LibGuides: Spur Awards: Western Storyteller / Picture Book

SPUR Awards

Best Western Storyteller / Illustrated Books for Children / Picture Book

2020s

WINNER

Let 'Er Buck: George Fletcher, the People's Champion by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson; Gordon C. James, illustrator

Let 'er Buck! [E-Book] : George Fletcher, the people's champion by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Call Number: Juv F NEL Ebook (OverDrive)
ISBN: 9781541541801
Publication Date: 2019
In 1911, three men were in the final round of the famed Pendleton Round-Up. One was white, one was Indian, and one was black. When the judges declared the white man the winner, the audience was outraged. They named black cowboy George Fletcher the "people's champion" and took up a collection, ultimately giving Fletcher far more than the value of the prize that went to the official winner. Award-winning author Vaunda Micheaux Nelson tells the story of Fletcher's unlikely triumph with a western flair that will delight kids - and adults - who love true stories, unlikely heroes, and cowboy tales.

FINALISTS:

Rowdy Randy by Casey Day Rislov; Zachary Pullen, illustrator
J is for Jackalope by Teal Blake

WINNER

Run Cow Run by Cami Carlson & Greg White

FINALISTS:

Bandit the Cow Dog by Phil Mills, Jr. & Victor Mojica
Bolo the Brave by Jim Jones & Kamee Young

Bandit the Cow Dog by Phil Mills
Call Number: EASY MIL (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9781643073644
Publication Date: 2020-06-02
Spending the summer on her grandparents' Wyoming ranch was a new and exciting opportunity for ten-year-old Mary Andrews. She lived in Denver, Colorado, and being around horses and cattle every day was a different experience. Having to do daily chores like gathering eggs and keeping an extra-close eye on her dog Princess was also new. She found it hard enough to just make her bed and keeping her clothes picked up. But life took a dramatic turn for the young girl when she was given her first horse. Mary had never ridden before and there was a lot to learn. Thankfully, Bandit, the ranch cow dog, was around to watch over her. Bandit may have been retired, but he still liked herding chickens and trying to corral the ranch cats. Mary would soon learn having a horse was a lot different than having a dog. Along with such ownership came greater responsibilities. That would also mean learning to admit your mistakes, no matter how difficult, and then accepting the consequences, especially when Bandit knew the truth.
Bolo the Brave by Jim Jones
Call Number: EASY YOU (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9798561833175
Publication Date: 2020
Ten year old Charlie lost his parents to pneumonia when he was nine years old. Since then, he's been living with his Grandpa Will who has a chuck wagon and hires on to wagon trains to cook for them. As they wait out on the windy Texas Plains for the wagon train Grandpa Will contracted with to arrive, a funny looking dog with a crooked nose shows up. Charlie feeds him scraps and soon they become friends. Grandpa Will knows the boy is lonely and needing a pal so he reluctantly allows him to stay. Little does he know that Bolo will teach Charlie life-lessons about courage, friendship and self-sacrifice. In a hair-raising encounter with a mountain lion, Charlie realizes that if he doesn't shoot the animal, his friend will die. Even though he is terrified, can he master his fears and grow up in the blink of an eye?

WINNER

Charlie Russell and the Gnomes of Bull Head Lodge by Emily Crawford Wilson; illustrated by Jeanne Bowman

Charlie Russell and the Gnomes of Bull Head Lodge by Emily Crawford Wilson; Jeanne Bowman (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY WIL (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9781941813300
Publication Date: 2021-09-30
A group of gnomes made from found objects secretly help Western artist Charles Russell and his apprentice Joe De Young find inspiration to finish a painting. Includes instructions on how to craft a gnome.

