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Tex
Easygoing and reckless Tex likes everyone and everything, especially his horse, Negrito, and Johnny Collins's blue-eyed sister, Jamie. Life with his older brother, Mason, would be just about perfect if only Mace would stop complaining about Pop, who hasn't been home in five months. While Mason worries about paying the bills and getting a basketball scholarship--his ticket out of Oklahoma--Tex just seems to attract trouble. Can he find a way to keep things together when everything seems to be falling apart?
211 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 15, 1979
390 people are currently reading
6396 people want to read
About the author
S.E. Hinton
45 books8,296 followersS.E. Hinton, was and still is, one of the most popular and best known writers of young adult fiction. Her books have been taught in some schools, and banned from others. Her novels changed the way people look at young adult literature.
Susan Eloise Hinton was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has always enjoyed reading but wasn't satisfied with the literature that was being written for young adults, which influenced her to write novels like The Outsiders. That book, her first novel, was published in 1967 by Viking.
Susan Eloise Hinton was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has always enjoyed reading but wasn't satisfied with the literature that was being written for young adults, which influenced her to write novels like The Outsiders. That book, her first novel, was published in 1967 by Viking.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 766 reviews
August 14, 2007
My favorite S.E. Hinton book. Yes I prefer this to the Outsiders.
January 13, 2009
The best Hinton title, IMHO. And that Matt Dillon cover sure don't hurt!
April 22, 2020
"I didn't listen to [my brother]. I turned and ran instead . . . I ran steadily, timing my breathing, not wild or crazy or particularly fast. Almost like I knew where I was going. Almost like I had somewhere to go." -- the titular protagonist, pages 159-160
Tex is another one of author Hinton's low-key, slice-of-life dramas featuring small town, working-class teenagers. As I type that sentence I think it sort of sounds like I'm rolling my eyes, sighing and then saying "here we go again." But maybe one of Hinton's strengths as a writer is creating some plausible situations that don't seem especially contrived, and presenting the story straightforward manner for the YA audience. I admire that she doesn't do any sort of sugarcoating, or present the adolescent characters like they have the improbable sophistication of someone twice their age.
This time the narrative focuses on Tex McCormick, an almost fifteen year-old everyguy-type who resides with only his slightly older brother Mason on the suburban outskirts of Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Their mother died several years earlier from an illness, and their father seems to be on a never-ending tour of the U.S. rodeo circuit.) At first the story moves along at a leisurely pace, with Tex experiencing things like a first crush (which was nicely written in the correct bittersweet tone), committing pranks at school with his best friend, and having disagreements with his brother. Just when it seems like everything is terminally lukewarm in nature Tex is involved in TWO separate situations involving threats to his life, in scenes that would make some modern-day moral guardians positively lose their minds. Through really no fault of his own he gets into said alarming incidents, and it turned out to be very compelling as I hoped either 1.) Tex would have people 'in his corner' when he needed them and 2.) he would exhibit some quick thinking or maturity when it counted. By the conclusion I was pleasantly surprised by how much I became invested in the main character.
Tex is another one of author Hinton's low-key, slice-of-life dramas featuring small town, working-class teenagers. As I type that sentence I think it sort of sounds like I'm rolling my eyes, sighing and then saying "here we go again." But maybe one of Hinton's strengths as a writer is creating some plausible situations that don't seem especially contrived, and presenting the story straightforward manner for the YA audience. I admire that she doesn't do any sort of sugarcoating, or present the adolescent characters like they have the improbable sophistication of someone twice their age.
This time the narrative focuses on Tex McCormick, an almost fifteen year-old everyguy-type who resides with only his slightly older brother Mason on the suburban outskirts of Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Their mother died several years earlier from an illness, and their father seems to be on a never-ending tour of the U.S. rodeo circuit.) At first the story moves along at a leisurely pace, with Tex experiencing things like a first crush (which was nicely written in the correct bittersweet tone), committing pranks at school with his best friend, and having disagreements with his brother. Just when it seems like everything is terminally lukewarm in nature Tex is involved in TWO separate situations involving threats to his life, in scenes that would make some modern-day moral guardians positively lose their minds. Through really no fault of his own he gets into said alarming incidents, and it turned out to be very compelling as I hoped either 1.) Tex would have people 'in his corner' when he needed them and 2.) he would exhibit some quick thinking or maturity when it counted. By the conclusion I was pleasantly surprised by how much I became invested in the main character.
April 5, 2021
I’m normally against actors in book covers but Matt Dillon is so pretty I want to cry so I’ll make an exception.
Back in 8th grade when I was obsessed with The Outsiders, I became obsessed by default with all of Hinton’s other books. Back then I would have given it 5 stars without thinking twice but rereading it after all these years I can see it’s not as good as her other works.
