely typical for a horse book - troubled boy sent away from home, meets a troubled horse + they fall in love + the horse teaches him how to deal with his issues. However, in this case our protagonist, Cole, is sent away from Detroit by his mother to Philadelphia, to live with his father he's never met. The horses being a part of this very urban landscape is very exciting to me. Obviously Philly is a pretty good city for horses, and I am very interested in the real-world inspiration for the setting. There are some sources in the author's note at the end that I'm excited to look into.
Beyond that, it's just a nice book. It's always nice to read a book written in a dialect that isn't historical. I think it's much easier to read and makes the characters feel more alive. Cole is a typical Troubled Kid, who wants to be good, but isn't trying quite hard enough. I enjoyed his growth as he extended the circle of people he cared about from himself and his mother to include the horse, his father, and then all the members of his community. It's nice to read these stories where things work out well in the end.
The primary tension in this story is between the community of cowboys in the neighborhood, and the city government of Philadelphia, who wants to take and develop the land they've been keeping the horses on. I've been reading a lot of books recently whose premise is "what if the cops were good actually," and it is refreshing to have a book dealing with the fact that they are not.
The one thing that gave me some pause is Cole's relationship with his mother. It's depicted well in the beginning, with Cole telling us that he feels bad for letting his mother down, and that he doesn't want to stress her out, but he's a [pre?-]teen + has his own stuff going on. His love for his mother balances well with his general moodiness. I don't entirely understand his mother's character, though. What follows is a spoiler for the first, like, ten pages maybe. Her primary action in the story is to pick Cole up from school and drive him from Detroit to Philly overnight, where she leaves him at the door to his father's house, forever, she says. The story is obviously predicated on this being the right thing for Cole, and that's believable to me, but I don't really think the book deals quite enough with the trauma of being completely abandoned by one's mother. Maybe it is just the trope of parents in kids books being largely absent so that the kids can have adventures, but for a book so focused on Cole's relationship with his father, it felt strange. Actual spoilers below:
At the end of the book, his mother shows up again, says she's made a mistake, and they agree to a joint-custody arrangement. I'm not opposed to this resolution in theory, but her character is just so sparse, that I don't know what I'm supposed to take away from her change of heart. She says she's started seeing a therapist, which is good, but?? I think it is good and makes sense that she was overwhelmed with the pressures of being a single mom; I enjoyed Cole's journey away from her; the opportunity that it gave Harper to have a relationship with his son is an enjoyable read. I just don't really understand why she had to try to abandon him forever in order for it to happen. I definitely could be missing something abt the psychology at play, but it gave the whole story a much heavier tone than if she'd dropped him off for the summer, and the abrupt reversal at the end came out of nowhere. I think the story can work as it is, but we need to know anything about his mother's character.
Anyway, though, this was a very fun, light book. I enjoyed it a lot; it went very quickly. I'm very interested these days in the utilitarian use of language in middle grade fiction, and this book is a good example of that. I obviously love a book set in Philly. 0 gay characters, but there was also no romance of any kind, which I appreciated. This is a very straight up-and-down ya novel, but with black cowboys in the city. A+.
Beyond that, it's just a nice book. It's always nice to read a book written in a dialect that isn't historical. I think it's much easier to read and makes the characters feel more alive. Cole is a typical Troubled Kid, who wants to be good, but isn't trying quite hard enough. I enjoyed his growth as he extended the circle of people he cared about from himself and his mother to include the horse, his father, and then all the members of his community. It's nice to read these stories where things work out well in the end.
The primary tension in this story is between the community of cowboys in the neighborhood, and the city government of Philadelphia, who wants to take and develop the land they've been keeping the horses on. I've been reading a lot of books recently whose premise is "what if the cops were good actually," and it is refreshing to have a book dealing with the fact that they are not.
The one thing that gave me some pause is Cole's relationship with his mother. It's depicted well in the beginning, with Cole telling us that he feels bad for letting his mother down, and that he doesn't want to stress her out, but he's a [pre?-]teen + has his own stuff going on. His love for his mother balances well with his general moodiness. I don't entirely understand his mother's character, though. What follows is a spoiler for the first, like, ten pages maybe. Her primary action in the story is to pick Cole up from school and drive him from Detroit to Philly overnight, where she leaves him at the door to his father's house, forever, she says. The story is obviously predicated on this being the right thing for Cole, and that's believable to me, but I don't really think the book deals quite enough with the trauma of being completely abandoned by one's mother. Maybe it is just the trope of parents in kids books being largely absent so that the kids can have adventures, but for a book so focused on Cole's relationship with his father, it felt strange. Actual spoilers below:
At the end of the book, his mother shows up again, says she's made a mistake, and they agree to a joint-custody arrangement. I'm not opposed to this resolution in theory, but her character is just so sparse, that I don't know what I'm supposed to take away from her change of heart. She says she's started seeing a therapist, which is good, but?? I think it is good and makes sense that she was overwhelmed with the pressures of being a single mom; I enjoyed Cole's journey away from her; the opportunity that it gave Harper to have a relationship with his son is an enjoyable read. I just don't really understand why she had to try to abandon him forever in order for it to happen. I definitely could be missing something abt the psychology at play, but it gave the whole story a much heavier tone than if she'd dropped him off for the summer, and the abrupt reversal at the end came out of nowhere. I think the story can work as it is, but we need to know anything about his mother's character.
Anyway, though, this was a very fun, light book. I enjoyed it a lot; it went very quickly. I'm very interested these days in the utilitarian use of language in middle grade fiction, and this book is a good example of that. I obviously love a book set in Philly. 0 gay characters, but there was also no romance of any kind, which I appreciated. This is a very straight up-and-down ya novel, but with black cowboys in the city. A+.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2013
But here, Esteemed Reader, is G. Neri and his new classic, Ghetto Cowboy. It's a gripping read for readers of any age, and if you're a writer working on your voice, Ghetto Cowboy is a book you definitely want to read as G. Neri is all about nailing the voice of his protagonist Witness how he writes Cole (short for Coltrane, naturally) as a genuine character who says the things Cole would say the way he would say them (but without all the swearing I imagine he might include if this were YA instead of MG):
I don’t know why I stopped going to school. I guess I didn't wanna waste no more time with teachers and homework and all a that, ’cause what difference do it make in the end? I’ll never do nothing great in my life. Do they really think I’m gonna be like Obama? Not a chance. I just feel sorry for Mama for thinking that I could be somebody.
Writing in dialect is tricky, but so far as I can see Neri nails it. I'm not sure I can speak to authenticity. Having grown up in a small, all-white Indiana town where some folks to this day wear mullets, the Ninja is exactly as streetwise as you might imagine (best I stick to towns). But I believed in Cole as a character and I felt it was him, not Neri, speaking to me.
Some might argue that the prose in a middle grade novel should be correct, regardless of subject or character, as it's being read by impressionable young minds. Bah! I say. Impressionable young minds want a good story well told, and a "couple of" is not the same as "coupla." Cole wouldn't say the first version and the if he did, he'd cease to be Cole. Readers, especially younger readers, would know pick up on the lie. Neri wouldn't lose them all, but he'd lose some.
