Bull Rider review

I know all of you librarians out there are dying for some great books aimed at your teen guys and I've come across one that not only will please the reader, but the giver as well. You'll like it, their parents will like it, and the teen reader will enjoy it too. And though it's probably aimed towards the guys, with a male main character and lots of male secondary characters, not to mention quick a bit of sports action, there is a great plot and family dynamic, so don't feel like you can't hand it to girls too!

Cam O'Mara is a championship skateboarder. He lives to board and spend time with his friends, practicing and learning new tricks. Cam comes from a family line of championship bull riders (definitely not skateboarders) and though his grandfather, father, and brother have, at times, shown a bit of disappointment in Cam's lack of interest in the sport, they know he loves his skateboarder and is darn good at it.

When his older brother Ben, arrives home from the Iraq War, seriously injured, unable to ride a bull, and depressed, Cam decides that he finally do what his family always wanted him to do...become a bull rider. Cam figures this will allow his brother to live through him, watching Cam get on bulls and rule the sport. Unfortunately, nothing comes easily and not only does Cam's mother want him to have absolutely nothing to do with the sport of bull riding, but Ben just can't seem to snap out of the funk the war left him in.

Filled with great descriptions, lots of action, and some family drama, Bull Rider will definitely please a crowd. It's written on a topic that we don't get to see a lot of, making it a nice recommendation for those kids that just read everrrrything. They probably haven't read one on bull riding yet!

To learn more or to purchase, click on the book cover above to link to Amazon.

Bull Rider
Suzanne Morgan Williams
256 pages
Young Adult
Margaret K. McElderry
9781416961307
February 2009