I’ve just finished reading it, yet I could not tell you what the plot os exactly. It’s like a bunch of anecdotes stitched together in one book. Tex is a short, easy and entertaining read especially for all those of you who are currently in your Outsiders phase <3
Back in 8th grade when I was obsessed with The Outsiders, I became obsessed by default with all of Hinton’s other books. Back then I would have given it 5 stars without thinking twice but rereading it after all these years I can see it’s not as good as her other works.
I’ve just finished reading it, yet I could not tell you what the plot os exactly. It’s like a bunch of anecdotes stitched together in one book. Tex is a short, easy and entertaining read especially for all those of you who are currently in your Outsiders phase <3
May 3, 2022
s.e. hinton never fails to make me cry over dirty boys
January 31, 2018
I loved this book, and I can easily see why some people prefer it over The Outsiders.
The Outsiders is a classic, iconic book. Its greatest values may be its authenticity and youthful optimism. All Hinton's subsequent YA novels are tainted by pessimism and a sense of pandering to the concept of teen rebellion. All of them feature varying levels of drug use, and usually a narrator who has given up hope.
Tex has a lot to recommend it. The plot is suspenseful, surprising, and well-constructed. The characters are well-rounded, believable, and interesting. The climax is moving and memorable. All of these things make it competitive with The Outsiders, and in some ways better.
As a teacher, I cannot endorse a book with the casual attitude toward marijuana that Hinton relates here. Tex comments that weed is something everyone has tried and talks about it in a way that implies that the reader has, too. That is a dangerous implication to make to middle school students, who crave to be teenagers without really knowing what that entails.
The Outsiders is a classic, iconic book. Its greatest values may be its authenticity and youthful optimism. All Hinton's subsequent YA novels are tainted by pessimism and a sense of pandering to the concept of teen rebellion. All of them feature varying levels of drug use, and usually a narrator who has given up hope.
Tex has a lot to recommend it. The plot is suspenseful, surprising, and well-constructed. The characters are well-rounded, believable, and interesting. The climax is moving and memorable. All of these things make it competitive with The Outsiders, and in some ways better.
As a teacher, I cannot endorse a book with the casual attitude toward marijuana that Hinton relates here. Tex comments that weed is something everyone has tried and talks about it in a way that implies that the reader has, too. That is a dangerous implication to make to middle school students, who crave to be teenagers without really knowing what that entails.
May 4, 2022
S.E Hinton really knows how to break a girls heart
December 1, 2017
Tex Review
Book Rating: 5 stars out of 5.
Story Line: 5 stars out of 5. This book was just as amazing as the Outsiders. I will always love the Outsiders more than this book. That book could never be replaced in my heart. This book and the Outsiders were two books that I reread this year. Tex is living alone with his brother. He had a horse who he loved very much. He is riding him in the first moments of the book. His brother sells his horse. They get into a fight about it. Mason beats him pretty badly. His friend, Johnny, and his little sister/Tex's crush find him. Tex flips on them. Mason gets him to come home after he goes shopping. More events happens as the book goes on. At one point they get kidnapped by someone that just escaped jail. There are dealings with drugs throughout this book. Closer to the end he finds out that he's not his father's child. He had always wondered why his father never treated him the way that he treated his brother. He runs off with an old friend who is into selling drugs. He gets shot...ugh, that part hurt my heart!! The ending was such a nice one. It was really sweet. I really want to see the movie to this book now. I knew there was one. I just haven't seen it yet. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Characters: 5 stars out of 5. Tex was an awesome character from the beginning. You could tell how much he really cared and loved his horse. He always loved his older brother and father. He was a bit of a trouble maker, but that made the book fun. He was a hopeless romantic. He was a good character.
Mason was pretty cold throughout the book. He at least had love for his brother. When he developed an ulcer I was worried about him. He shouldn't have had put this kind of stress on himself. I knew that he really cared about Tex throughout the whole story.
Johnny was Tex's best friend. He was cool. I enjoyed his character quite a bit. He was also pretty goofy. He made me laugh quite a few times.
Didn't really like his sister because she wasn't that great of a person. His father was pretty horrible throughout the book too. I also didn't really like Tex's parent figure much either. He wasn't there for his kids like he should have been. You only come back when your kids are on the news? What kind of parent does that?
Favorite Quote: “All my life I wanted somebody who knew more than I did to tell me the truth.” (This book isn't as quote worthy as the Outsiders. I think the next book I'm going to reread by S.E. Hinton next year is Taming the Star Runner. I did start it at one point this year, but I was in a huge reading slump at the time.)
Writing Style: 5 stars out of 5.
Book Rating: 5 stars out of 5.
