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A Small White Scar
by
K.A. Nuzum
Dreams always have a price
Will can see his future stretch out before him. It's as clear as the plains that lead to La Junta and the first-place winnings at the rodeo. He will become a man, a cowboy with a life of his own. But his twin brother, Denny, follows, bringing with him the memory of that small white scar. Ahead lies adventure; behind, responsibility. And on the roa...more
Will can see his future stretch out before him. It's as clear as the plains that lead to La Junta and the first-place winnings at the rodeo. He will become a man, a cowboy with a life of his own. But his twin brother, Denny, follows, bringing with him the memory of that small white scar. Ahead lies adventure; behind, responsibility. And on the roa...more
Paperback, 208 pages
Published
September 30th 2008
by HarperCollins
(first published April 2006)
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My family and I listened to this one on audio tape - each time we got into the car Ashton would request it be turned on. It is about twin brothers, Will and Dennie. They are together since birth, and both act as teachers for one another. Dennie - has downs syndrom, I think, and he teaches Will patience and love. When Will is 16 he decides it is time to show his Father and everyone else that he is a man and not a boy, by competing and winning at the rodeo a couple of days journey from their farm....more
20 Word summery; This book is about twins Will and Denny, Will has big dreams of ranching but Denny's problems hold him back.
Passage; In the dream, it was me and Denny out riding. When we reined in we were far out on the prairie. It was late in the day and the weather had settled in so I couln't even see the mesa. No rock ourcroppings. No junipers, no pinon pine. There was only Denny and me. I turned to remind Denny to keep the reins loose when he jumped down so he would not tug on Scooty's mout...more
Passage; In the dream, it was me and Denny out riding. When we reined in we were far out on the prairie. It was late in the day and the weather had settled in so I couln't even see the mesa. No rock ourcroppings. No junipers, no pinon pine. There was only Denny and me. I turned to remind Denny to keep the reins loose when he jumped down so he would not tug on Scooty's mout...more
Ron Bailitz 4/6/10 Period 8
Title: A Small White Scar
Author: K. A. Nuzum
Pages: 180
This book is about Will, who leaves his home to become a professional cowboy, but is followed by his brother.
Passage
Page 169-170
Paragragh 7-11
"You're brothers. You're twin brothers. The same blood runs through your veins. I believed you would love Denny in a way no one else would. I believed you would walk alongside of him, protect him, teach him. And you did. I never regretted the decision."
He never regretted the...more
Title: A Small White Scar
Author: K. A. Nuzum
Pages: 180
This book is about Will, who leaves his home to become a professional cowboy, but is followed by his brother.
Passage
Page 169-170
Paragragh 7-11
"You're brothers. You're twin brothers. The same blood runs through your veins. I believed you would love Denny in a way no one else would. I believed you would walk alongside of him, protect him, teach him. And you did. I never regretted the decision."
