Saddle up for a Readin’ Rodeo at the library this summer!
Since June kicks off our rodeo summer, and since it’s the June genre in our Bookworm Challenge, we are spotlighting western books in this post. Most books that we call westerns typically take place in the western part of the U.S. during the 19th and 20th century. [If you haven’t heard of our Bookworm Challenge, learn all about it here and sign up on Beanstack.]
June is the also the beginning of our Readin’ Rodeo Summer Challenge, which runs parallel to our year-long Bookworm Challenge. It’s easy and free to participate in both challenges. Best of all, since the challenges run parallel to each other, like train tracks into the Old West, what you read can count for both challenges.
While our Bookworm Challenge happens all year, our Readin’ Rodeo Summer Challenge is just for the summer, running from June 3 to July 28, 2024. Similar to the Bookworm Challenge, log minutes spent reading and complete activities to earn prizes! You can read more about it here and sign up for it on Beanstack as well.
Below, we list just a few of the many westerns you may want to read for the Bookworm Challenge, the Readin’ Rodeo or maybe just to get a taste of the Wild West.
You can count one western book for multiple activities in the Bookworm Challenge, and our prompts are open-ended enough that even if you really dislike the western genre, you can still earn the badge. Here are the reading prompts for June’s badge:
Youth Challenge Western Badge Prompts (Ages 0-17)
- Read a book whose title begins with a W
- Read a book with a horse on the cover
- Spend time reading outside
- Have a Rootin’ Tootin’ good time attending Reed Fest
- Read a book that takes place in a desert or in the western part of the U.S.
Adult Challenge Western Badge Prompts (Ages 18+)
- Read a book with 350+ pages
- Read a western book that was adapted into a movie or show (Lonesome Dove, True Grit, etc.)
- Read a book whose title begins with a W
- Spend time reading outside
- Read a book that is set in the western part of the U.S.
Even if you’re not able to get all these done in June, that’s okay–you’ll have the rest of the year to catch up if you missed out or started late.
Now… Onto the western book recs!
Western Book Recs (a la Bookworm Challenge)
- Waynetta and the Cornstalk: A Texas Fairy Tale by Helen Ketteman
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book has a title that begins with the letter W and takes place in the western part of the U.S.
- Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book has a horse on the cover
- Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book takes place in the western part of the U.S.
- Gold Rush Girl by Avi
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book takes place in the western part of the U.S.
- One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book has a horse on the cover and takes place in the western part of the U.S.
- Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book takes place in the western part of the U.S.
- Northranger by Rey Terciero
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book has a horse on the cover and takes place in the western part of the U.S.
- Shane by Jack Schaefer
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book was adapted to film, has a horse on the cover, and takes place in the western part of the U.S.
- Outlawed by Anna North
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book is set in the western part of the U.S.
- Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book is set in the western part of the U.S.
- Wolves of Eden by Kevin McCarthy
- View this on our catalog
- Bookworm tip: This book is set in the western part of the U.S., its title begins with the letter W, it has a horse on the cover, and it has 350+ pages
Sincerely, Cornelius 