Story Line: 5 stars out of 5. This book was just as amazing as the Outsiders. I will always love the Outsiders more than this book. That book could never be replaced in my heart. This book and the Outsiders were two books that I reread this year. Tex is living alone with his brother. He had a horse who he loved very much. He is riding him in the first moments of the book. His brother sells his horse. They get into a fight about it. Mason beats him pretty badly. His friend, Johnny, and his little sister/Tex's crush find him. Tex flips on them. Mason gets him to come home after he goes shopping. More events happens as the book goes on. At one point they get kidnapped by someone that just escaped jail. There are dealings with drugs throughout this book. Closer to the end he finds out that he's not his father's child. He had always wondered why his father never treated him the way that he treated his brother. He runs off with an old friend who is into selling drugs. He gets shot...ugh, that part hurt my heart!! The ending was such a nice one. It was really sweet. I really want to see the movie to this book now. I knew there was one. I just haven't seen it yet. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Characters: 5 stars out of 5. Tex was an awesome character from the beginning. You could tell how much he really cared and loved his horse. He always loved his older brother and father. He was a bit of a trouble maker, but that made the book fun. He was a hopeless romantic. He was a good character.
Mason was pretty cold throughout the book. He at least had love for his brother. When he developed an ulcer I was worried about him. He shouldn't have had put this kind of stress on himself. I knew that he really cared about Tex throughout the whole story.
Johnny was Tex's best friend. He was cool. I enjoyed his character quite a bit. He was also pretty goofy. He made me laugh quite a few times.
Didn't really like his sister because she wasn't that great of a person. His father was pretty horrible throughout the book too. I also didn't really like Tex's parent figure much either. He wasn't there for his kids like he should have been. You only come back when your kids are on the news? What kind of parent does that?
Favorite Quote: “All my life I wanted somebody who knew more than I did to tell me the truth.” (This book isn't as quote worthy as the Outsiders. I think the next book I'm going to reread by S.E. Hinton next year is Taming the Star Runner. I did start it at one point this year, but I was in a huge reading slump at the time.)
Writing Style: 5 stars out of 5.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2012
I picked this up when I breezed through the YAF section of the library looking for easy books to hit my 2011 reading goal. (I was successful, by the way, thanks to Tex.) I've read The Outsiders, and I grew up in Oklahoma, but I have never really gotten into S.E. Hinton's body of work. I think that should probably change, though. There is something about her teenage boys that really speaks to my heart. Anyway, if you emotionally respond to the rough and tumble hardships and adventures of handsome young men, check this one out.
Texas is fifteen. His dad is always gone, working somewhere on the rodeo circuit. His big brother, Mason, is providing for them as best he can while trying to get a basketball scholarship so he can escape from Oklahoma. (Boy, do I know that feeling.) Tex loves his horse, his best friend's big sister, and his absentee Pop.
The story is compact and quick-moving. The language is accessible, but there is a kind of poetry in the world of these teenage boys. Tex is something of a wild west philosopher despite all his swagger, and his coming-of-age is transmitted through that lens. This book has a big heart that appeals to readers beyond the yaf crowd.
The story does a good job of pitting the brothers against the forces that work to ruin their lives (drugs, the law, unintentional pregnancy, motorcycles, trouble at school, you know, all the sorts of bad news and misfortunes that tend to follow certain people). Through all the predicaments and heartache, I felt really tender toward the brothers. It is easy for me to empathize with them, cheer for them, and cringe alongside their troubles. The ending scenes almost had me in tears, and after I finished the book, I held it to my chest and gave it a squeeze. There are messages here about the morality of dealing drugs, committing crime and so on, but it didn't feel heavy-handed or preachy like a DARE officer or church camp.
Notes:
** How come Tex gets so much bullshit thrown at him? The constant stream of unjust bullshit really builds. The guy can't get a break.
** Their mom died like, last year? But it doesn't seem like they are struggling with a lot of maternal loss here. The struggle is more about the dad being gone. That's a little weird since it seems like she was the primary parent for most of their lives, right?
** I love the way Mason and Texas were contrasted ( a hawk and Bambi, respectively) and how Tex was so strangely unaware/uncomfortable with his handsomeness.
Texas is fifteen. His dad is always gone, working somewhere on the rodeo circuit. His big brother, Mason, is providing for them as best he can while trying to get a basketball scholarship so he can escape from Oklahoma. (Boy, do I know that feeling.) Tex loves his horse, his best friend's big sister, and his absentee Pop.
The story is compact and quick-moving. The language is accessible, but there is a kind of poetry in the world of these teenage boys. Tex is something of a wild west philosopher despite all his swagger, and his coming-of-age is transmitted through that lens. This book has a big heart that appeals to readers beyond the yaf crowd.
The story does a good job of pitting the brothers against the forces that work to ruin their lives (drugs, the law, unintentional pregnancy, motorcycles, trouble at school, you know, all the sorts of bad news and misfortunes that tend to follow certain people). Through all the predicaments and heartache, I felt really tender toward the brothers. It is easy for me to empathize with them, cheer for them, and cringe alongside their troubles. The ending scenes almost had me in tears, and after I finished the book, I held it to my chest and gave it a squeeze. There are messages here about the morality of dealing drugs, committing crime and so on, but it didn't feel heavy-handed or preachy like a DARE officer or church camp.
Notes:
** How come Tex gets so much bullshit thrown at him? The constant stream of unjust bullshit really builds. The guy can't get a break.
