Written in diary form with poems and comic book–style drawings scattered throughout, Alonzo’s (Gallop-O-Gallop
) first novel presents 15-year-old Yancy Aparicio’s account of life on the road—with his cherished horse, Shy. After Yancy’s mentally troubled older brother attacks Shy, Yancy runs away, heading out into the California desert and filling his journal with his observations, interactions, and reflections. His nearly three-week journey might seem implausible to some, but there’s a timeless, noble quality to Yancy’s wanderings. His narrative has the scattered, frustrated tone of a teenager desperate to vent and who is slowly realizing what he’s gotten himself into (“A few months ago, Mom and I watched an old black-and-white Western movie. It was so lame with this cowboy on the run from the law, but shit, that guy was prepared! I mean he wasn’t eating pretzels for dinner”). While his voice can feel uneven, vacillating between polished thoughts and rougher play-by-plays of events as they happen, Yancy’s friendship with a Mexican ranch worker and his family’s genuine desperation give the book emotional resonance. Ages 12–up. (Mar.)
