Some Kind of Courage

Gemeinhart (The Honest Truth) delivers another emotional page-turner in this gripping historical novel about 12-year-old orphan Joseph Johnson. It’s 1890 and Joseph is alone in the Wild West. His father, mother, and little sister have all died, and the only family he has left is his beloved horse, Sarah. When the drunk old man who looks after Joseph sells Sarah without asking permission, the young boy sets out to get his pony back. He is joined, for part of this quest, by a young boy named Ah-Kee. Both boys are alone, both are searching for something, and although they do not share a language, they bolster each other on their journeys. Voice actor Eiden performs as though he is telling readers a yarn over a campfire, performing Joseph and most of the other characters with a cowboy-like twang. The sound is crisp and clear, and there is a pleasant warmth to Eiden’s voice. He handles this middle-grade story with aplomb, making it interesting for adults as well as the intended audience. Ages 8–12. A Scholastic Press hardcover. (Jan.)