FINALISTS:

Come 'n Git It!: Cookie and his cowboy chuck wagon by Jennifer Coleman; illustrated by Julie Dupré Buckner
Montana's Memory Day: a nature-themed foster/adoption story by Sue Lawrence; illustrated by Erika Wilson

Come 'n Git It! : Cookie and His Cowboy Chuck Wagon by Jennifer Coleman; Julie Dupré Buckner (Illustrator)
Call Number: Easy COL
ISBN: 9781455626168
Publication Date: 2021-10-11
In this colorful tale of the food culture of cattle drives in the 1800s, chuckwagon chef Cookie takes young readers along on a rootin'-tootin' adventure. The days start at three o'clock in the morning, when Cookie makes coffee so thick "you could float a horseshoe on it!" With informational sidebars, a historical note, bibliography, and glossary for cowboy food terms such as "calf slobbers" and "swamp seed," this spirited picture book brings the tastes and smells of the Old West alive!.

WINNER: The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show : The Legend Behind the Legend by Casey Day Rislov, illustrated by Zachary Pullen

The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show by Casey Rislov; Zachary Pullen (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY RIS (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9780578294421
Publication Date: 2022-10-12
Rugged action. Daring stunts. Spectacular showmanship! Rowdy Randy is back, and this time instead of aggravating all the creatures in her path, she's rounding them up to put on her very own Wild West Show. Now critters from every rock, den, and tree are lining up to audition. And what a show it is! From rope stunts to high jumps, and aerial tricks to climbing competitions, this cowgirl's show has got it all. But there is one unwanted character lurking in the shadows who is ready to take credit for it all.

FINALISTS:

A Place for Harvest : the Story of Kenny Higashi by Lauren R. Harris, illustrated by Felicia Hoshino
Buzz the Not-So-Brave by Dani Nichols, illustrated by Kristin McNess Moran

A Place for Harvest : the story of Kenny Higashi by Lauren Harris; Felicia Hoshino (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY B HIG (Easy biography)
ISBN: 9781941813317
Publication Date: 2022-05-30
A small-town boy with a big heart, Kenny Higashi works on his family's vegetable farm in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Then Japan attacks Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and everything changes. Thousands of Japanese American families were forced out of their homes into guarded camps. Kenny's community comes together in support of his family, but soon two soldiers arrive. He can fight or he and his family will be relocated. They will lose everything. Kenneth Ray Higashi was born on December 23, 1921, in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, just north of Spearfish. He was a member of 100th Infantry Battalion, during World War II. His battalion was made up of Nisei, Japanese American descendants, and their motto was "Go For Broke," for their persistence in battle. Few children's stories detail experiences like Kenny's, and through his memories, author Lauren Harris creates a true story of community, hope, and determination. Felicia Hoshino's beautiful illustrations set readers in the iconic Black Hills and transport them as they follow a young man into war.

WINNER: Grandma's Tipi : a Present-Day Lakota Story by S. D. Nelson

Grandma's Tipi : a present-day Lakota story by S. D. Nelson
Call Number: EASY NEL
ISBN: 9781419731921
Publication Date: 2023-05-09
Clara spends her summer visiting her grandma and cousin on the Standing Rock reservation, where Clara and her family set up the ancestral tipi and grow closer together as they tell stories, sing songs, and learn about their Lakota roots.

FINALISTS:

Romeo and Emilia : How One Brave Girl Rose Up from a Wheelchair onto the Back of a Horse by Roni McFadden ; images processed by, Melissa Fischbach
Wild Bill and the Pirates! by Thadd Turner ; illustrated by Jeanne Conway

Romeo and Emilia : how one brave girl rose up from a wheelchair onto the back of a horse by Roni McFadden
Call Number: EASY B PAU
ISBN: 9780984488353
Publication Date: 2023-12-01
A story that captures the undeniable magic of friendship and the connection between a girl and horse both physically and emotionally. Emilia shares so eloquently her journey of friendship with Romeo and his human family. A beautiful and timeless tale.
Wild Bill and the Pirates! by Thadd Turner ; Jeanne Conway (illustrator)
Call Number: EASY TUR
ISBN: 9798218961565
Publication Date: 2023
Legendary old west lawman Wild Bill Hickok leaves Deadwood and meets famous pirate captain Jean Lafitte as they search for a treasure chest full of gold, silver, and jewels to help build an orphange for homeless children in New Orleans, Louisiana.

