Young Slim has always dreamed of being a cowboy. That's why he quivers with excitement on his first day at the WJ Ranch. The sights, sounds, and smells of cowboy life thrill him so that he stays awake that night-writing beautiful poetry. When veteran cowhands find his pile of poems, they say he's not a real cowboy and make him ride behind the cows. And when he realizes how poor his riding, roping, and whipping skills are, Slim heads for home-thinking he's a failure. But just then, a violent thunderstorm stampedes the herd toward Deadman's Canyon and prompts Slim to do something the other cowboys couldn't do. Popular author Julie Danneberg has written a variety of innovative works for children-including a delightful book on Colorado history and geography. Ed Sala's whimsical narration helps this book's colorful and evocative words blossom with meaning. 'The well-chosen words of the narrative read aloud beautifully . A droll tribute to the long tradition of cowboy poets, this will please any young tenderfoot who feels the call of the range.'-Booklist '. the light text lathered liberally with western lingo neatly captures cowboy cadence. Perfect for cowboys and -girls who long to ride at the head of the herd.'-Kirkus Reviews