Storytime Theme: Cowpoke

The cowpoke theme is one I took some time to consider as the history of cowboys here in America can be a difficult one. Original cowboys were actually Native American, Black, and/or Mexican men called Vaqueros. Some of these men in the Western United States were hired while many of them were enslaved by landowners to manage livestock. While I want to acknowledge the painful history of cowboys in the U.S., this storytime focuses on fun stories about kids who love riding horses and playing with toys. You could also take this in another direction and focus on the Wild West as a place with books about the desert or plains, stories from Indigenous authors, and nonfiction titles about the animals and people who have and do live there today. As with any program, it’s important to read these books before the program begins to make sure they are appropriate for the program you are presenting and for the audience as well.

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