2010s

WINNER

Finding Susie by Sandra Day O'Connor & Tom Pohrt

FINALISTS:

Kick the Cowboy by Joe Gribnau & Adrian Tans
Bad News for Outlaws by Vaunda Nelson & R. Gregory Christie

Bad News for Outlaws : the remarkable life of Bass Reeves, deputy U. S. marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson; R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv B REE (Juvenile biography)
ISBN: 9780822567646
Publication Date: 2009-08-01
Sitting tall in the saddle, with a wide-brimmed black hat and twin Colt pistols on his belt, Bass Reeves seemed bigger than life. Outlaws feared him. As a deputy U.S. Marshal and former slave who escaped to freedom in the Indian Territories, Bass was cunning and fearless. When a lawbreaker heard Bass Reeves had his warrant, he knew it was the end of the trail, because Bass always got his man, dead or alive. He achieved all this in spite of whites who didn't like the notion of a black lawman. For three decades, Bass was the most feared and respected lawman in the territories. He made more than 3,000 arrests, and though he was a crack shot and a quick draw, he only killed fourteen men in the line of duty.
Bad News for Outlaws [E-Book] : the remarkable life of Bass Reeves, deputy U. S. marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson; R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv B REE Ebook (OverDrive)
ISBN: 9780761357124
Publication Date: 2009-01-08

WINNER

A Night on the Range by Aaron Frisch, illustrated by Chris Sheban

FINALISTS:

Charlie Russell, Tale-Telling Artist by Lois V. Harris, illustrated by Charles Russell
Arbor Day Square by Kathryn O. Galbraith, illustrated by Cyd Moore

WINNER

Tornado Slim and the Magic Cowboy Hat by Bryan Langdo

Tornado Slim and the Magic Cowboy Hat by Bryan Langdo (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY LAN (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9781542015431
Publication Date: 2019-10-15
The coyote asks a cowboy named Tornado Slim to deliver a letter to the sheriff of Fire Gulch City, and as Slim embarks on his journey, wearing the special hat given to him by the coyote, disaster strikes.

FINALISTS:

The Day Dirk Yeller Came to Town by Mary Casanova
Henrietta King by Mary Dodson Wade

WINNER

Pecos Bill Invents the Ten-Gallon Hat by Kevin Strauss, illustrated by David Harrington

Pecos Bill Invents the Ten-Gallon Hat by Kevin Strauss; David Harrington (Illustrator)
Call Number: Easy STR (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9781455615025
Publication Date: 2012-02-22
Legendary cowboy Pecos Bill invents the ten-gallon hat after trying several unusual ways to protect his head from the hot Texas sun. Includes a glossary of cowboy terms.

FINALISTS:

The Adventures of Buffalo Joe and the Blackbird with the broken wing by Jamie Anne Blake
Big Buckaroo and Moose, the Cow Dog by Rachell "Rocky" Gibbons, illustrated by Jason Hutton

WINNER

Yosemite's Songster: one coyote's story by Ginger Wadsworth and Daniel San Souci

FINALISTS:

May Finds Her Way by Betty Selakovich Casey
Standing in for Lincoln Green by David Mackintosh

WINNER

Tasunka: a Lakota horse legend by Donald F. Montileaux

FINALISTS:

Alice from Dallas by Marilyn Sadler; illustrated by Ard Hoyt
Tumbleweed Baby by Anna Myers; illustrated by Charles Vess

Alice from Dallas by Marilyn Sadler; Ard Hoyt (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY SAD (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9781419707902
Publication Date: 2014-03-11
Two young cowgirls in Dallas, Pennsylvania, have a showdown on the school playground.

WINNER

Buckaroo Bobbie Sue by JoJo Thoreau; illustrated by Kristina Zack Young

FINALISTS:

Ol' Jimmy Dollar by Slim Randles; illustrated by Jerry Montoya
The Hero Twins: a Navajo-English story of the monster slayers by Jim Kristofic; illustrated by Nolan Karras James

Ol' Jimmy Dollar by Slim Randles (Illustrator); Jerry Montoya (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY RAN (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9781936744404
Publication Date: 2015-03-01
A humorous, rhyming look at the life of Jimmy Dollar, who happily lives in a cabin with his coondogs Utensil, A-Frame, and Awesome, and hunts with them along the Rio Grande.