Our 12-year-old hero is headed for trouble. His Mama is at her wits end. And desperate times call for desperate measures, which is why the novel opens with Mama driving Cole straight to Philadelphia where he'll live with his dad, whom he's never met, and learn a little something about caring for horses and what it means to be a cowboy.
I'm relieved to be reviewing my first "boy and his horse" story after reading so, so many "girl and her horse" stories. In the coming weeks, I'll be reviewing my first "girl and her horse in the apocalypse" story:) Stay tuned.
By the way, this is the best and greatest description of riding a horse for the first time I have ever read or will ever read as it immediately put an image in my mind I knew to be true:
It feels like I’m sitting on one of them giant walking machines in Star Wars.
So does Cole make up with his estranged father, learn the cowboy way, and start on the path to a brighter future? Esteemed Reader, I'm not going to tell you that! You'll have to read the book. So that's where we'll leave it. Ghetto Cowboy is a wonderful book destined to make a certain kind of white adult very nervous, and I like that about it.
Few things have made me laugh harder than watching uncomfortable white folks watching Mrs. Ninja and I during a screening of Django Unchained, because there are whole stretches of history they'd just as soon forget. But G. Neri isn't going to let them forget:
I swallow my food. “Look, you guys might think y’all is cowboys, but all I know is, real cowboys is white.”
The old man shakes his head, like I’m a fool. “Son, don’t you know black cowboys is a tradition that goes back to before the Civil War?”
“Whatever,” I say.
He looks disappointed. “Not whatever, man. The word cowboy started as a black word. Wear it proudly.”
“So how come I never seen any black cowboys on TV then?”
He waves his hand. “TV. Humph. Can’t trust the media to tell the truth. The truth is, the white man always gets his way. Looky here. . . .”
He pulls out a book from a dusty shelf. It got pictures and drawings from a long time ago. He shows me some old black-and-white pictures of black dudes dressed in homemade clothes doing cowboy stuff — roping, riding, and cleaning horses.
“Back in the slave days, the slave who worked in the house was called a houseboy, slaves who worked with the cows was called cowboys. Get it?”
No, but he just getting started. He points to a picture of a black cowboy riding a horse out in the wild. He got one of them cowboy rope things whirling in the air like he about to catch some bull. “That’s Bill Pickett, son of a slave and the most famous black cowboy of all. Back then, there was almost nine thousand black cowboys out West, working cattle and driving ’em up the Chisholm Trail and such. And these cowboys was so good that eventually, the whites took the name cowboy for themselves. Stole it, really. Now we’re just trying to take it back, is all.”
Ghetto Cowboy should be in every school and library in the country. If America is ever to move past racism, it's important to keep a dialogue going that acknowledges our nation's true history. It's just as important for all children to remember our history and Neri is keeping that dialogue moving.
That's one reason why I'm so glad to have posted this review at the beginning of February. This is the perfect month to share history with the children in your life (just watching Lincoln doesn't count). Here's a good place to get started.
More than being a history lesson, Ghetto Cowboy is a book about a universal truth: boys need fathers, if they can be got, and fathers need boys to need them. It's a good story, well told, and it's one refreshingly not quite like anything else I've read. Do yourself a favor, Esteemed Reader, pick up this book.
As always, I'll leave you with some of my favorite passages from Ghetto Cowboy:
Kids can be happy ’cause they don’t know better, but when you get older, well, you just know it’s all a big lie.
These houses is tall and skinny — only one room wide. But that’s just it, there’s one room — his room, which got a bed, a bathroom, and a closet. I look in the closet and see he pulled stuff outta it and put a blanket on the floor. Uh . . . no. I ain’t no Harry Potter. And I ain’t living in no closet. I got to think.
We head away from the court, passing over the expressway. Smush tells me they built that thing so white folks could drive right over the neighborhood without stopping.
He goes over to a record player sitting on a wood box, digs through a pile a records, and pulls one out. They look like giant black CDs.
I ask Harp about that, and he says every rider tries to make his horse special, kinda like trickin’ out a car. I look at Boo, and he ain’t got nothin’. Then I remember Mama’s bracelet in my pocket. I ask this kid CJ if he knows how to tie a knot. He nods, and I give him the bracelet. He ties it onto Boo’s hair and smiles. Bling.
I don’t know why I stopped going to school. I guess I didn't wanna waste no more time with teachers and homework and all a that, ’cause what difference do it make in the end? I’ll never do nothing great in my life. Do they really think I’m gonna be like Obama? Not a chance. I just feel sorry for Mama for thinking that I could be somebody.
Writing in dialect is tricky, but so far as I can see Neri nails it. I'm not sure I can speak to authenticity. Having grown up in a small, all-white Indiana town where some folks to this day wear mullets, the Ninja is exactly as streetwise as you might imagine (best I stick to towns). But I believed in Cole as a character and I felt it was him, not Neri, speaking to me.
Some might argue that the prose in a middle grade novel should be correct, regardless of subject or character, as it's being read by impressionable young minds. Bah! I say. Impressionable young minds want a good story well told, and a "couple of" is not the same as "coupla." Cole wouldn't say the first version and the if he did, he'd cease to be Cole. Readers, especially younger readers, would know pick up on the lie. Neri wouldn't lose them all, but he'd lose some.
Our 12-year-old hero is headed for trouble. His Mama is at her wits end. And desperate times call for desperate measures, which is why the novel opens with Mama driving Cole straight to Philadelphia where he'll live with his dad, whom he's never met, and learn a little something about caring for horses and what it means to be a cowboy.
I'm relieved to be reviewing my first "boy and his horse" story after reading so, so many "girl and her horse" stories. In the coming weeks, I'll be reviewing my first "girl and her horse in the apocalypse" story:) Stay tuned.
By the way, this is the best and greatest description of riding a horse for the first time I have ever read or will ever read as it immediately put an image in my mind I knew to be true:
It feels like I’m sitting on one of them giant walking machines in Star Wars.
So does Cole make up with his estranged father, learn the cowboy way, and start on the path to a brighter future? Esteemed Reader, I'm not going to tell you that! You'll have to read the book. So that's where we'll leave it. Ghetto Cowboy is a wonderful book destined to make a certain kind of white adult very nervous, and I like that about it.
Few things have made me laugh harder than watching uncomfortable white folks watching Mrs. Ninja and I during a screening of Django Unchained, because there are whole stretches of history they'd just as soon forget. But G. Neri isn't going to let them forget:
I swallow my food. “Look, you guys might think y’all is cowboys, but all I know is, real cowboys is white.”
The old man shakes his head, like I’m a fool. “Son, don’t you know black cowboys is a tradition that goes back to before the Civil War?”
“Whatever,” I say.
He looks disappointed. “Not whatever, man. The word cowboy started as a black word. Wear it proudly.”
