The Sweetwater Run: The Story of Buffalo Bill Cody and the Pony Express - Hardcover

Glass, Andrew

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0385322208 ISBN 13: 9780385322201

Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 1996

Synopsis

In 1860 the only Pony Express job 13-year-old Will Cody could land was the "sweat and water run," taking care of the tired and thirsty ponies. But one chilly November morning, Will has his big chance. The news of the U.S. presidential election has been entrusted to the pony boys, and from the looks of it, only Will would be able to get the mail through. But should he risk his own safety and the wrath of his boss, the Terrible Slade, and ride himself?
From the Trade Paperback edition.

About this title

Review:

The most famous cowboy of all might well be Buffalo Bill Cody. His Wild West Show toured the world for more than 30 years at the end of the last century and the early years of this one. It also helped to immortalize a number of legends from the days of the frontier, including Annie Oakley. Before he was a star entertainer, however, Buffalo Bill was a Pony Express rider. Andrew Glass has taken that piece of historical information and fashioned an engaging fictional tale, recounting the made-up story of Will Cody's Pony Express dash to spread news of Abraham Lincoln's election to the far reaches of the American West. The Cody of this tale is a teenager, and he will appeal to all kids interested in a lively hero and a good adventure yarn.

From Kirkus Reviews:

In a work subtitled ``The Story of Buffalo Bill Cody and the Pony Express,'' Glass (Folks Call Me Appleseed John, 1995, etc.) presents a well-researched, colorfully written, and dynamically illustrated fictional (some characters are invented, and historians are unsure whether Cody actually carried mail for the Pony Express) account of how 14-year-old Will Cody became the youngest rider, carrying the news of President Lincoln's election westward on a portion of the route along the North Platte and Sweetwater rivers in Wyoming Territory. The tale, told in the colloquial first-person narration of an older man reminiscing about the greatest adventure of his life, concludes with brief mentions of Cody's later exploits as Union Army scout, buffalo hunter, and showman. Scratch-textured oil paintings, with Glass's trademark purple shadows, are full of drama, rich color, and motion. He provides extensive notes; maps of the Pony Express route appear on the endpapers. This is a wonderful jumping-off point for further investigation of Cody's life and legend, the history of the Pony Express, westward expansion, Native American conflicts, decimation of the buffalo, or even California's teetering between the Union and the Confederacy before the Civil War. (Picture book. 7-11) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0385322208
• ISBN 13: 9780385322201
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 48