FICTION

Alice from Dallas

by Marilyn SADLER
illus. by Ard Hoyt. 40p. Abrams. Mar. 2014. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781419707902. LC 2012036740.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—Alice (from Dallas, Pennsylvania) regales her classmates with her passion for the Wild West. When a new girl comes to school with lasso tricks and cowgirl songs of her own, Alice is miffed. Feelings of jealousy lead Alice to challenge Lexis to a "showdown…at high noon." Spurs are "a-jinglin'," and stick ponies are galloping during the playground standoff. But when Lexis falls and hurts her foot in the Texas-Two-Step duel, Alice feels remorse. The enthusiastic cowgirl realizes that Lexis isn't competition but, rather, a kindred spirit. Hoyt's watercolor and ink illustrations are full of witty details, from ten-gallon hats to long shadows cast on hallway floors. Peppered with plenty of "Yippee ki-yay!" twang, this charming friendship story makes for a rollicking fun read-aloud.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada
Alice, who lives in Dallas, Pennsylvania, loves to pretend to be a Wild West cowgirl until Lexis from Texas (or is she?) comes to town and threatens to usurp her. A high-noon playground showdown leads to an injury and an inevitable but satisfying partnership. This mild rivalry-turned-friendship tale conveys its message smoothly, while Hoyt's watercolor and pen illustrations embody the "Yippee ki-yay!" spirit.
Reviewed by Linda Ludke , Mar 01, 2014

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