** Their mom died like, last year? But it doesn't seem like they are struggling with a lot of maternal loss here. The struggle is more about the dad being gone. That's a little weird since it seems like she was the primary parent for most of their lives, right?
** I love the way Mason and Texas were contrasted ( a hawk and Bambi, respectively) and how Tex was so strangely unaware/uncomfortable with his handsomeness.
July 5, 2012
I quite enjoyed this. Far more than Rumble Fish, and I think even a bit more than That Was Then, This is Now. Of course, it doesn't measure up to The Outsiders. But that's because nothing ever will.
I really loved Tex's relationship with Mason, and I sort of liked seeing them as Ponyboy and Darry: the demented, backwards versions. It's obvious that Hinton has certain relationships and themes she likes to play on, but that's okay, because they're themes I like. I loved the Collins family, including Cole (in his own way; minus the abuse). I adored Jamie, and was kind of like, 'thank God, finally a girl character in one of her books who has a spine.'
My own problem (and this is very minor), is the use of the names Johnny and Bob. Really? Did she have to? I know they're common names, but I feel like it's... identity theft, of a sort. Johnny Collins, though I liked him well enough, is not my JohnnyCake.
I loved the ending though, with the hospital and the truth about Pop. Hinton always manages to find a way to showcase emotions in the most poignant of ways, and I love that about her books. And now I have read four of them. I think it must be times for me to reread Outsiders for the, erm, twenty-something time.
I really loved Tex's relationship with Mason, and I sort of liked seeing them as Ponyboy and Darry: the demented, backwards versions. It's obvious that Hinton has certain relationships and themes she likes to play on, but that's okay, because they're themes I like. I loved the Collins family, including Cole (in his own way; minus the abuse). I adored Jamie, and was kind of like, 'thank God, finally a girl character in one of her books who has a spine.'
My own problem (and this is very minor), is the use of the names Johnny and Bob. Really? Did she have to? I know they're common names, but I feel like it's... identity theft, of a sort. Johnny Collins, though I liked him well enough, is not my JohnnyCake.
I loved the ending though, with the hospital and the truth about Pop. Hinton always manages to find a way to showcase emotions in the most poignant of ways, and I love that about her books. And now I have read four of them. I think it must be times for me to reread Outsiders for the, erm, twenty-something time.
January 25, 2021
"Some people go and some people stay. I'm staying."
This book. Y'all. I don't always give reviews and I ALWAYS hesitate to rate something five stars, because I strive to be impartial, but this book here... It will wrap you up, throw you out, and charm it's way right back into your good graces. You'll love these characters, hate these characters, and accept these characters against your better judgement. This book is a book I think everyone should read once in their lives. I won't stall anymore.
It's about this cowboy (emphasis on the "boy"), Tex- short for Texas. The first chapter opens with Texas riding his horse out in the plains before school. Because he is the 1st person narrator, you immediately get a feel for the rowdy trouble-making teen that has little time or patience for sitting still and his truest love is his horse, Negrito. Tex is 14 and lives with his 17 year-old brother, Mason. His mother died when he was a toddler, and his father is a rodeo cowboy, leaving Mason and Tex to take care of themselves for months at time. Aside from missing his father, Tex sees little trouble in this arrangement, but of course Mace does not agree. By the end of the first chapter, Tex comes home from school to find that Mace sold both their horses when their heat was turned off, a crime that leads the brothers to come to physical blows. The world continues to unfold around Tex, as he navigates through a world that is changing despite him.
Hinton wrote this book for readers like me, readers that FEEL their characters without sparkly descriptions. Tex's vernacular is simple, and so are his thoughts, which leads the reader to do all of the real feeling in this book. It is up to the reader to take home the theme of the book, and I can see where it would be different depending on the point of view, but there are plenty to choose from: Poverty, Coming of age, family relationships, parentless home, drugs, and so many others. This review could never do it justice, you just have to experience it yourself.
This book. Y'all. I don't always give reviews and I ALWAYS hesitate to rate something five stars, because I strive to be impartial, but this book here... It will wrap you up, throw you out, and charm it's way right back into your good graces. You'll love these characters, hate these characters, and accept these characters against your better judgement. This book is a book I think everyone should read once in their lives. I won't stall anymore.
It's about this cowboy (emphasis on the "boy"), Tex- short for Texas. The first chapter opens with Texas riding his horse out in the plains before school. Because he is the 1st person narrator, you immediately get a feel for the rowdy trouble-making teen that has little time or patience for sitting still and his truest love is his horse, Negrito. Tex is 14 and lives with his 17 year-old brother, Mason. His mother died when he was a toddler, and his father is a rodeo cowboy, leaving Mason and Tex to take care of themselves for months at time. Aside from missing his father, Tex sees little trouble in this arrangement, but of course Mace does not agree. By the end of the first chapter, Tex comes home from school to find that Mace sold both their horses when their heat was turned off, a crime that leads the brothers to come to physical blows. The world continues to unfold around Tex, as he navigates through a world that is changing despite him.