“So how come I never seen any black cowboys on TV then?”
He waves his hand. “TV. Humph. Can’t trust the media to tell the truth. The truth is, the white man always gets his way. Looky here. . . .”
He pulls out a book from a dusty shelf. It got pictures and drawings from a long time ago. He shows me some old black-and-white pictures of black dudes dressed in homemade clothes doing cowboy stuff — roping, riding, and cleaning horses.
“Back in the slave days, the slave who worked in the house was called a houseboy, slaves who worked with the cows was called cowboys. Get it?”
No, but he just getting started. He points to a picture of a black cowboy riding a horse out in the wild. He got one of them cowboy rope things whirling in the air like he about to catch some bull. “That’s Bill Pickett, son of a slave and the most famous black cowboy of all. Back then, there was almost nine thousand black cowboys out West, working cattle and driving ’em up the Chisholm Trail and such. And these cowboys was so good that eventually, the whites took the name cowboy for themselves. Stole it, really. Now we’re just trying to take it back, is all.”
Ghetto Cowboy should be in every school and library in the country. If America is ever to move past racism, it's important to keep a dialogue going that acknowledges our nation's true history. It's just as important for all children to remember our history and Neri is keeping that dialogue moving.
That's one reason why I'm so glad to have posted this review at the beginning of February. This is the perfect month to share history with the children in your life (just watching Lincoln doesn't count). Here's a good place to get started.
More than being a history lesson, Ghetto Cowboy is a book about a universal truth: boys need fathers, if they can be got, and fathers need boys to need them. It's a good story, well told, and it's one refreshingly not quite like anything else I've read. Do yourself a favor, Esteemed Reader, pick up this book.
As always, I'll leave you with some of my favorite passages from Ghetto Cowboy:
Kids can be happy ’cause they don’t know better, but when you get older, well, you just know it’s all a big lie.
These houses is tall and skinny — only one room wide. But that’s just it, there’s one room — his room, which got a bed, a bathroom, and a closet. I look in the closet and see he pulled stuff outta it and put a blanket on the floor. Uh . . . no. I ain’t no Harry Potter. And I ain’t living in no closet. I got to think.
We head away from the court, passing over the expressway. Smush tells me they built that thing so white folks could drive right over the neighborhood without stopping.
He goes over to a record player sitting on a wood box, digs through a pile a records, and pulls one out. They look like giant black CDs.
I ask Harp about that, and he says every rider tries to make his horse special, kinda like trickin’ out a car. I look at Boo, and he ain’t got nothin’. Then I remember Mama’s bracelet in my pocket. I ask this kid CJ if he knows how to tie a knot. He nods, and I give him the bracelet. He ties it onto Boo’s hair and smiles. Bling.
May 18, 2021
I haven't read a YA book in a while and I saw this was a movie on Netflix so I grabbed it from work. I really enjoyed this book. A very easy read. It is the story of Cole, a 12 year old from Detroit who is dropped off on his father's doorstep after a fight with his mother. He then has to navigate his father's way of life while also getting to know the man he hasn't seen since he was a baby. This book touches on poverty, racism, the police, parenthood, and the journey of growing up and finding yourself. A heartwarming story with a happy ending.
September 15, 2020
Maybe hearing horse hooves clop down your city street or watching teens on horseback stop by to survey the Shakespeare in the park crowd is what really finalizes your love for Philly. Maybe it hasn't because you haven't had the pleasure yet. This novel catches some of that experience.
The Fletcher Street stables (and other urban riding clubs) are a story worth telling and a story that needs to continue. Whether you read this book or not I hope your interest is piqued to find out more.
The Fletcher Street stables (and other urban riding clubs) are a story worth telling and a story that needs to continue. Whether you read this book or not I hope your interest is piqued to find out more.
December 22, 2023
this book was so goddamn sweet and heartfelt and real. i absolutely love the writer's style. all the characters were amazing. i love you Black cowboys. i love you cowboys of color. i love you programs that actually help BIPOC and help revitalize our communities. i love you Black people reclaiming what is yours that has been stolen by white people. ILY!
June 29, 2017
The characters and plot started out really strong at the start of the book but fell a little flat in the middle. Overall, the story unfolded an important message of standing up for your beliefs and community as well as family.
May 19, 2021
This was such a good read! A unique and engaging story of family and community perseverance in the face of the odds, with gorgeous illustrations throughout the novel. Huge recommend for middle school and high school readers. Looking forward to watching the film adaptation on Netflix this weekend.
November 23, 2021
Enjoyed this story and the film adaptation as well. Also listened to the audiobook— good listen. Appreciated the centering of a rich Black community that has been erased/silenced. Though the book and the film tell different stories, the message remains and will appeal to folx of all ages.
January 22, 2022
A great quick read. Horses helping kids who need direction and support. Listed as Teen but appropriate for tweens. I loved that it is based on fact and it sent me to the internet to read more. Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club.
July 27, 2021
Looking forward to watching the Netflix film, Concrete Cowboy” to compare. Book and film were Inspired by true stories of urban Black cowboys. Very interesting.
Want to read
May 10, 2022Topic: Call of duty
Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game franchise published by Activision. Starting out in 2003, it first focused on games set in World War II. Over time, the series has seen games set in the midst of the Cold War, futuristic worlds, and outer space. The games were first developed by Infinity Ward, then also by Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games. Several spin-off and handheld games were made by other developers. The most recent title, Call of Duty: Vanguard, was released on November 5, 2021.
The series originally focused on the World War II setting, with Infinity Ward developing the first (2003) and second (2005) titles in the series and Treyarch developing the third (2006). Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) introduced a new, modern setting, and proved to be the breakthrough title for the series, creating the Modern Warfare sub-series. The game's legacy also influenced the creation of a remastered version, released in 2016. Two other entries, Modern Warfare 2 (2009) and Modern Warfare 3 (2011), were made. The sub-series received a reboot with Modern Warfare in 2019. Infinity Ward have also developed two games outside of the Modern Warfare sub-series, Ghosts (2013) and Infinite Warfare (2016). Treyarch made one last World War II-based game, World at War (2008), before releasing Black Ops (2010) and subsequently creating the Black Ops sub-series. Four other entries, Black Ops II (2012), III (2015), 4 (2018), and Cold War (2020) were made, the latter in conjunction with Raven Software. Sledgehammer Games, who were co-developers for Modern Warfare 3, have also developed three titles, Advanced Warfare (2014), WWII (2017), and Vanguard (2021).
As of April 2021, the series has sold over 400 million copies. Earlier games in the series released to universal acclaim, but several of the more recent installments have received mixed reviews, with some criticzing the series themes, settings, and supposed repetitivity. Meanwhile, the games in the series have consistently released annually to blockbuster-level sales, the series is verified by the Guinness World Records as the best-selling first-person shooter game series. It is also the most successful video game franchise created in the United States and the fourth best-selling video game franchise of all time. Other products in the franchise include a line of action figures designed by Plan B Toys, a card game created by Upper Deck Company, Mega Bloks sets by Mega Brands, and a comic book miniseries published by WildStorm Productions.
