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Synopsis
When Thomas arrives in Kansas to live with his father and stepmother, he finds his fantasies of living in the West shattered by the harsh reality of the poverty he faces in his new home, his stepmother's animosity, and the challenges of farm life.
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About the Author
Debra Seely was inspired to write "Grasslands", her first novel, by the landscape and history of her home state, Kansas. Devoted to Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series as a child, she loved to imagine the lives of children who grew up on the prairie during the pioneer era. She lives in Wichita with her family.
From Publishers Weekly
Despite uneven storytelling, this debut novel convincingly illustrates the gaps between the romance of the West and the realities of daily life on a struggling Kansas farm in the early 1880s. At 13, the narrator, Thomas, has already journeyed twice in a covered wagon-westward, from his maternal grandparents' home in Virginia, and then back east soon after, following the death of his mother. Raised by his grandparents, Thomas fantasizes about his father, imagining him as a cowboy, "the kind of man who would not be stuck inside reading The Pilgrim's Progress while dogwoods were blooming." His father, remarried and settled with stepchildren, invites Thomas and his sister, Becky, to come live with him, and while Becky chooses to stay at her academy, Thomas eagerly agrees. Seely homes in on the rigors of the prairie-the cramped farmhouse, the roughness of Thomas's task-minded stepmother, the constant chores (at which his younger step-siblings easily outshine him) and the hunger and privation. The narrative offers harsher examples, too (a toddler loses her way in the grass and dies). While Thomas has an engaging voice, some aspects of the plotting seem teacherly, as in the introduction of characters who mostly defy stereotypes (e.g., horsewomen and black cowboys), and in the dashing of Thomas's fancies when he is finally swept up in an actual cowboy adventure. And, unfortunately, the novel's resolution, in which Thomas reaffirms his love for the land, seems abrupt. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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- PublisherHoliday House
- Publication date2002
- ISBN 10 082341731X
- ISBN 13 9780823417315
- BindingHardcover
- LanguageEnglish
- Edition number1
- Number of pages32
- Rating
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Grasslands
Seller: Reliant Bookstore, El Dorado, KS, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: good. This book is in good condition with very minimal damage. This is an ex-library book with stickers and markings. Pages may have minimal notes or highlighting. Cover image on the book may vary from photo. Ships out quickly in a secure plastic mailer. Seller Inventory # RDV.082341731X.G
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Grasslands
Published by
Holiday House, Incorporated, 2002
ISBN 10: 082341731X
ISBN 13: 9780823417315
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Condition: Very Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # GRP94478943
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Grasslands
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.82. Seller Inventory # G082341731XI3N10
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Grasslands
Seller: Library House Internet Sales, Grand Rapids, OH, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. Thirteen-year-old Thomas Hunter has always longed to taste the freedom of life on the Western range, away from the stuffy home and watchful eyes of his well-to-do grandparents in Virginia. So when a letter arrives from his father inviting Thomas to join him and his new family on their Kansas farm,he can already see himself riding across the prairie like a real cowboy, living the true Code of the West.Yet the hardscrabble farm isn't what Thomas expected. There's hardly enough food; his new stepmother doesn't approve of his ways; and he spends all his time mucking out the barn and working the fields.Then, just as Tomas begins to grow restless, his family's herd gets swept up in a cattle stampede and he must follow a group of cowboys to reclaim it. Finally facing the prairie adventures he's dreamed of, he finds himself confronted with challenging decisions, eye-opening action, and an honor to uphold that calls for the real Code of the West. Does Thomas have what it takes to be a true Western hero? Due to age and/or environmental conditions, the pages of this book have darkened. Former library book. Ex-Libris and is stamped as such. Mylar protector included. Please note the image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item. Ex-Library. Seller Inventory # 123739807
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Grasslands
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hardcover. Condition: Good. 2002. A good condition used youth hardcover ex-library book with usual library markings, clean text pages, and moderate cover wear. The dust jacket is covered in mylar. Booksavers receives donated books and recycles them in a variety of ways. Proceeds benefit the work of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in the U.S. and around the world. Seller Inventory # mon0000289525
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Grasslands
Published by
Holiday House, 2002
ISBN 10: 082341731X
ISBN 13: 9780823417315
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Seller: Adventures Underground, Richland, WA, U.S.A.
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Hard Cover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Standard used condition. Reading copy or better. Used Book. Seller Inventory # 303664
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Grasslands
Seller: The Book Spot, Sioux Falls, SD, U.S.A.
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Grasslands
Published by
Holiday House, New York, NY, 2002
ISBN 10: 082341731X
ISBN 13: 9780823417315
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Seller: Books by White/Walnut Valley Books, Winfield, KS, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Holiday House, New York. 2002. Hardcover. Stated First Edition. Inscribed by the author on the title page. Book is tight, square, and unmarked but for a F/O name on the FFFP. Book Condition: Near Fine; light shelfwear. DJ: Near Fine; NOT Price Clipped ($16.95); light rubbing to panels. Brown paper over boards with tan overlay on the spine; bright green lettering on the spine. 170 pp 8vo. In the 1880s, thirteen-year-old Thomas lives a comfortable life with his grandparents in Virginia until his father sends for him from his farm in Kansas. Thomas has always dreamed of seeing the West, but the real-life version of it pales in comparison to his daydreams and dime store novels. Suddenly, after a cattle stampede he must join a group of real cowboys to reclaim the family's herd. Suddenly he is in a new world of tough decisions and life-threatening action. The question in his mind is if he will be man enough to be a cowboy. A clean very presentable copy. Inscribed by Author(s). Seller Inventory # 017294
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Grasslands
Published by
Holiday House, New York, NY, 2002
ISBN 10: 082341731X
ISBN 13: 9780823417315
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Signed
Seller: Books by White/Walnut Valley Books, Winfield, KS, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. Holiday House, New York. 2002. Hardcover. Stated First Edition. Inscribed by the author on the title page. Book is tight, square, and unmarked. Book Condition: Near Fine; light bumping to head and tail; small gouge in the textblock fore edge. DJ: Near Fine; NOT Price Clipped ($16.95); light bumping to head and tail. Brown paper over boards with tan overlay on the spine; bright green lettering on the spine. 170 pp 8vo. In the 1880s, thirteen-year-old Thomas lives a comfortable life with his grandparents in Virginia until his father sends for him from his farm in Kansas. Thomas has always dreamed of seeing the West, but the real-life version of it pales in comparison to his daydreams and dime store novels. Suddenly, after a cattle stampede he must join a group of real cowboys to reclaim the family's herd. Suddenly he is in a new world of tough decisions and life-threatening action. The question in his mind is if he will be man enough to be a cowboy. A clean very presentable copy. Inscribed by Author(s). Seller Inventory # 014955
Quantity: 1 available