Polo Cowboy

September 1, 2021
In this follow-up to Ghetto Cowboy (2011), 14-year-old Cole convinces his mother to let him stay in Philadelphia with his father and beloved horse, Boo, instead of returning to Detroit. Cole and his dad, Harper, are still learning to navigate their father-son relationship after years of being estranged. As they figure out their new arrangement, Harper says Cole has to get a job to help earn his keep as well as Boo's. Working as a stable hand at a nearby military academy, Cole meets young cadets who are strikingly different from him in socio-economic class and attitudes--and who seem to have it out for him from the start. Fortunately, Cole also meets and befriends Ruthie, a Black girl on the polo team who shares his love for horses. She is in a minority at the school due to her race and sex; the friendship offers mutual support. While working there, Cole develops a growing attraction to Ruthie as well as an interest in possibly attending the academy someday. But is this world just too different from his own for him to even get a foot in the door? And is he ready to leave everything he's known behind? In this entry, Neri gives readers a look into another type of equestrian life while maintaining the tone and style readers appreciated in Cole's cowboy journey, including an evocative voice and situational code-switching. Final illustrations not seen. A skillful sequel that adds new layers to a coming-of-age story. (Fiction. 10-14)

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September 1, 2021
Grades 5-8 In this sequel to Ghetto Cowboy (2011), Cole is entering high school and wants to continue living with his dad, who operates a horse rescue operation in Philadelphia. Cole takes a job as groom to the horses at a nearby military academy, where he meets the members of their polo team, including Ruthie, a day student and the only Black team member. Cole learns that there are stark differences between Black urban "cowboys" and white, prep-school equestrians, but despite being harassed by the white players, he finds himself drawn to the sport. Written in vernacular and inspired by an actual Black polo team from Philadelphia, Neri's story features characters who illustrate varied responses to inequality and racism: Ruthie's wealthy family exerts legal pressure to get her into a "good" school; cousin Smush deals drugs but dreams of moving into real estate; and Cole's dad provides local teens with an alternative to gangs and drugs. With black-and-white sketches and plenty of polo play-by-play, this is both thoughtful and entertaining.

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Starred review from November 1, 2021

Gr 5 Up-When Cole, a young Black boy, chooses to keep living with his dad in Philadelphia, he thinks he has it made. He'll be an urban cowboy and spend all his time riding his beloved horse. But Cole's dad gets him a job at the nearby military academy, and Cole is suddenly working long hours for polo players there, who are rich, arrogant, and white. As his life becomes more tenuous and he notices the gaping differences between his community and the academy's, Cole wonders what his future holds and what power he could possibly have to change it. This is the much-anticipated sequel to 2013's Ghetto Cowboy, and while knowing Cole's backstory may enrich the experience, it isn't necessary to appreciate everything this book has to offer. Cole is at a turning point in his life, both old enough to make big decisions for himself and to learn that the consequences can alter his life. He struggles with a distant father, a cousin trying to pull him into a dangerous business, and racial disparity in his community. His voice shines through the entire time, allowing readers to empathize deeply with his journey. Polo may seem like a surprising choice, but the practices and matches are as nail-biting as any football game. VERDICT Polo and cowboys come together, with a main character who will leap off the page and into readers' hearts, in this moving story of growing up and grit.-Kristin Brynsvold, Tuckahoe Elem. Sch., Arlington, VA

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