Hinton wrote this book for readers like me, readers that FEEL their characters without sparkly descriptions. Tex's vernacular is simple, and so are his thoughts, which leads the reader to do all of the real feeling in this book. It is up to the reader to take home the theme of the book, and I can see where it would be different depending on the point of view, but there are plenty to choose from: Poverty, Coming of age, family relationships, parentless home, drugs, and so many others. This review could never do it justice, you just have to experience it yourself.
April 2, 2025
Definitely better than Rumble Fish, not quite as good as That Was Then, This Is Now or The Outsiders. I really liked this book (and not just because characters from TWTTIN showed up briefly). The story was interesting, funny, fast-paced, and a little bit thought-provoking. I loved the repetition of the line 'There are people who go, and people who stay.' While this isn't my favorite S.E. Hinton book, I did thoroughly enjoy it, and I recommend it.
January 29, 2019
I love Tex but it isn't as good as the outsiders.The outsiders has a bigger place in my heart. I love Johnny he is my favorite character. Mace is a bit of a idiot.
January 8, 2025
tex gets me.
December 11, 2022
This book had a similar feel as The Outsiders, which I expected, coming from Hinton. Tex is complicated. He reminds me a little of Shawn Hunter from Boy Meets World with a friend from a good family, Johnny, like Cory Matthews. I never knew I wanted a story from the opposite pov, but getting into Tex's head was enlightening. Hinton never disappoints me, and I'll continue working through her books.
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October 6, 2016 Personal Response: I believe that Tex was a kid on a path of destruction. He was getting in trouble with Johnny and causing problems at school. Throughout the majority of the book, it appeared Tex’s brother, Mason, was more of a father figure than his actual father. Tex had a good role model in Mason, but he always knew Mason and he were two different people. Tex later finds out they are way different people. The book shows life is unpredictable. Tex went a complete turnaround when everything he knew changed. He became a “new” Tex by the time the book was done.
Plot: Tex was a kid who lived life to the fullest. He liked hanging with friends, riding his horse, and being with his brother. When his family was in financial trouble, the first thing that had to go was the horses. This made Tex angry with his brother. Throughout most of the book there was a tension between Tex and Mason. When Tex pulled his last prank in the school, everything went from a spiral down to a straight plummet. Everything that Tex knew about himself and his family was changed. His view on everyone he knew was shifted slightly.Tex’s view on his life changed drastically during the course of the book.
Characterization: Tex was an easy going guy in the beginning of the book. He lived life to the fullest, and the only person there to stop him was Mason. Throughout the course of the book, Tex’s emotions changed towards the people he loved and where he lived. When his horse was sold, his view of Mason was more hatred than a love. He was not happy again until his father came home. When his dad was back, Tex felt as if he didn’t quite belong anymore. He almost thought it was easier with Mason. And when he found out he was not related to his dad, he was heartbroken. Tex’s perception of life matured quickly over the course of the book.
Impacts of setting: The town Tex lived in fits the story very well. He was in the country most of his life, and the city always had something new every time he went there. Whenever Tex was in the city, he felt out of place. He felt like he didn’t belong in the city. It is also the same problem with his family. It felt like home with only Mason in the house. When his father came home, he felt out of place. Tex was in a time where laws in the USA were still relaxed. That allowed him to get away with a lot of the things he did without much punishment. The setting is what allowed Tex to live his life recklessly, and fit well with the story.
Theme: This book shows that family will stay together through everything. Tex's family was not related by blood, but they still treated him like a brother. Mason sold the horses; however Tex never thought of leaving the house. Tex's emotions towards his family changed throughout the course of the book, but the family stayed united.
Recommendation: I think that this book would be good for boys around the age of 14. The things that Tex does would appeal to that age group. The story isn’t the most exciting book I have ever read but was still worth my time. The storyline is fairly smooth, and the book as a whole flows. The book is easy to follow, and had more simple concepts. The book shows that though everything, family will stay together.
Plot: Tex was a kid who lived life to the fullest. He liked hanging with friends, riding his horse, and being with his brother. When his family was in financial trouble, the first thing that had to go was the horses. This made Tex angry with his brother. Throughout most of the book there was a tension between Tex and Mason. When Tex pulled his last prank in the school, everything went from a spiral down to a straight plummet. Everything that Tex knew about himself and his family was changed. His view on everyone he knew was shifted slightly.Tex’s view on his life changed drastically during the course of the book.
Characterization: Tex was an easy going guy in the beginning of the book. He lived life to the fullest, and the only person there to stop him was Mason. Throughout the course of the book, Tex’s emotions changed towards the people he loved and where he lived. When his horse was sold, his view of Mason was more hatred than a love. He was not happy again until his father came home. When his dad was back, Tex felt as if he didn’t quite belong anymore. He almost thought it was easier with Mason. And when he found out he was not related to his dad, he was heartbroken. Tex’s perception of life matured quickly over the course of the book.