Main series
World War II games
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game based on id Tech 3, and was released on October 29, 2003. The game was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. An expansion pack, Call of Duty: United Offensive, was developed by Gray Matter Interactive with contributions from Pi Studios and produced by Activision. The game follows American and British paratroopers and the Red Army. The Mac OS X version of the game was ported by Aspyr Media. In late 2004, the N-Gage version was developed by Nokia and published by Activision. Other versions were released for PC, including Collector's Edition (with soundtrack and strategy guide), Game of the Year Edition (includes game updates), and the Deluxe Edition (which contains the United Offensive expansion and soundtrack; in Europe the soundtrack was not included). On September 22, 2006, Call of Duty, United Offensive, and Call of Duty 2 were released together as Call of Duty: War Chest for PC. Since November 12, 2007, Call of Duty games have been available for purchase via Valve's content delivery platform Steam.
Call of Duty 2
Call of Duty 2 is a first-person shooter video game and the sequel to Call of Duty. It was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game is set during World War II and is experienced through the perspectives of soldiers in the Red Army, British Army, and United States Army. It was released on October 25, 2005, for Microsoft Windows, November 15, 2005, for the Xbox 360, and June 13, 2006, for Mac OS X. Other versions were made for mobile phones, Pocket PCs, and smartphones.
Call of Duty 3
Call of Duty 3 is a first-person shooter and the third installment in the Call of Duty video game series. Released on November 7, 2006, the game was developed by Treyarch, and was the first major installment in the Call of Duty series not to be developed by Infinity Ward. It was also the first not to be released on the PC platform. It was released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360.
Call of Duty: WWII
Call of Duty: WWII is the fourteenth game in the series and was developed by Sledgehammer Games. It was released worldwide on November 3, 2017, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game is set in the European theatre, and is centered around a squad in the 1st Infantry Division, following their battles on the Western Front, and set mainly in the historical events of Operation Overlord.
Call of Duty: Vanguard
Call of Duty: Vanguard is the eighteenth game in the series and is developed by Sledgehammer Games, with Treyarch developing the game's Zombies mode. It was released on November 5, 2021, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The story depicts the birth of special forces to face an emerging threat at the end of the war during various theaters of World War II.
Modern Warfare series
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is the fourth installment of the main series, and was the first game in the Modern Warfare timeline. Developed by Infinity Ward, it is the first game in the series not to be set during World War II. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on November 7, 2007. Download and retail versions for Mac OS X were released by Aspyr in September 2008. As of May 2009, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has sold over 13 million copies.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is a remastered version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare that was released alongside the Legacy Edition, Legacy Pro Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare on November 4, 2016, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It was later released standalone on June 27, 2017, for PS4, and July 27, 2017, for Xbox One and PC. The game was developed by Raven Software and executive produced by Infinity Ward.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the sixth installment of the main series, and the second game in the Modern Warfare timeline. It was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. Activision Blizzard announced Modern Warfare 2 on February 11, 2009. The game was released worldwide on November 10, 2009, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows. A Nintendo DS iteration of the game, titled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized, was released alongside the game and the Wii port of Call of Duty : Modern Warfare. Modern Warfare 2 is the direct sequel to Call of Duty 4 and continues the same storyline, taking place five years after the first game and featuring several returning characters including Captain Price and "Soap" MacTavish.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is a first-person shooter video game. It is the eighth installment of the Call of Duty series and the third installment of the Modern Warfare arc. Due to a legal dispute between the game's publisher Activision and the former co-executives of Infinity Ward – which caused several lay-offs and departures within the company – Sledgehammer Games assisted in the development of the game, while Raven Software was brought in to make cosmetic changes to the menus of the game. The game was said to have been in development since only two weeks after the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Sledgehammer was aiming for a "bug free" first outing in the Call of Duty franchise, and had also set a goal for Metacritic review scores above 95 percent.The game continues the story from the point at which it ended in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and continues the fictional battle story between the United States and Russia, which evolves into the Third World War between NATO allied nations and ultra-nationalist Russia.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the sixteenth entry in the Call of Duty series and is also a reboot of the Modern Warfare series. The story has been described to be darker and more realistic than previous Call of Duty games. It is set in the Black Ops timeline, separate from the other Modern Warfare games (however, characters such as Captain Price and other fan favorites from the series make a return). The game was officially revealed on May 30, 2019, and released on October 25, 2019.
The second main battle royale installment in the Call of Duty franchise, titled Call of Duty: Warzone, was released in March 2020, as a part of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare video game but does not require purchase of it. The title exceeded 50 million players in the first month after release.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Activision confirmed a sequel to the 2019 Modern Warfare game in February 11, 2022, to be developed by Infinity Ward. The game's logo and title was revealed on April 28, 2022.
Black Ops story arc
Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Duty: World at War, developed by Treyarch, is the fifth installment of the main series. Released after Modern Warfare, it returns to the World War II setting of earlier titles, featuring the Pacific theater and Eastern front. The game uses the same proprietary game engine as Call of Duty 4 and was released for the PC, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 consoles and the Nintendo DS handheld in North America on November 11, 2008, and November 14, 2008, in Europe. As of June 2009, Call of Duty: World at War has sold over 11 million copies. It acts as a prologue for Treyarch's next game, Black Ops, which is in the same universe, sharing characters and story references.
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops is the seventh installment in the series, the third developed by Treyarch, and was published by Activision for release on November 9, 2010. It is the first game in the series to take place during the Cold War and also takes place partially in the Vietnam War. It was initially available for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 and was later released for the Wii as well as the Nintendo DS.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Black Ops II is the ninth main installment in the series, developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The game was revealed on May 1, 2012. It was the first game in the series to feature future warfare technology, and the campaign features multiple branching storylines driven by player choice and multiple endings. It was later released on November 12, 2012.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Call of Duty: Black Ops III is the twelfth main installment in the series, developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The game was released on November 6, 2015.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the fifteenth main installment in the series. It was developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The game was released on October 12, 2018. It was the first featured Call of Duty game to forgo a single-player campaign game mode, focusing only at the multiplayer aspect of the game. The game also introduced an entirely new battle royale game mode, called Blackout, in addition to multiplayer and zombies co-op mode.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the seventeenth main installment in the series. It was developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, and published by Activision. The game was released on November 13, 2020. Set during the 1980s and focusing on Soviet and American espionage during the Cold War, the game is chronologically set between Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II.
Standalone games
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Call of Duty: Ghosts is the tenth main installment in the series, and was developed by Infinity Ward. The game was released on November 5, 2013. It was the first game to be developed for eighth-gen consoles such as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the eleventh main installment in the series, developed by Sledgehammer Games with assistance from Raven Software and High Moon Studios. It was released in November 2014. The game was the first game in the series to feature advanced movements, such as double jump and boost slide.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is the thirteenth main installment in the series, developed by Infinity Ward, and was published by Activision. The game was released on November 4, 2016.