He never regretted the...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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My book is called “A Small White Scar” by K.A. Nuzum. The genre of this book is a disability awareness novel. The characters try to go to a rodeo in La Junta and go on adventures. It is about two twin brothers who help each other along on a journey to a rodeo that one brother is very interested in. The brother’s name is Will. The other brother, Denny, has Down syndrome and always comes along wherever Will goes. While Will is trying to go to the rodeo to try to get first place winnings, Denny rea...more
4.5 stars. YA. Will is 15-years-old, nearly 16. His cowboy skills are excellent. He is ready to be a man. But if he stays at the ranch he can't. His father has him constantly play "nursemaid" for his twin brother Denny who has Down's Syndrome. The big rodeo, for which Will has spent a year saving money for, is coming up very soon and Will is hoping not only to win every event and the Overall Prize purse but to use the rodeo as the opportunity to escape the ranch and Denny and, finally, begin liv...more
Jul 23, 2012
Pat Salvatini
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
realistic-fiction-5-8
Set in the 1940′s Colorado countryside, fifteen year old Will can not wait to become a man. He’s fed up with being nursemaid and babysitter to his twin brother Denny, who has down syndrome. What he really wants to do is help his father run the ranch. But his father doesn’t see that Will has become a man who can do man’s work. Will can rope and ride better than most and he can’t wait to prove his skills at the local rodeo. Will has a plan that will take him away from the ranch, away from his fath...more
the main charter was denny he was a go for it all put everything on the line and go for it kind of guy he would sneek out and go to roderos with his little brother one of the main problems was his dad his dad wouldnt let him do the rodeos any more and he took his little brother and his little brother and him had to crose a river and his little brother almost didnt make it and almost died but his big brother was there to save him and denny was so pissed that he beat the crap out of hima dn when h...more
Short tale of teenage twin brothers who have grown up on a ranch together in Colorado. Will has practically raised Denny, who has Downs Syndrome, and now he's ready to strike out on his own to make a living as a cowboy. He heads off on a five-day trip to the rodeo, and Denny follows. They encounter a rattlesnake, rough terrain, and flash flood along the way. There are inaccuracies in some of the details (for instance: rattlesnakes strike with only half their body length, NOT the full length) but...more
Historical, young adult fiction. Will wants to get off of his father's ranch in Colorado and strike out to become a man in his own right. The path starts with the rodeo in La Junta -- he can win some money and find another ranch to hire him on as a skilled hand. He's tired of his father expecting him to play nursemaid to his twin brother and not trusting him to help make decisions around the ranch. But what kind of a man has to sneak off in the middle of the night and abandon his twin who counts...more
Dec 09, 2009
Amanda
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
rebecca-caudill-nominee-for-2010
Nuzums book A Small White Scar was an adventerous book. This book was about two boys and their responsibilities that their dad held them responsible for on the ranch. The boys were twins and one had Down Syndrome, the other was held accountable for taking care of him. Will is torn between caring for his brother and seeking his dream. THis book would appeal to any western boy, or someone out looking for an adverure story. I liked this book it meant a lot to me because I could relate to having a f...more
From the look of the cover, you think this book would be boring. But it was a pretty good book. It is a brother/brother story. Will and Denny are twin brothers in the early 1900s. Denny must have a mental illness and it is Will's job to take care of Denny. Will has decided that he is going to join the rodeo and earn some money against his fathers wishes. So Will leaves and guess who follows him? Denny. Their adventure begins there.
I think 5th grade and up will enjoy this book once they get past...more
I think 5th grade and up will enjoy this book once they get past...more
Ever since Will's mom died, Will's been the one to look out for his feeble-minded twin brother Denny, but at fifteen Will has had enough. He's leaving his dad's ranch. He's leaving Denny behind. He's going to La Junta by himself and he's going to win first place at the rodeo and get a job with another ranch. He's going to start his own life. Finally. But when Will leaves for the rodeo, Denny tags along. And Denny gets in trouble. And Will has to save him. Again. How can Will hope to have his own...more
A Small White Scar starts off slow with much teenage whining, bitterness, selfishness, and typical 15-year-old self-pity. As Will sets off to find his future at the rodeo, he leaves his twin brother, Denny far behind. Will felt the drag of Denny's condition, Down Syndrome, for more years than he cares to think about. Now his mother is dead and Will's father expects Will to be nursemaid and caregiver for Denny. But Will has dreams of becoming a man, earning a living, and living his days on a ranc...more
This was a random, grab off the shelf book which usually leads to disappointment for me, but this was a surprisingly good read. It's a story about a young man who has a handicapped twin. It's more about the young man's journey to learn what means to be a man set amidst a dusty, working ranch and a high-action rodeo. I enjoyed the different way of life depicted as well as the poignant message. I actually listened to this as an audio book and it was quite well-performed.
Feb 27, 2010
Amy
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
battle-of-the-books,
children-s-books
Small White Scar was pretty slow for me at the beginning--I've never been into cowboys or anything having to do with life on a ranch. However, about halfway through the book I realized that it had really grown on me. This book brings up real issues that some kids have to deal with, and asks questions about the difference between doing "the right thing" and following your heart. A good book for discussions with kids.
