COWGIRLS & DINOSAURS

Two unlikely girls come together to save their small town from a vengeful bandit.

In a world where dinosaurs and people coexist, the small desert town of Little Spittle is home to Clementine and her sheriff father, who read Black. They are tasked with keeping the good townsfolk safe from harm, including the likes of bandits. Clementine, resourceful and charismatic, nevertheless struggles with imposter syndrome and has difficulty fulfilling her duties as deputy. Brash Abigail, who has tan skin and black hair and eyes, dreams of being appointed deputy and receiving praise for saving everyone from ruin; she is the “cloaked vigilante” known as the Sarsaparilla Kid. However, Abigail and Rootbeer, her trusted dinosaur steed, can’t seem to find a welcome in the many towns they’ve visited. Clementine and Abigail are thrust together when the Scugg brothers and their sister, the Bandit Queen, who appear white, plot to steal a sacred calcified heart with dinomagik powers. The two girls help each other recognize their strengths as they work to save Little Spittle. This is a brisk, humorous story that’s full of heart and will have readers rooting for the young heroes. The illustrations are expressive and lively, with a warm color palette that breathes life into this otherworldly Western adventure. There are hints of sweet budding romance between Clementine and Abigail.

A heartfelt story of self-acceptance wrapped in a side-splitting adventure.