TEXAS TOMBOY

Another stunning regional story about one of the sturdy breed of tomboys in Texas cattle country, distinguished by the author's sympathetic, lively and earth-warm imagination. Charlotte Clarissa, who insists on being called ""Charlie Boy"" at Triangle ranch, is jauntily tough, fiery-tempered and irrepressible as the Texas land of winds, storm and killing ""drouths"" Charlie is no blue-jeaned imitation of the real thing. She knows what to do with a starving calf, a threatening rattlesnake and in a fistcuff brawl with a boy, knocks out a tooth. Cocky Charlie Boy raises ructions in the schoolroom, makes a dead run through Duffy's farm, ruining the poor farmer's crop and teases her feminine sister, Grace. There is no magical transformation into ribbons and lace for Charlie -- the skill, good sense, high spirits and courage of this Texas cowboy are never suppressed -- but Charlie does learn tolerance of others and the fruits of kindness.