The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show by Casey Day Rislov
Howdy and welcome to The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show (Casey Rislov Books)! This variety show has it all — acrobatics, agility contests and feats of great bravery. Of course, there’s one key difference from your average vaudeville production: here, all the performers have a minimum of four legs! Spanning the entire animal and insect kingdom, the participants are eager to show their stuff to the audience and to Randy, the legend herself.
In this sequel to Rowdy Randy, author Casey Day Rislov brings back her plucky protagonist for another great Wild West adventure. This time, rather than having to prove herself to gain other cowpokes’ approval, Randy the horsefly’s reputation proceeds her, and every attendant is eager to see her take to the stage. But even as she readies herself to wow the crowds, she can’t help but feel that someone in the crowd has less-than-honorable reasons for attending.
SADDLE UP AND SEE THE SHOW!
This charming children’s book reimagines the Wild West as a place of opportunity and adventure for all creatures — furry, scaly or creepy-crawly. In this cleverly crafted world, horseflies can be cowgirls, squirrels can be peanut salesmen and even the legendary jackalope can be a mail carrier. This kooky humor continues straight through the performances themselves, as spiders walk the tightrope and hummingbirds fly through the aerial obstacle course. Zachary Pullen’s playful illustrations capture the frenetic energy of Rislov’s words; the beautifully rendered paintings depict animals of every kind preparing for the upcoming event, and onto the exhilarating performances themselves. And with Rowdy Randy as the event’s ringleader, things are bound to get … well, rowdy!
But even as the animal audience is clamoring for more, Rowdy Randy finds herself rocked by an uneasy feeling. All throughout the rehearsals, she’s felt like someone has been watching her progress, looking over her shoulder. But Rowdy Randy brushes the feelings off as pre-stage jitters and takes the show by storm with an incredible feat — saddled up on a powerful bison, she astonishes her audience and seals her legacy as a Wild West legend.
A COWGIRL’S COURAGE
While young readers may not be riding bison or lassoing broncos, they’ll still take away key lessons from this tale. In particular, they’ll learn to emulate Rowdy Randy’s fearlessness and determination. Dedicated to cementing her place in Wild West history, Randy goes above and beyond, working hard to make her dream come true. In the end, she’s created an event that she’s proud to put her name on.
And for one last feat, parents will get a kick out of the book’s ending; it turns out that mysterious onlooker was none other than Buffalo Bill, who it seems ends up taking more than a little inspiration from Randy’s own Wild West show. But even as things don’t quite go Randy’s way, she’s still proud of herself for what she accomplished with her many-legged friends. Her can-do attitude, seen throughout The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show, is an inspiration to all aspiring buckaroos, young and old.
About Casey Rislov:
Casey Rislov is a 7x award-winning children’s book author. She holds a master’s degree in elementary education from Montana State University and is endorsed in early childhood and special needs. Rislov has taught for many years. The last eleven years have been devoted to writing, reading and sharing the love of these arts with children of all ages during her popular story times, school visits and workshops. She lives in Wyoming with her three greatest loves, her husband and their two children.