Primary developer rotation
In 2006, Treyarch released Call of Duty 3, their first Call of Duty game of the main series. Treyarch and Infinity Ward signed a contract stating that the producer of each upcoming title in the series would alternate between the two companies. In 2010, Sledgehammer Games announced they were working on a main series title for the franchise. This game was postponed in order to help Infinity Ward produce Modern Warfare 3. In 2014, it was confirmed that Sledgehammer Games would produce the 2014 title, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, and the studios would begin a three-year rotation. After Sledgehammer developed Call of Duty: WWII (2017), they began developing a new Call of Duty entry alongside Raven Software due for release in 2020. However, there were conflicts of interest between the two, which resulted in Treyarch taking over control of the project in order to speed up the development process.
Other games
Console titles
Call of Duty: Finest Hour
Call of Duty: Finest Hour is the first console installment of Call of Duty, and was released on the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of the game include an online multiplayer mode which supports up to 32 players. It also includes new game modes.
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One is a spin-off of Call of Duty 2 developed by Treyarch, and based on the American 1st Infantry Division's exploits during World War II. The game was released on GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.
Call of Duty: World at War – Final Fronts
Call of Duty: World at War – Final Fronts is the PlayStation 2 adaptation of Call of Duty: World at War. Developed by Rebellion Developments, Final Fronts features three campaigns involving the U.S. fighting in the Pacific theater, the Battle of the Bulge, and the British advancing on the Rhine River into Germany.
Call of Duty: The War Collection
Call of Duty: The War Collection is a boxed set compilation of Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty: World at War. It was released for the Xbox 360 on June 1, 2010.
Handheld titles
Call of Duty: Roads to Victory
Call of Duty: Roads to Victory is a PSP game which is a portable spin-off of Call of Duty 3.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized is the Nintendo DS companion game for Modern Warfare 2. Developed by n-Space, the game takes place in the same setting as the main console game, but follows a different storyline and cast of characters. Playing as the S.A.S. and the Marines in campaign mode, both forces are trying to find a nuclear bomb.
Call of Duty: Black Ops DS
Call of Duty: Black Ops DS is the Nintendo DS companion game for Black Ops. Developed by n-Space, the game takes place in the same setting as the main console game, but follows a different storyline and cast of characters.
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified is a PlayStation Vita Call of Duty game.
PC titles
Call of Duty Online
Call of Duty Online was announced by Activision when the company first stated their interest in a Massively multiplayer online game (MMO) in early 2011. By then, it had been in development for two years. Call of Duty Online is free-to-play for mainland China and is hosted by Tencent, since Activision had lost the publishing rights to Call of Duty and several other franchises in China due to a legal dispute on most of the gaming consoles (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii).
Call of Duty Warzone
Call of Duty Warzone is an online battle royale game announced by Raven Software and released by Activision. The game was released on March 10, 2020, as part of Modern Warfare (2019) and later, Black Ops Cold War following the latter's release in November 2020. Warzone became a standalone battle royale title later in 2020 and is continually updated with seasonal and unique feature updates . Activision has announced that this game will have a mobile version sometime in the future.
Mobile titles
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Force Recon
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Force Recon is the J2ME mobile version of Modern Warfare 2. Developed by Glu Mobile, the game takes place after 5 years Modern Warfare in Mexico.
Call of Duty: Zombies and Zombies 2
Call of Duty: Zombies is a first-person shooter video game developed by Ideaworks Game Studio, and published by Activision for iOS. It is a spin-off of the Call of Duty series, and based on the "Nazi Zombies" mode of Call of Duty: World at War.
Call of Duty: Strike Team
Call of Duty: Strike Team is a first and third-person shooter game developed by The Blast Furnace, and published by Activision for iOS and Android. The game is set in 2020 with players tasked with leading a U.S. Joint Special Operations Team after the country "finds themselves in a war with an unknown enemy".
Call of Duty: Heroes
Call of Duty: Heroes was a real-time strategy game developed by Faceroll Games, and published by Activision for Android and iOS.
Call of Duty: Mobile
Call of Duty: Mobile is the franchise's mobile title for iOS and Android developed by Tencent Games' TiMi Studios. It was released on October 1, 2019. Previously, it was first announced on March 18, 2019, at the year's Game Developers Conference. As of October 4, 2019, the game has surpassed over 35 million downloads worldwide.
Canceled titles
Call of Duty: Combined Forces
Call of Duty: Combined Forces was a proposed concept draft originally intended to be a sequel to Call of Duty: Finest Hour. However, due to multiple legal issues that arose between Spark Unlimited, Electronic Arts, and Activision as well as other production problems, the game's draft and scripts never came to be. The game was projected to cost $10.5 million to produce
Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game franchise published by Activision. Starting out in 2003, it first focused on games set in World War II. Over time, the series has seen games set in the midst of the Cold War, futuristic worlds, and outer space. The games were first developed by Infinity Ward, then also by Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games. Several spin-off and handheld games were made by other developers. The most recent title, Call of Duty: Vanguard, was released on November 5, 2021.
The series originally focused on the World War II setting, with Infinity Ward developing the first (2003) and second (2005) titles in the series and Treyarch developing the third (2006). Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) introduced a new, modern setting, and proved to be the breakthrough title for the series, creating the Modern Warfare sub-series. The game's legacy also influenced the creation of a remastered version, released in 2016. Two other entries, Modern Warfare 2 (2009) and Modern Warfare 3 (2011), were made. The sub-series received a reboot with Modern Warfare in 2019. Infinity Ward have also developed two games outside of the Modern Warfare sub-series, Ghosts (2013) and Infinite Warfare (2016). Treyarch made one last World War II-based game, World at War (2008), before releasing Black Ops (2010) and subsequently creating the Black Ops sub-series. Four other entries, Black Ops II (2012), III (2015), 4 (2018), and Cold War (2020) were made, the latter in conjunction with Raven Software. Sledgehammer Games, who were co-developers for Modern Warfare 3, have also developed three titles, Advanced Warfare (2014), WWII (2017), and Vanguard (2021).
As of April 2021, the series has sold over 400 million copies. Earlier games in the series released to universal acclaim, but several of the more recent installments have received mixed reviews, with some criticzing the series themes, settings, and supposed repetitivity. Meanwhile, the games in the series have consistently released annually to blockbuster-level sales, the series is verified by the Guinness World Records as the best-selling first-person shooter game series. It is also the most successful video game franchise created in the United States and the fourth best-selling video game franchise of all time. Other products in the franchise include a line of action figures designed by Plan B Toys, a card game created by Upper Deck Company, Mega Bloks sets by Mega Brands, and a comic book miniseries published by WildStorm Productions.