WINNER

Seasons of the Bear: a Yosemite story by Ginger Wadsworth; illustrated by Daniel San Souci

FINALISTS:

Voices of the Western Frontier by Sherry Garland; illustrated by Julie Dupré Buckner
Big Buckaroo Goes to the Special Olympics by Rachelle "Rocky" Gibbons; illustrated by Jason Hutton

WINNER

Fergus and the Greener Grass by Jean Abernethy

Fergus and the Greener Grass (Fergus the Horse #3) by Jean Abernethy
Call Number: EASY ABE F3 (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9781570768453
Publication Date: 2017-11-14
What happens when the world's most popular cartoon horse decides no fence can hold him? Join Fergus on this spirited comic adventure, as he bravely goes ... wherever the greener grass takes him!

FINALISTS:

Lexie the Word Wrangler by Rebecca Van Slyke; illustrated by Jessie Hartland
Abraham by Frank Keating; illustrated by Mike Wimmer

WINNER

Montana for Kids: the story of our state by Allen Morris Jones

FINALIST

Fergus and the Night Before Christmas by Jean Abernathy

Fergus and the Night Before Christmas (Fergus the Horse #4) by Jean Abernethy
Call Number: EASY ABE F4 (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9781570768965
Publication Date: 2018-09-18
On Christmas Eve, Fergus the cartoon horse leads a noisy and mismatched team to draw Santa's sleigh and deliver a special present in this take-off on the classic poem.

2000s

Cindy Ellen : a wild western Cinderella by Susan Lowell; Jane Manning (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY LOW (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9780060274467
Publication Date: 2000-04-26
Cindy Ellen loses one of her diamond spurs at the square dance in this wild western retelling of the classic Cinderella story.

WINNER

Apples to Oregon : being the (slightly) true narrative of how a brave pioneer father brought apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, and cherries (and childre) across the Plains by Deborah Hopkinson; Nancy Carpenter (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY HOP (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9781416967460
Publication Date: 2008-07-29
Based loosely on the life of Henderson Luelling, a pioneer father transports his beloved fruit trees and his family to Oregon in the mid-nineteenth century.

No Award Given

WINNER

The Wheat Doll by Alison L. Randall; illustrated by Bill Farnsworth

The Wheat Doll by Alison L. Randall; Bill Farnsworth (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY RAN (Easy fiction)
ISBN: 9781561454563
Publication Date: 2008-09-01
Mary Ann lives with her family in the rugged Utah territory. Mary Ann has a busy life, and a special friend to share it with: her beloved homemade doll, Betty. Betty's wheat-filled body sits straight and tall. her embroidered eyes never blink. Still, Mary Ann knows that Betty is always paying attention. But one afternoon, a sudden, fierce storm forces Mary Ann and her family into their cabin before the young girl can retrieve her doll from the garden. By thte time the wild wind and rain subside, Betty is gone. Mary Ann is heartbroken, but one day when winter turns to spring, Mary Ann spies an familiar shape growing into a patch of slender grass near the bottom of a hill. Author Alison L. Randall's moving tale of steadfast love and hope is complemented by Bill Farnsworth' evocative illustrations. An afterword provides more information about 19th century rural life and the real-life inspiration for Mary Ann.

FINALISTS:

Daniel Boone's Great Escape by Michael P. Spradlin; illustrated by Ard Hoyt
Ten Gallon Bart and the Wild West Show by Susan Stevens Crummel; illustrated by Dorothy Donohue

Spur Awards

2020s

WINNER

Let 'Er Buck: George Fletcher, the People's Champion by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson; Gordon C. James, illustrator

FINALISTS:

Rowdy Randy by Casey Day Rislov; Zachary Pullen, illustrator

J is for Jackalope by Teal Blake

WINNER

Run Cow Run by Cami Carlson & Greg White

FINALISTS:

