Ghetto Cowboy ★★★★★

Ghetto Cowboy (Click Here To Buy)

★★★★★

Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri is a young adult book about Black cowboys in Philadelphia.

I checked this book out from the library after seeing the book in an airport bookstore while on my way to Philadelphia and then hearing about the trip from @ailsacatherine while I was there.

Cole has gotten in trouble at school for the last time. His mom, who can’t take it anymore, puts Cole in the car and drives him from Detroit to Philadelphia, telling him he is going to live with his father, who he has never met. Upon arrival, Cole learns that his dad, Harper, is the head of a group of Black cowboys living in the intercity, taking care of horses that would have otherwise been killed and teaching children how to ride to keep them from joining gangs. Cole is hesitant to become involved but when the city threatens to shut them down, Cole has to learn how to stand up for something he believes in.

This story was great and the fact that it is based on a real group of people makes it all the more intriguing! I want to read all about Black cowboys now - I found a non-fiction book called The Compton Cowboys by Walter Thompson-Hernandez about a group of Black cowboys in Los Angeles that I want to check out next.

The book has also recently been made into a movie on Netflix called Concrete Cowboy starring Idris Elba.

If you liked Ghetto Cowboy, I also recommend Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones, Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, walk don’t run by Dale Hom, and Pet by Akwaeke Emezi.

Happy reading -

Ms.Bjork