Impacts of setting: The town Tex lived in fits the story very well. He was in the country most of his life, and the city always had something new every time he went there. Whenever Tex was in the city, he felt out of place. He felt like he didn’t belong in the city. It is also the same problem with his family. It felt like home with only Mason in the house. When his father came home, he felt out of place. Tex was in a time where laws in the USA were still relaxed. That allowed him to get away with a lot of the things he did without much punishment. The setting is what allowed Tex to live his life recklessly, and fit well with the story.
Theme: This book shows that family will stay together through everything. Tex's family was not related by blood, but they still treated him like a brother. Mason sold the horses; however Tex never thought of leaving the house. Tex's emotions towards his family changed throughout the course of the book, but the family stayed united.
Recommendation: I think that this book would be good for boys around the age of 14. The things that Tex does would appeal to that age group. The story isn’t the most exciting book I have ever read but was still worth my time. The storyline is fairly smooth, and the book as a whole flows. The book is easy to follow, and had more simple concepts. The book shows that though everything, family will stay together.
June 3, 2019
Many years ago, I had just finished Hinton's The Outsiders and raved about it to a friend. It's one of those books I read at just the right time. After listening to all the ways I love The Outsiders, my friend said, "Tex is better." At the time I considered this blasphemy and never read Tex. I don't even know where that person is now, but on some off chance they're reading this review... I'm sorry. You were right. Tex is better. Not a lot better mind you, as I still have love for The Outsiders, but there's a gripping raw maturity in Tex that hooked me completely.
Tex is a 14/15 year old boy who lives in that place many young teens do - no fear of death or injury, doesn't think past the next stupid prank, no worries, life is good sort of place. He lives with his brother Mason who is 17 going on 50 with more responsibility that he should have to endure and dreams only of escape. The story takes place over several months as Tex comes to learn some hard truths. I wish I'd read this when I was much younger.
Tex is a 14/15 year old boy who lives in that place many young teens do - no fear of death or injury, doesn't think past the next stupid prank, no worries, life is good sort of place. He lives with his brother Mason who is 17 going on 50 with more responsibility that he should have to endure and dreams only of escape. The story takes place over several months as Tex comes to learn some hard truths. I wish I'd read this when I was much younger.
May 19, 2016
So I've never read The Outsiders....I know, I know. I plan to, I actually plan on reading all of her work seeing as she lives here in Tulsa. So this was my first introduction to S.E. Hinton and it was a pretty good experience. Yes, these books are aimed at teens but I enjoyed it as well.
This little book is a snippet of life in a small town, two brothers and their trials and tribulations in a few short years of their lives. I think it has a little bit of everything in it when I think back on the teen years. I grew up in a small town and this book had so many things that rang true of life in one of these nondescript small towns that cover our country.
Anyways, it was a nice little read and I'm looking forward to reading her other stuff soon.
This little book is a snippet of life in a small town, two brothers and their trials and tribulations in a few short years of their lives. I think it has a little bit of everything in it when I think back on the teen years. I grew up in a small town and this book had so many things that rang true of life in one of these nondescript small towns that cover our country.
Anyways, it was a nice little read and I'm looking forward to reading her other stuff soon.
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February 22, 2025Tex is a good book as I gave it five stars. First, I liked the theme of my book which was personal growth. As Tex is talking to his brother we hear him say “ I was beginning to understand that growing up was more than just getting taller. It was about making choices and living with the consequence ”(Hilton 65). This quote is stating Tex realizing personal growth involves more than just physical change as he begins to take responsibility for his actions and understand the challenges of adulthood. Then, I liked the crisis in my book when Tex and his family are having financial struggles. We see this when Tex’s brother says “ We were always just scraping by never knowing if we’d make it to the next month”(Hilton 150). This quote is very important to the crisis as throughout the book Tex and his family were not financially stable and uncertain in their lives. This quote is stating that Tex and his family never knew if they were going to survive as they lived day by day struggling which is the crisis in my book. Furthermore, I liked how Tex is characterized as carefree. We see the characterization of carefree at the beginning of the story when Tex says “ I never wondered about my future. I figured things would just workout somehow”(Hilton 33). This quote is stating how Tex was so carefree about his future. But at the end of the story we see the characterization of responsibility come out when Tex says “ I knew I had to be responsible and take care of things, not just for myself but for my family”( Hilton 199). This quote is showing Tex realize how him being responsible helps out his family. In the book this shows that Tex is a dynamic character who changed from a carefree young teenager to a responsible young teenager. Finally, I liked the imagery in my book. When Tex was arguing with his brother the author says “ A storm of emotions raged inside Tex, his thoughts swirled like dark clouds”(Hilton 100). This quote is describing and showing how Tex’s emotions are awful like dark clouds.
June 9, 2025
There are people who are going and people who are staying and that is the biggest truth of life.