Main series
World War II games
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game based on id Tech 3, and was released on October 29, 2003. The game was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. An expansion pack, Call of Duty: United Offensive, was developed by Gray Matter Interactive with contributions from Pi Studios and produced by Activision. The game follows American and British paratroopers and the Red Army. The Mac OS X version of the game was ported by Aspyr Media. In late 2004, the N-Gage version was developed by Nokia and published by Activision. Other versions were released for PC, including Collector's Edition (with soundtrack and strategy guide), Game of the Year Edition (includes game updates), and the Deluxe Edition (which contains the United Offensive expansion and soundtrack; in Europe the soundtrack was not included). On September 22, 2006, Call of Duty, United Offensive, and Call of Duty 2 were released together as Call of Duty: War Chest for PC. Since November 12, 2007, Call of Duty games have been available for purchase via Valve's content delivery platform Steam.
Call of Duty 2
Call of Duty 2 is a first-person shooter video game and the sequel to Call of Duty. It was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game is set during World War II and is experienced through the perspectives of soldiers in the Red Army, British Army, and United States Army. It was released on October 25, 2005, for Microsoft Windows, November 15, 2005, for the Xbox 360, and June 13, 2006, for Mac OS X. Other versions were made for mobile phones, Pocket PCs, and smartphones.
Call of Duty 3
Call of Duty 3 is a first-person shooter and the third installment in the Call of Duty video game series. Released on November 7, 2006, the game was developed by Treyarch, and was the first major installment in the Call of Duty series not to be developed by Infinity Ward. It was also the first not to be released on the PC platform. It was released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360.
Call of Duty: WWII
Call of Duty: WWII is the fourteenth game in the series and was developed by Sledgehammer Games. It was released worldwide on November 3, 2017, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game is set in the European theatre, and is centered around a squad in the 1st Infantry Division, following their battles on the Western Front, and set mainly in the historical events of Operation Overlord.
Call of Duty: Vanguard
Call of Duty: Vanguard is the eighteenth game in the series and is developed by Sledgehammer Games, with Treyarch developing the game's Zombies mode. It was released on November 5, 2021, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The story depicts the birth of special forces to face an emerging threat at the end of the war during various theaters of World War II.
Modern Warfare series
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is the fourth installment of the main series, and was the first game in the Modern Warfare timeline. Developed by Infinity Ward, it is the first game in the series not to be set during World War II. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on November 7, 2007. Download and retail versions for Mac OS X were released by Aspyr in September 2008. As of May 2009, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has sold over 13 million copies.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is a remastered version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare that was released alongside the Legacy Edition, Legacy Pro Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare on November 4, 2016, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It was later released standalone on June 27, 2017, for PS4, and July 27, 2017, for Xbox One and PC. The game was developed by Raven Software and executive produced by Infinity Ward.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the sixth installment of the main series, and the second game in the Modern Warfare timeline. It was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. Activision Blizzard announced Modern Warfare 2 on February 11, 2009. The game was released worldwide on November 10, 2009, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows. A Nintendo DS iteration of the game, titled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized, was released alongside the game and the Wii port of Call of Duty : Modern Warfare. Modern Warfare 2 is the direct sequel to Call of Duty 4 and continues the same storyline, taking place five years after the first game and featuring several returning characters including Captain Price and "Soap" MacTavish.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is a first-person shooter video game. It is the eighth installment of the Call of Duty series and the third installment of the Modern Warfare arc. Due to a legal dispute between the game's publisher Activision and the former co-executives of Infinity Ward – which caused several lay-offs and departures within the company – Sledgehammer Games assisted in the development of the game, while Raven Software was brought in to make cosmetic changes to the menus of the game. The game was said to have been in development since only two weeks after the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Sledgehammer was aiming for a "bug free" first outing in the Call of Duty franchise, and had also set a goal for Metacritic review scores above 95 percent.The game continues the story from the point at which it ended in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and continues the fictional battle story between the United States and Russia, which evolves into the Third World War between NATO allied nations and ultra-nationalist Russia.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the sixteenth entry in the Call of Duty series and is also a reboot of the Modern Warfare series. The story has been described to be darker and more realistic than previous Call of Duty games. It is set in the Black Ops timeline, separate from the other Modern Warfare games (however, characters such as Captain Price and other fan favorites from the series make a return). The game was officially revealed on May 30, 2019, and released on October 25, 2019.
The second main battle royale installment in the Call of Duty franchise, titled Call of Duty: Warzone, was released in March 2020, as a part of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare video game but does not require purchase of it. The title exceeded 50 million players in the first month after release.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Activision confirmed a sequel to the 2019 Modern Warfare game in February 11, 2022, to be developed by Infinity Ward. The game's logo and title was revealed on April 28, 2022.
Black Ops story arc
Call of Duty: World at War
Call of Duty: World at War, developed by Treyarch, is the fifth installment of the main series. Released after Modern Warfare, it returns to the World War II setting of earlier titles, featuring the Pacific theater and Eastern front. The game uses the same proprietary game engine as Call of Duty 4 and was released for the PC, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 consoles and the Nintendo DS handheld in North America on November 11, 2008, and November 14, 2008, in Europe. As of June 2009, Call of Duty: World at War has sold over 11 million copies. It acts as a prologue for Treyarch's next game, Black Ops, which is in the same universe, sharing characters and story references.
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops is the seventh installment in the series, the third developed by Treyarch, and was published by Activision for release on November 9, 2010. It is the first game in the series to take place during the Cold War and also takes place partially in the Vietnam War. It was initially available for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 and was later released for the Wii as well as the Nintendo DS.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Black Ops II is the ninth main installment in the series, developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The game was revealed on May 1, 2012. It was the first game in the series to feature future warfare technology, and the campaign features multiple branching storylines driven by player choice and multiple endings. It was later released on November 12, 2012.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Call of Duty: Black Ops III is the twelfth main installment in the series, developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The game was released on November 6, 2015.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the fifteenth main installment in the series. It was developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The game was released on October 12, 2018. It was the first featured Call of Duty game to forgo a single-player campaign game mode, focusing only at the multiplayer aspect of the game. The game also introduced an entirely new battle royale game mode, called Blackout, in addition to multiplayer and zombies co-op mode.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the seventeenth main installment in the series. It was developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, and published by Activision. The game was released on November 13, 2020. Set during the 1980s and focusing on Soviet and American espionage during the Cold War, the game is chronologically set between Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II.
Standalone games
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Call of Duty: Ghosts is the tenth main installment in the series, and was developed by Infinity Ward. The game was released on November 5, 2013. It was the first game to be developed for eighth-gen consoles such as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the eleventh main installment in the series, developed by Sledgehammer Games with assistance from Raven Software and High Moon Studios. It was released in November 2014. The game was the first game in the series to feature advanced movements, such as double jump and boost slide.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is the thirteenth main installment in the series, developed by Infinity Ward, and was published by Activision. The game was released on November 4, 2016.