Mar 21, 2009
Christina
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2010-caudills,
middle-school
Do kids today really like cowboys and rodeos? I guess we'll see with this book. I found the storyline predictable, including the "twist" ending. I liked the realistic depiction of the stress that a child with Down's Syndrome may put on the other siblings in a family, but I didn't care for the rest. All in all, I'm not sure why this book got the Caudill nomination.
The year is 1940. Since 15 year-old Will's mother died before his eyes seven years ago, he's been teacher, nursemaid and constant companion to his twin brother, who has Down's Syndrome. Despite his impressive skills, Will's convinced his father will never let him do "a man's work" or anything other than babysit his brother, unless Will forces the issue by signing on to work someone else's ranch after winning big at the rodeo. Forbidden to enter the rodeo when drought forces the father to shift t...more
More like 2.5 stars, which is what I want to give most of the children's fiction I've been reading lately (to catch up a bit, since I'm now ordering for that collection). It's just...nothing impressive but nothing offensive. I'd have a hard time recommending it to a kid unless they were particularly interested in this topic/type of story.
I loved this book, It was about two boys who were brothers, one of the brothers was in charge of the other. Unfortunately the older brother is mentally challenged so the younger brother is in charge of the older brother. Life is a hard adventure for both of them. To find out more.... read the book.
A Small White Scar was a rather simplistic story. The story was predictable. The plot was quite shallow. It was ok, but I have read better books. Historical fiction set in the old west is not my favorite style of writing. It was ok, but I enjoy books with more modern settings and a deeper plots.
Though well-written and mercifully short, this book is fairly ordinary in its story and plot. It is a Paulsen-like story that adds a handicapped brother into the mix. At least it moves along at a fast clip and is mercifully short. Kids who like Paulsen may be attracted to the book, though the "adventure" in the book may fail to live up to what they are looking for.
Jul 15, 2009
Georgeann
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Georgeann by:
RCYRBA 2010
Two teenage cowboy brothers - one is mentally handicapped; the other, who has been caretaker, wants his "own life" as a rodeo cowboy. Short read; good take on story of leaving home, growing up, family responsibility, following dreams, etc. Good resolution at end, unpredictable. Dead mother.
Will and Denny are twin brothers and alike in many ways. They share the same birthday but Denny is developmentally delayed. They live and work on a ranch. Their mother died when the boys were young. It seems to Will that his father expects him to just look after Denny and never allows him to do really work on the ranch. Will decides to run off and join the rodeo. A twist of events happens when Denny follows Will.
2010 list-Short book about fifteen year old boys in 1940. One wants to be a rodeo cowboy but he is responsible for his twin brother with Down's syndrome. It was a good look at how challenging family can be. No girls in the story at all--a boy coming-of-age story.
Aug 01, 2009
Christine
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Christine by:
2010 Rebecca Caudill nominee
15 year-old Will has always looked after his twin brother, Denny, who has Down syndrome. Denny has been his responsibility since their mother passed away. Will feels the weight of this responsibility as he tried to find a way to compete in the rodeo.
good read for 4th grade and up. A boy growing up on a ranch with his father and special needs brother has been the main care taker of his brother ever since his mother died. When he begins to feel the desire to stretch his wings and escape from the demands of taking care of his brother, he sets off to compete in the rodeo as a way out.
Very good book about two boys who are twins. One of the boys is disabled and the other wants to ride in the rodeo but can't because his father wants him to look after his brother. This teaches about give and take, and a very interesting message about what it is like to be a brother.
I thought this was going to be a pretty good western book, but what I found was a character who would never stop complaining about how unlucky he is, and how no one understands him.
May 05, 2009
Tracy Hubbard
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
for-a-3rd-6th-grade-reader-nice
Good story. I am wondering what has prompted the run of books about brothers/sisters with disabilities. I would put in same category as Rules, and Al Capone Does My Shirts.
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Apr 09, 2010 06:07am