This book talked a lot about horses and the fair which are some of my favorite things ever. Tex & Mason were such good characters, and this one was the most relatable Hinton book for me so far.
This book talked a lot about horses and the fair which are some of my favorite things ever. Tex & Mason were such good characters, and this one was the most relatable Hinton book for me so far.
December 6, 2017
I recently re-read this book with my son. Not as influential to me as when I read it first time as a Junior in high school. Still a good story.
May 4, 2022
A compelling story of small town entrapment that is timeless in its representation of the struggle between those who stay and those who go. As always, Hinton seamlessly reels you in with a first-person narration that really gets to the troubled heart of her rudderless narrator, Tex.
May 20, 2022
Good story but characters not as endearing as The Outsiders.
July 28, 2025
rereading as i unpack… one of my forever favorites. quietly devastating as always
February 16, 2025
I loved this book so much. I love S.E. Hinton more than any other author I've read. This is no Outsiders, but nothing is.
November 21, 2014
I read "Tex" by S.E. Hinton. It was about a boy, Tex, in his teenage years. He loses his horse because they are low on money, his mother dies, his father is always gone, and to top it off he finds out that Pop isn't even his real dad. Tex's brother, Mace, has been like his father for as long as he can remember. Mace is a star basketball player who wants nothing more than to leave. Throughout the book Tex falls in love, gets into a lot of trouble, and even gets shot at a drug deal. I didn't enjoy however, the book just ends not giving any information as to what became of Tex and Mace.
Tex is the main character and is very dynamic. He loves horses, is a troublemaker in school, will do anything to be popular, and is in love with Jamie. Throughout the book he discovers just how fast things can change, and that he shouldn't take anything he has for granted. Mace is Tex's brother and doesn't change much throughout the book. He is a star basketball player and all he has ever dreamed of is going to college. However, as the story progresses, he decides not to go so that he can take care of Tex.
The setting of the story is never clearly stated, however I believe it takes place in the late seventies to early eighties. It is set in the small country town of Garyville, Oklahoma. I believe the setting impacts the story by making certain events more likely to happen. It also influences the characters and their behaviors.
I believe the author was trying to display the life of a teenager, and show that you should never take what you have for granted. It is difficult for me to relate well with the story, because I have never been in a similar situation to what Tex went through. However, I believe I use what Tex learned throughout the story in my own life. I can be thankful and take care of everything that I have been blessed with in my life.
I would give “Tex” four out of five stars. The author used simple vocabulary that helped keep the story flowing as well as kept my interest throughout the book. The book contains some situations and language that might be inappropriate for a younger reading group. For these reasons I would recommend “Tex” to high schoolers and older who enjoy a realistic adventure packed story.
Tex is the main character and is very dynamic. He loves horses, is a troublemaker in school, will do anything to be popular, and is in love with Jamie. Throughout the book he discovers just how fast things can change, and that he shouldn't take anything he has for granted. Mace is Tex's brother and doesn't change much throughout the book. He is a star basketball player and all he has ever dreamed of is going to college. However, as the story progresses, he decides not to go so that he can take care of Tex.
The setting of the story is never clearly stated, however I believe it takes place in the late seventies to early eighties. It is set in the small country town of Garyville, Oklahoma. I believe the setting impacts the story by making certain events more likely to happen. It also influences the characters and their behaviors.
I believe the author was trying to display the life of a teenager, and show that you should never take what you have for granted. It is difficult for me to relate well with the story, because I have never been in a similar situation to what Tex went through. However, I believe I use what Tex learned throughout the story in my own life. I can be thankful and take care of everything that I have been blessed with in my life.
I would give “Tex” four out of five stars. The author used simple vocabulary that helped keep the story flowing as well as kept my interest throughout the book. The book contains some situations and language that might be inappropriate for a younger reading group. For these reasons I would recommend “Tex” to high schoolers and older who enjoy a realistic adventure packed story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2022
A strength of Hinton's is creating realistic, sometimes complex, situations that were happening in Oklahoma in the 60s to 70s that even teens today can understand in their own ways. There's definitely no candy coating anything here; not the violence, the drug deals, criminal activity, or even death.
Although, I think she may have taken a page from Disney as I haven't read about anyone having a mother; they've either died or taken off and left the weighed-down, sometimes criminal, gambling addict, alcoholic fathers to vaguely, or not at all, raise their sons.
Tex, however, does have a strong, present father in the form of Cole, who is the father of Randy and Jaime, the titular character's love interest.
I tend to enjoy stories with first person narration and Tex's telling of what his life was like was no exception. However, at times my mind wandered as I listened to the excellent narrator with his deep southern drawl explain yet another long long scene with details that were at time reiterated several times. We get it, Tex's father preferred his brother, thought Tex was a nuisance for most of his life, and spent time anywhere other than at home. Towards the end there is a surprise that I actually did not see coming, and solidified that Mason really was an AH.
