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Saddle Club #12

Rodeo Rider

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STEVIE, CAROLE, AND Lisa are off to Texas to visit their friend Kate Devine at her family’s ranch—the Bar None. It’s the perfect time to visit, since the annual rodeo has come to town! The girls decide they don’t want to just watch the wranglers compete; they’re going to enter the competition too.
And they need every minute to practice if they’re going to go up against real cowboys. But when they realize someone's trying to sabotage the Bar None competitors, the girls’ real work begins. And it’s just the kind of work the Saddle Club is made for.

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

9 people are currently reading
206 people want to read

About the author

Bonnie Bryant

384 books198 followers
American author of children's books. She is best known for creating the intermediate horse book series The Saddle Club, which was published from October 1988 until April 2001. The Saddle Club chronicled the adventures of thirteen-year-old Lisa Atwood and twelve-year-olds Stephanie "Stevie" Lake and Carole Hanson. The series was static in time; the girls never aged in 101 books, 7 special editions, and 3 Inside Stories.

Bonnie Bryant also wrote two spin-off series: Pony Tails, aimed at beginning readers, and Pine Hollow, aimed at teenage readers. The 16 Pony Tails books followed the lives of eight-year-olds May Grover, Corey Takamura, and Jasmine James. Pine Hollow featured Carole, Lisa, Stevie, and their new friends in a series set four years after The Saddle Club. Unlike The Saddle Club, Pine Hollow conformed to a realistic timeline. The 17 books took place over the span of less than a year. Later a television show called The Saddle Club, based on the books, was filmed in Australia.

Bonnie Bryant wrote at least 38 The Saddle Club books and 2 Pine Hollow books herself; after that they were taken over by a team of ghostwriters, a common practice in long-running children's book series. Ghostwriters for the Saddle Club and Pine Hollow books included Caitlin Macy (sometimes credited as Caitlin C. Macy), Catherine Hapka, Sallie Bissell, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Helen Geraghty, Tina deVaron, Cat Johnston, Minna Jung, and Sheila Prescott-Vessey.

Bonnie Bryant is also the author of many novelizations of movies, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Karate Kid, and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, written under her married name, B.B. Hiller. She also collaborated in the ghostwriting of The Baby-sitters Club Super Special #14: BSC in the USA, published under the name of its creator, Ann M. Martin.

Bonnie Bryant was born and raised in New York City. She met her husband, Neil W. Hiller, in college, where they both worked on the campus newspaper. They had two sons, Emmons Hiller and Andrew Hiller. Neil Hiller died in 1989. Many of Bonnie's books are dedicated to him.
***from wikipedia.org

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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Profile Image for Leeanne  G.
310 reviews16 followers
July 27, 2022
This might be my new favourite Saddle Club book. I remember reading the girls' earlier adventure with Kate Devine and Christine Lonetree a while ago, so it was nice to revisit them, and I'm delighted that Christine is made an official member of the Saddle Club. I chose to read this Saddle Club entry because the Calgary Stampede was last week. I've watched it every year for as long as I can remember, but I missed it this year because I was on vacation in PEI. Reading this was my way of celebrating The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Even though this book doesn't take place in Alberta, it was easy enough to imagine it was. I love Pine Hollow, but I always enjoy Saddle Club books that are set somewhere else.

This book was quite funny, especially when the Saddle Club signed up for the barrel-racing competition without having any idea of what the sport is! I find it hard to believe that Kate and Christine had no clue, since they've been around rodeos before, but whatever. These are kid books so there are always some far-fetched aspects of the stories. This series brings me too much joy overall to let little things like that bug me very much. The part when the girls go undercover at the rival dude ranch was also hilarious, and even Eli and Jeannie's romance being helped along by Stevie was amusing. Did you know Pictionary over Clue can be the difference between the success or failure of a business!? (Haha, reader's inside joke:)
Profile Image for Rena Sherwood.
Author 2 books49 followers
December 3, 2024
You really need to read book 6, Dude Ranch, before reading this, to get the full sense of this story, where the girls return to the Bar None. This time, the ranch is in trouble because of a new competitor. One of the new hands has a crush on Eli, the cowboy we met last time. It's the Saddle Club to the rescue.

