Bull Rider

Deborah Dowson is a Canadian children’s librarian living in Powell,
Ohio.

There is a huge bone of contention between 16-year-old Layne and his
mother. Layne is passionate about bull riding and intends to enter the
competition at the upcoming rodeo. His mother is completely against the
idea. Layne’s father was killed in a bull-riding competition six years
earlier, and she is afraid that the same thing will happen to her son.
In spite of his mother’s objections, Layne cannot stop bull riding. He
finds a neighbour, former bull rider Chaise Kinkaid, who is willing to
train him and keep it a secret from his Mom. During this time, Layne
learns valuable skills and gains a new perspective on bull riding in the
context of his life. When Layne finally does get to compete in his first
rodeo, he has to ride Rhino, the one-horned bull who once tried to kill
him.

Bull Rider is a little more simplistic in both style and substance than
most of the other novels in the Orca Soundings series of books for
reluctant teen readers. There is a moral dilemma at the core of the
story, but it is resolved with very little conflict. The story is almost
completely focused on the bull-riding episodes, and character
development is very limited. The subject matter is unusual, and there is
plenty of physical action in the plot, which may be enough to spark
interest. However, it doesn’t quite live up to the quality excellent
that is the standard for this series. Recommended with reservations.