THE ZEBRA-RIDING COWBOY

A rollicking cowboy ballad tells the story of a stranger who the other cowboys suppose is a greenhorn: ``Such an educated fellow, his thoughts just came in herds;/ He astonished all the cowboys with jaw-breaking words.'' Thinking to show him up, they put him on the ``Zebra Dun,'' an unridable outlaw, but though ``We could see the tops of mountains under Dunny's every jump,/ ...the stranger seemed to grow there, just like a camel's hump.'' The lively watercolor illustrations depict an assortment of cowboys—African-American (notably, the stranger, whose striped trousers slyly suggest a reason for the manner of his hazing), Latino (including the boss), and white (the cook and a guitarist). An excellent note points out how common such mixes actually were, despite all-white media stereotypes. In an engaging final touch, the whole crew is seen happily reading the stranger's books. A nifty song, given a valid and intriguing new spin. Music included. (Music/Picture book. 5-10)