Publisher : Barbara A. Held (May 19, 2024)
Language : English
Paperback : 116 pages
Genre : MG Historical Fiction
ISBN-13 : 978-1734641721
Reviewer : Adrianna McCollum
Four stars - Timmy in the Old West
All Timmy wants is for the school bully to leave him alone. Things take a turn for the worse when the bully destroys Timmy’s Roy Rogers lunchbox, a cherished keepsake from his grandpa. The lunchbox was Timmy’s one connection to his beloved grandpa, the person who made him feel the safest. That is, until Timmy steps through a secret door and finds himself back in time on his grandpa’s ranch. The year is 1884 and, although his grandpa hasn’t been born yet, Timmy is surrounded by loving ancestors who teach him the value of hard work. Everything is going great—Timmy relishes living in the Old West and calls on his knowledge of the historical period to fit in—until another bully rears his head and threatens to ruin everything. In Timmy in the Old West, Timmy must figure out what it takes to stand up to bullies once and for all.
Barbara Held has reimagined the old west in rich sensory detail. Her meticulous research allows the reader to taste the sweetness of chokecherry jelly, to feel the rough texture of a lariat in the hand, and to hear the many sounds of ranch life, from a rooster crowing in the morning to the family sitting down for supper after a long day of hard work. Timmy in the Old West is a charming ode to life on a ranch in 1884. Held imbues the characters and setting with the same kind of love that gives Timmy the courage he needs to stand up to his foe. I recommend this book for any child who is bullied, as well as kids who love western settings, time travel, and historical fiction. But it’s not just for kids; this book would appeal to any adult who hankers for a vivid glimpse into the Old West.
Reviewer Adrianna McCollum writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. She won the 73rd Annual Jade Ring Writing Contest in Nonfiction for a memoir essay and is querying her MG fantasy novel Peregrine from the Stories. Read more about her at https://adriannamccollum.com.
