Corralling Cowboy and Cowgirl Poetry

Rhymes about spurs and the open range fit the mythos of the American cowboy of old. But the poetry from and children’s literature related to today’s cowgirls and cowboys celebrate a culture that is diverse, inclusive and broader geographically than one might expect.

Since 1985, the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering has showcased the talents and themes of booted bards. This year’s 40th anniversary gathering – January 27 to February 1, 2025, in Elko, Nevada – promises readings, open mics, workshops, dances and exhibits. The Western Folklife Center, which sponsors the gathering, also offers youth programs to encourage the next generation to “explore the living artistic traditions of the rural West and beyond.”

Though a road trip to Nevada may not be feasible, you can still embrace the spirit. Read some poems, learn more about cowpokes, past and present, apart from Hollywood romanticization. These books offer solo and family-read-aloud adventures, from the Old West to modern Philadelphia.  

All Ages

National Cowboy Poetry Gathering: An Anthology

Edited by the Western Folklife Center

Lyons Press/Global Pequot, 2014, $16.95

This anthology features a wealth of cowboy and cowgirl voices and moods, including humorous, reflective and poignant. Ballads and odes abound, with mention of horses, cattle and rodeos as well as laundry and Grandma’s advice. Especially noteworthy is the introduction, which provides a fascinating history of this dynamic genre. It references the folk music of early Mexican vaqueros and locates a golden age (1890-1930) for cowboy poetry. And it charts changes, such as inclusion of free verse along with traditional rhyming forms.

Tots – age 7

Real Cowboys

By Kate Hoefler

Illustrated by Jonathan Bean

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, $19.99

This lyrical paean to cowboys honors their patient care of the cattle and herding dogs in their charge. Cowboys (and cowgirls) may be strong and tough, but they also get homesick and miss their loved ones. This book avoids the usual stereotypes as it pays clear-eyed tribute to these dedicated men and women from many races and cultures. 

I Wanna Be a Cowgirl

By Angela DiTerlizzi

Illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic

Beach Lane Books, 2017, $17.99

In rhyming verse as smooth as a cowboy poem, a little girl plans her future as a cowgirl, where “the grass grows high, the sun hangs low.” With “trusty pup” in tow, she acts out barn chores – galloping horses, shearing sheep – in her suburban backyard. And at day’s end, she dreams of being a cowgirl under “starry skies.” This delightful ode helps young readers imagine the actual work done by cowhands of all genders. 

Preteens

The Cowgirl Way

By Holly George-Warren

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010, $9.99 pbk.

Who were the real women behind the Wild West legends and movie images? This rich trove introduces readers to army scout Calamity Jane, trick rider Annie Oakley and Western balladeer Dale Evans. These women relished bucking gender norms even as many dealt with real bucking broncos. The final chapter on 21st century cowgirls reveals that – whether competing in rodeos, training horses or keeping their ranches in order – today’s cowgirls continue to embody the strength and ingenuity of their sisters of the past.  

Teens

Concrete Cowboy

By G. Neri

Candlewick, 2021, $7.99 pbk.

Are there cowboys in the urban East? Yes, and for this compelling novel, G. Neri drew on the Black cowboy community and riding stables in Philadelphia. To keep him from trouble, teenaged Cole is sent to live with his father, who is one of these cowboys. His initial anger gives way to grudging respect and eventual embrace of the cowboys’ ethos and mission to engage young people and provide alternatives to drugs. The novel, first published in 2011, was the basis for the 2021 Netflix movie Concrete Cowboy, starring Idris Elba. This new version includes an author’s note about the making of the movie. 

Best Shot in the West

By Patricia McKissack and Frederick McKissack Jr.

Illustrated by Randy DuBurke

Chronicle, 2022, $9.99 pbk.

Nat Love, the legendary Black cowboy, leaps to life in this riveting graphic biography. It begins with him as an older man and railroad Pullman porter, and then flashes back to the first-person account of his birth in 1854 in Tennessee, his prowess with horses as a boy and his adventures in the West with the Comanche chief Yellow Dog, Bat and Jim Masterson and other historic figures. 

Mary Quattlebaum lives in Washington, D.C. and is the author of 30 award-winning children’s books, most recently Queen Elizabeth II, an early reader biography. She teaches in the graduate program in writing for children at Vermont College of Fine Arts, writes frequently for The Washington Post and is a popular school and conference speaker.