Primary developer rotation
In 2006, Treyarch released Call of Duty 3, their first Call of Duty game of the main series. Treyarch and Infinity Ward signed a contract stating that the producer of each upcoming title in the series would alternate between the two companies. In 2010, Sledgehammer Games announced they were working on a main series title for the franchise. This game was postponed in order to help Infinity Ward produce Modern Warfare 3. In 2014, it was confirmed that Sledgehammer Games would produce the 2014 title, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, and the studios would begin a three-year rotation. After Sledgehammer developed Call of Duty: WWII (2017), they began developing a new Call of Duty entry alongside Raven Software due for release in 2020. However, there were conflicts of interest between the two, which resulted in Treyarch taking over control of the project in order to speed up the development process.
Other games
Console titles
Call of Duty: Finest Hour
Call of Duty: Finest Hour is the first console installment of Call of Duty, and was released on the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of the game include an online multiplayer mode which supports up to 32 players. It also includes new game modes.
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One is a spin-off of Call of Duty 2 developed by Treyarch, and based on the American 1st Infantry Division's exploits during World War II. The game was released on GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.
Call of Duty: World at War – Final Fronts
Call of Duty: World at War – Final Fronts is the PlayStation 2 adaptation of Call of Duty: World at War. Developed by Rebellion Developments, Final Fronts features three campaigns involving the U.S. fighting in the Pacific theater, the Battle of the Bulge, and the British advancing on the Rhine River into Germany.
Call of Duty: The War Collection
Call of Duty: The War Collection is a boxed set compilation of Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty: World at War. It was released for the Xbox 360 on June 1, 2010.
Handheld titles
Call of Duty: Roads to Victory
Call of Duty: Roads to Victory is a PSP game which is a portable spin-off of Call of Duty 3.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized is the Nintendo DS companion game for Modern Warfare 2. Developed by n-Space, the game takes place in the same setting as the main console game, but follows a different storyline and cast of characters. Playing as the S.A.S. and the Marines in campaign mode, both forces are trying to find a nuclear bomb.
Call of Duty: Black Ops DS
Call of Duty: Black Ops DS is the Nintendo DS companion game for Black Ops. Developed by n-Space, the game takes place in the same setting as the main console game, but follows a different storyline and cast of characters.
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified
Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified is a PlayStation Vita Call of Duty game.
PC titles
Call of Duty Online
Call of Duty Online was announced by Activision when the company first stated their interest in a Massively multiplayer online game (MMO) in early 2011. By then, it had been in development for two years. Call of Duty Online is free-to-play for mainland China and is hosted by Tencent, since Activision had lost the publishing rights to Call of Duty and several other franchises in China due to a legal dispute on most of the gaming consoles (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii).
Call of Duty Warzone
Call of Duty Warzone is an online battle royale game announced by Raven Software and released by Activision. The game was released on March 10, 2020, as part of Modern Warfare (2019) and later, Black Ops Cold War following the latter's release in November 2020. Warzone became a standalone battle royale title later in 2020 and is continually updated with seasonal and unique feature updates . Activision has announced that this game will have a mobile version sometime in the future.
Mobile titles
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Force Recon
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Force Recon is the J2ME mobile version of Modern Warfare 2. Developed by Glu Mobile, the game takes place after 5 years Modern Warfare in Mexico.
Call of Duty: Zombies and Zombies 2
Call of Duty: Zombies is a first-person shooter video game developed by Ideaworks Game Studio, and published by Activision for iOS. It is a spin-off of the Call of Duty series, and based on the "Nazi Zombies" mode of Call of Duty: World at War.
Call of Duty: Strike Team
Call of Duty: Strike Team is a first and third-person shooter game developed by The Blast Furnace, and published by Activision for iOS and Android. The game is set in 2020 with players tasked with leading a U.S. Joint Special Operations Team after the country "finds themselves in a war with an unknown enemy".
Call of Duty: Heroes
Call of Duty: Heroes was a real-time strategy game developed by Faceroll Games, and published by Activision for Android and iOS.
Call of Duty: Mobile
Call of Duty: Mobile is the franchise's mobile title for iOS and Android developed by Tencent Games' TiMi Studios. It was released on October 1, 2019. Previously, it was first announced on March 18, 2019, at the year's Game Developers Conference. As of October 4, 2019, the game has surpassed over 35 million downloads worldwide.
Canceled titles
Call of Duty: Combined Forces
Call of Duty: Combined Forces was a proposed concept draft originally intended to be a sequel to Call of Duty: Finest Hour. However, due to multiple legal issues that arose between Spark Unlimited, Electronic Arts, and Activision as well as other production problems, the game's draft and scripts never came to be. The game was projected to cost $10.5 million to produce
September 6, 2021
A fun story told in an engaging way. This was recommended to me by one of my male students. It’s a keeper, for sure.
February 11, 2014
I'm sure you met or knew/know someone that is a troublemaker in school. Well in this book Cole is one, but only worse. My opinion in this and Realistic Fiction book is that there is lots of cool action and you will probably enjoy it right from the beginning of the story. I think this book might go good for someone who wants action in their story and get a little sad in it too. To me this was a really cool book, I loved all the action and all the characters.
A 7th grader named Cole that makes his mom exhausted every day both drive to Philadelphia from Detroit. Cole's mom drives all the way over there to his dad's house that has a barn and horses. Cole's mom says he has to stay there to make him behave more. So he stays for months and hates it for the first couple days when he found out that horses were going to be living there. Weeks later Cole has his own horse getting use to his jobs and the house. His dad Harper has races with them and more. So once Cole is getting attached to everyone, including the horses business men of the city comes and notices there is a huge pile of horse number 2. Once they see it they notice something else in it too from days ago. It's a dead horse that Cole's mom hit on accident once she dropped off Cole, so now the business men took a few horses they thought didn't look taken care of, and one of them was Boo, Cole's favorite. So then later Cole asks his cousin called Smush and his friend called Snapper if they want to come help him take all the horses out of the cages before they do something to them. Last the 3 of them free the horses and are very happy with them all together. This is a person v.s person , it's person v.s person because Cole has problems with the the business men that took the horses.
My favorite part of the book was when Cole's cousin, and his friend freed all the horses. I think that was my favorite part because it ended at a happy ending and all the characters got was they wanted. The main character's problem was acting really bad with his mom and didn't ever stop. So I think his dad changed it all for him. Like in one part of the book Harper, Cole's dad was more strict when he would tell him to do go work. For example Harper went and told Cole to go clean the horse's stables and Cole gave him attitude, but Harper got mad at him and was really strict. I think ''Ghetto Cowboy'' was a really good choice of a title for this story since it really matches Cole's personality. The main character to me the title matches his personality because he's growing up in a sort of ghetto town and he's turning into a cowboy with all the horses and stables he has to take care of.
My overall thoughts of this book was pretty good. My favorite was how much sad parts and cool parts that there was. There was never a time when I had got bored or didn't want to stop reading, I was so much into the book I read it in 2 days. I would rate this book a 9 because how much action there was and also how you can enjoy it the whole way through. I would recommend this book to someone who really wants to get in the book and have cool parts through the entire way in the story. There's some sad parts and some pretty cool parts. An interesting that I learned from this book was that from whatever you go through bad, you can change yourself and have another chance.