There are two action packed scenes that gave some much needed added depth to a book that was a slightly boring extension of The Outsiders.
I've learned that Hinton's books aren't for me, but they sure do make me think.
Although, I think she may have taken a page from Disney as I haven't read about anyone having a mother; they've either died or taken off and left the weighed-down, sometimes criminal, gambling addict, alcoholic fathers to vaguely, or not at all, raise their sons.
Tex, however, does have a strong, present father in the form of Cole, who is the father of Randy and Jaime, the titular character's love interest.
I tend to enjoy stories with first person narration and Tex's telling of what his life was like was no exception. However, at times my mind wandered as I listened to the excellent narrator with his deep southern drawl explain yet another long long scene with details that were at time reiterated several times. We get it, Tex's father preferred his brother, thought Tex was a nuisance for most of his life, and spent time anywhere other than at home. Towards the end there is a surprise that I actually did not see coming, and solidified that Mason really was an AH.
There are two action packed scenes that gave some much needed added depth to a book that was a slightly boring extension of The Outsiders.
I've learned that Hinton's books aren't for me, but they sure do make me think.
April 27, 2016
This is a book that I haven't read in a while. The first time I read this book was probably in my post-Outsiders funk in like, sixth grade (I read that book over and over and over again, the fact that it starts with the same words it ends with made it really easy), I found this, I read it I really liked it but not as much as The Outsiders, and that's kind of where I am now. This is a good one, but it's not my favorite of hers, not even close.
I do still like the connections to the other books that you wouldn't really know unless you really looked - the hitchhiker, for example, being a character from That Was Then, This Is Now, which is connected to The Outsiders, which is... either way, that's always a lot of fun, and I do really like that. As well as that, the friendships, and the familial bonds, and honestly, Mason really struck a chord with me. A very well-made character, that boy is.
Overall, this is just another one of those things where I really love S. E. Hinton and am also a little mad because of how good she was at such a young age. It's cool.
I do still like the connections to the other books that you wouldn't really know unless you really looked - the hitchhiker, for example, being a character from That Was Then, This Is Now, which is connected to The Outsiders, which is... either way, that's always a lot of fun, and I do really like that. As well as that, the friendships, and the familial bonds, and honestly, Mason really struck a chord with me. A very well-made character, that boy is.
Overall, this is just another one of those things where I really love S. E. Hinton and am also a little mad because of how good she was at such a young age. It's cool.
March 23, 2015
I read the book “Tex” by S.E. Hinton. I thought this was a good book and one of S.E. Hinton’s better books. I liked how this book had ups and downs and it just kept me guessing what would happen next. I would consider reading this book again I thought it was that good. All around I would say this was a great book.
This book started off with Tex just living a normal life as a young man. He lived at home with his brother who cared and provided for him. Tex and his brother had a gang of friends. Everyone in the gang was loyal to each other and cared for each other. Things started to get bad for Tex. The girl that he chased after and finally asked out left him. Then, he ended up getting caught in a drug deal and got shot. His horse, Norberto, ran away and he never saw him again. That affected all of their lives. Tex survived getting shot but it taught him and his gang of friends a lesson. The gang changed and they acted more friendly and nice.
I would recommend this book to all genders around the ages of 14 through 18. I feel that people around that age could relate more to Tex and the choices and the struggles that he faces in this great book.
This book started off with Tex just living a normal life as a young man. He lived at home with his brother who cared and provided for him. Tex and his brother had a gang of friends. Everyone in the gang was loyal to each other and cared for each other. Things started to get bad for Tex. The girl that he chased after and finally asked out left him. Then, he ended up getting caught in a drug deal and got shot. His horse, Norberto, ran away and he never saw him again. That affected all of their lives. Tex survived getting shot but it taught him and his gang of friends a lesson. The gang changed and they acted more friendly and nice.
I would recommend this book to all genders around the ages of 14 through 18. I feel that people around that age could relate more to Tex and the choices and the struggles that he faces in this great book.
August 3, 2022
I love the way SE Hinton tells a story. Quick paced with endearing characters. Similar to The Outsiders in some ways- coming of age story, a troubled misfit teen… and so good.
“We almost flipped the seat… the operator brought us down in a hurry… He was a mean-looking carnie, and we shot off before he got a chance to do much more than holler…”
“My best advice: Don’t change. Your future: There are people who go, people who stay. You will stay.”
“Mace,” I said, struck by a thought, “did you ever think that all those people in those cars have a whole separate story to them, that it’s just as important to them as our stuff is to us, and we don’t know anything about it.”
“We almost flipped the seat… the operator brought us down in a hurry… He was a mean-looking carnie, and we shot off before he got a chance to do much more than holler…”
“My best advice: Don’t change. Your future: There are people who go, people who stay. You will stay.”
“Mace,” I said, struck by a thought, “did you ever think that all those people in those cars have a whole separate story to them, that it’s just as important to them as our stuff is to us, and we don’t know anything about it.”
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