Cowboy: A Kid's Album

Ian Wylie Toal is a freelance science writer living in Martindale,
Ontario.

Each double-page spread in this strange yet interesting book deals with
a single topic relating to cowboys, from what they wore and what they
did to how they are portrayed in movies. Each topic is illustrated with
a wide variety of drawings or pictures, whether old or new photos, or
stills from movies. The book is informative, concise, and generally well
written. The text deals with all aspects of the cowboy life, the past
and the present, the myth and the reality. We learn that cowboy boots
“were made for riding, not walking,” with some so thin “that the
rider could feel the stirrup.” The book’s strangeness has to do with
its disjointed layout, bewildering array of illustrations, and poorly
organized text. Recommended with reservations.