A 7th grader named Cole that makes his mom exhausted every day both drive to Philadelphia from Detroit. Cole's mom drives all the way over there to his dad's house that has a barn and horses. Cole's mom says he has to stay there to make him behave more. So he stays for months and hates it for the first couple days when he found out that horses were going to be living there. Weeks later Cole has his own horse getting use to his jobs and the house. His dad Harper has races with them and more. So once Cole is getting attached to everyone, including the horses business men of the city comes and notices there is a huge pile of horse number 2. Once they see it they notice something else in it too from days ago. It's a dead horse that Cole's mom hit on accident once she dropped off Cole, so now the business men took a few horses they thought didn't look taken care of, and one of them was Boo, Cole's favorite. So then later Cole asks his cousin called Smush and his friend called Snapper if they want to come help him take all the horses out of the cages before they do something to them. Last the 3 of them free the horses and are very happy with them all together. This is a person v.s person , it's person v.s person because Cole has problems with the the business men that took the horses.
My favorite part of the book was when Cole's cousin, and his friend freed all the horses. I think that was my favorite part because it ended at a happy ending and all the characters got was they wanted. The main character's problem was acting really bad with his mom and didn't ever stop. So I think his dad changed it all for him. Like in one part of the book Harper, Cole's dad was more strict when he would tell him to do go work. For example Harper went and told Cole to go clean the horse's stables and Cole gave him attitude, but Harper got mad at him and was really strict. I think ''Ghetto Cowboy'' was a really good choice of a title for this story since it really matches Cole's personality. The main character to me the title matches his personality because he's growing up in a sort of ghetto town and he's turning into a cowboy with all the horses and stables he has to take care of.
My overall thoughts of this book was pretty good. My favorite was how much sad parts and cool parts that there was. There was never a time when I had got bored or didn't want to stop reading, I was so much into the book I read it in 2 days. I would rate this book a 9 because how much action there was and also how you can enjoy it the whole way through. I would recommend this book to someone who really wants to get in the book and have cool parts through the entire way in the story. There's some sad parts and some pretty cool parts. An interesting that I learned from this book was that from whatever you go through bad, you can change yourself and have another chance.
October 19, 2017
This review is required for Dr. Sykes' READ5351 course at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Ghetto Cowboy is written in first person point of view from the perspective of the main character Cole. The setting of the story takes place in an urban, rundown neighborhood of Philadelphia. The protagonist, main character is Cole a twelve year old boy who ditched school and frequently got himself into trouble. The antagonist of the story or secondary character in the book is Harper, an African American cowboy who cares for his neighborhood and tries to keep unity within it. Cole's Mom may also be considered an antagonist as she abandoned Cole and just dropped him off to live with a man he had never met.
The plot of the story begins when Cole's mother finds out all the trouble he has gotten into and she decides she can no longer deal with him. She leaves Detroit to take him to his father's house. He finds out his dad is an African American cowboy who works with horses in a rundown neighborhood in which the city owns much of the property but does nothing for them. As the city decides to inspect and condemn the place he has become acquainted with and created friendships, Cole wants to help to make his dad proud. The theme of the book is when you find something you love, never give up or don't let it go. You can see how the main character shows this emotion through his relationship with Boo, a horse he came to love.
The style of book is very descriptive and has a rhythmic pattern to it. The story reads smoothly as the author uses modern urban language. The presentation of the book is intended for middle school kids ten years and older. The hardcover book has a book jacket with great illustrations. Some black and white images appear through out the book and provide great visuals for your imagination. The cultural implications for this book are the unity and solidarity in the neighborhood. While everyone outside of the neighborhood may not care for the up keep, they have come together to keep up with something that means a lot to them and not give up.
The plot of the story begins when Cole's mother finds out all the trouble he has gotten into and she decides she can no longer deal with him. She leaves Detroit to take him to his father's house. He finds out his dad is an African American cowboy who works with horses in a rundown neighborhood in which the city owns much of the property but does nothing for them. As the city decides to inspect and condemn the place he has become acquainted with and created friendships, Cole wants to help to make his dad proud. The theme of the book is when you find something you love, never give up or don't let it go. You can see how the main character shows this emotion through his relationship with Boo, a horse he came to love.
The style of book is very descriptive and has a rhythmic pattern to it. The story reads smoothly as the author uses modern urban language. The presentation of the book is intended for middle school kids ten years and older. The hardcover book has a book jacket with great illustrations. Some black and white images appear through out the book and provide great visuals for your imagination. The cultural implications for this book are the unity and solidarity in the neighborhood. While everyone outside of the neighborhood may not care for the up keep, they have come together to keep up with something that means a lot to them and not give up.
January 19, 2012
Ghetto Cowboy is G. Neri's most recent take at delving into a news story and pulling out an incredibly compelling (and hilarious) story from it.
The book starts out with Cole's mother finding out that he's been cutting school for a month and driving him from Detroit to Philly to leave him on his father's doorstep--a man who Cole has never met. Within his first five minutes in Philly his mother runs into a horse with her car, and he sees his father, who greets him with a scowl wearing a cowboy hat and boots. This is where the title comes from--Cole immediately declaring that he "don't want to be no ghetto cowboy." This is followed by a string of fantastic one liners like "I ain't no Harry Potter" when his father shows him his bedroom in a closet, and "she just left me here with dumb ol' black Clint Eastwood."
But what really makes the book great rather than a bit hokey is:
1. Cole's pain at being abandoned by his mother feels incredibly real, as does the way he bonds with a new horse that was saved from slaughter and how that helps him build a relationship with his father
2. The urban stables aren't used as a device--you actually get a lot of really interesting depth and history about black and urban cowboys
3. Although this book is about Cole's relationships with his father and mother, the plot's focal point is all about social justice and could make for great discussion. The city has left the neighborhood neglected for decades, but is now using coercive methods to try to get the land back so that they can turn it into condos.
The book starts out with Cole's mother finding out that he's been cutting school for a month and driving him from Detroit to Philly to leave him on his father's doorstep--a man who Cole has never met. Within his first five minutes in Philly his mother runs into a horse with her car, and he sees his father, who greets him with a scowl wearing a cowboy hat and boots. This is where the title comes from--Cole immediately declaring that he "don't want to be no ghetto cowboy." This is followed by a string of fantastic one liners like "I ain't no Harry Potter" when his father shows him his bedroom in a closet, and "she just left me here with dumb ol' black Clint Eastwood."
But what really makes the book great rather than a bit hokey is:
1. Cole's pain at being abandoned by his mother feels incredibly real, as does the way he bonds with a new horse that was saved from slaughter and how that helps him build a relationship with his father
2. The urban stables aren't used as a device--you actually get a lot of really interesting depth and history about black and urban cowboys
3. Although this book is about Cole's relationships with his father and mother, the plot's focal point is all about social justice and could make for great discussion. The city has left the neighborhood neglected for decades, but is now using coercive methods to try to get the land back so that they can turn it into condos.
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