The child of former slaves, Bill Picket grew up on the wide open Texas prairie. "He was quick as a jackrabbit, more wide-eyed than a hooty owl--and curious." The eager boy developed his own unique style of cow wrestling in which he sunk his teeth into the animal's lip to keep it under control. Observer's called it bulldogging, and it was to become Bill's trademark in a distinguished career as a cowboy and rodeo rider. Almost one in four cowboys who rode the western states in the 19th century was Black, author Andrea Pinkney notes in historical information that follows the text of this lively biography. Bill Pickett was among the most famous of them all. Brian Pinkney's scratchboard illustrations capture the expansive feeling of the western landscape and the energy of humans and animals in motion on the pages of this 11 1/4 x 9 1/2 " book. Honor Book, 1996 CCBC Coretta Scott King Award Discussion: Illustrator (Ages 7-10)

The true sweat-and-dirt tale of the feisty cowboy-child who became the most famous black rodeo performer who ever lived. Includes a note about the history of the black West and a bibliography.