Bandit the Cow Dog by Phil Mills, Jr. & Victor Mojica

Bolo the Brave by Jim Jones & Kamee Young

WINNER

Charlie Russell and the Gnomes of Bull Head Lodge by Emily Crawford Wilson; illustrated by Jeanne Bowman

FINALISTS:

Come 'n Git It!: Cookie and his cowboy chuck wagon by Jennifer Coleman; illustrated by Julie Dupré Buckner

Montana's Memory Day: a nature-themed foster/adoption story by Sue Lawrence; illustrated by Erika Wilson

WINNER: The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show : The Legend Behind the Legend by Casey Day Rislov, illustrated by Zachary Pullen

FINALISTS:

A Place for Harvest : the Story of Kenny Higashi by Lauren R. Harris, illustrated by Felicia Hoshino

Buzz the Not-So-Brave by Dani Nichols, illustrated by Kristin McNess Moran

WINNER: Grandma's Tipi : a Present-Day Lakota Story by S. D. Nelson

FINALISTS:

Romeo and Emilia : How One Brave Girl Rose Up from a Wheelchair onto the Back of a Horse by Roni McFadden ; images processed by, Melissa Fischbach

Wild Bill and the Pirates! by Thadd Turner ; illustrated by Jeanne Conway

2010s

WINNER

Finding Susie by Sandra Day O'Connor & Tom Pohrt

FINALISTS:

Kick the Cowboy by Joe Gribnau & Adrian Tans

Bad News for Outlaws by Vaunda Nelson & R. Gregory Christie

WINNER

A Night on the Range by Aaron Frisch, illustrated by Chris Sheban

FINALISTS:

Charlie Russell, Tale-Telling Artist by Lois V. Harris, illustrated by Charles Russell

Arbor Day Square by Kathryn O. Galbraith, illustrated by Cyd Moore

WINNER

Tornado Slim and the Magic Cowboy Hat by Bryan Langdo

FINALISTS:

The Day Dirk Yeller Came to Town by Mary Casanova

Henrietta King by Mary Dodson Wade

WINNER

Pecos Bill Invents the Ten-Gallon Hat by Kevin Strauss, illustrated by David Harrington

FINALISTS:

The Adventures of Buffalo Joe and the Blackbird with the broken wing by Jamie Anne Blake

Big Buckaroo and Moose, the Cow Dog by Rachell "Rocky" Gibbons, illustrated by Jason Hutton

WINNER

Yosemite's Songster: one coyote's story by Ginger Wadsworth and Daniel San Souci

FINALISTS:

May Finds Her Way by Betty Selakovich Casey

Standing in for Lincoln Green by David Mackintosh

WINNER

Tasunka: a Lakota horse legend by Donald F. Montileaux

FINALISTS:

Alice from Dallas by Marilyn Sadler; illustrated by Ard Hoyt

Tumbleweed Baby by Anna Myers; illustrated by Charles Vess

WINNER

Buckaroo Bobbie Sue by JoJo Thoreau; illustrated by Kristina Zack Young

FINALISTS:

Ol' Jimmy Dollar by Slim Randles; illustrated by Jerry Montoya

The Hero Twins: a Navajo-English story of the monster slayers by Jim Kristofic; illustrated by Nolan Karras James

WINNER

Seasons of the Bear: a Yosemite story by Ginger Wadsworth; illustrated by Daniel San Souci

FINALISTS:

Voices of the Western Frontier by Sherry Garland; illustrated by Julie Dupré Buckner

Big Buckaroo Goes to the Special Olympics by Rachelle "Rocky" Gibbons; illustrated by Jason Hutton

WINNER

Fergus and the Greener Grass by Jean Abernethy

FINALISTS:

Lexie the Word Wrangler by Rebecca Van Slyke; illustrated by Jessie Hartland

Abraham by Frank Keating; illustrated by Mike Wimmer

WINNER

Montana for Kids: the story of our state by Allen Morris Jones

FINALIST

Fergus and the Night Before Christmas by Jean Abernathy

2000s

WINNER

No Award Given

WINNER

The Wheat Doll by Alison L. Randall; illustrated by Bill Farnsworth