This reads much like a television episode, which is mostly action and corny dialogue. Very little description is given to anything ... except the sundaes Stevie orders from their favorite ice cream place. It's a fast read and goes by pleasantly enough, but it is predictable and heavy on the silly.

That it's very obvious that the Bar None needs to do more targeted advertising is never mentioned. The only advertising done is through tee shirts worn at the local rodeo, and the performance of Eli and the Saddle Club. Just how on earth this could possibly be so successful so soon is just about impossible.

Then again, the Saddle Club series was never big on that whole reality thing. In reality, rodeos are really rough on animals. Absolutely no thought is given to how these animals are treated. Also, I find it hard to believe that Carole, of all people, would have no idea what barrel racing is. Or how about Christine -- not knowing what barrel racing is, even though she's lived in the area HER WHOLE LIFE?

I don't know if Bonnie Bryant actually wrote this. This book gives special thanks to Don Demarzio. Usually, in a kid's book series, "special thanks" is code for "here's the name of the real person who wrote the book."
Profile Image for Sam Wescott.
1,309 reviews46 followers
April 10, 2019
This is one of the sillier editions. The girls who have ridden Western style... once? sign up for a rodeo, practice barrel racing for two days, win, and then save the ranch from financial troubles with $600. It’s pretty ridiculous, but I loved it as always.
Profile Image for Anelya.
43 reviews1 follower
September 28, 2017
Due to a freak snowstorm that visits Pine Hollow, all the schools and major businesses close, giving Stevie, Carole and Lisa a week off. They take this week to visit The Bar None, where a rodeo will be taking place. Stevie spur of the moment signs the girls up for barrel racing, they meet new-wrangler Jeannie who's in love with Eli, and find out The Bar None is in trouble! Somehow, the Saddle Club has to help!

The Bar None is losing all its customers to a neighbouring ranch, The Dapper Dude. The girls realize it's all about the advertising, so try to use the rodeo to get The Bar None some attention.

Reading about the girls prepare for barrel racing was so much fun. That storyline threw some unexpected twists at me that I loved, but had an ultimately happy ending.

My favourite (Or the barrel-racing was my favourite... I don't know, it's all so fun!) was the "love" plotline with Jeannie and Eli. It was so much fun watching Jeannie follow Eli around like a love-struck puppy while he's oblivious that she's there. Until, of course, she comes up and saves the day! Eli was a totally loveable side character who I hope appears in future books. (So is Christine Lonetree, actually. I hope she turns up more, too.)

One of my absolute favourite Saddle Club books, a joy and a laugh to read.
Profile Image for Sam.
387 reviews
September 18, 2023
I read these because my daughter reads them and wants to have a book club between her and I. After this being my second saddle club book, I'm definitely convinced that these shouldn't be read by adults. I read these with too much realism, so I'm basically rolling my eyes at all the unrealistic things that happen in this book. At least my daughter reads these with hopeful imagination and enjoys them. This was an ok book with a happy ending. I would recommend it to young, horse crazy girls.
Profile Image for Stefanie Robinson.
2,360 reviews16 followers
January 16, 2023
In this book, Stevie, Lisa, and Carole are gone to a Dude Ranch for a trip. A rodeo is being put on in town, and the girls decide it would be way more fun to participate in the rodeo than to simply watch it. They start learning the ways of the rodeo, running into a problem that I won't disclose so I don't ruin the book for anyone wishing to read it. I loved this series so much when I was a kid.
1 review
May 17, 2019
Amazing

This book is better than the others by a long shot.An amazing saddle club book so thrilling and overall a fun book to read.
Profile Image for Filomena.
481 reviews23 followers
June 6, 2019
Jooo, tenhle dil me bavil! A nejlepsi dialogy ma na svedomi stejne Eli a Stefi! :)
Profile Image for Heather.
225 reviews12 followers
July 29, 2019
kinda flat and lack luster. dint move as fast as the other ones. still nice though the girls learn more about western riding.
15 reviews
January 18, 2011
My favortie part of Rodeo Rider is when the girls get to come down to the Bar None wich is a real ranch and get to see their old freinds and compete in a Rodeo.The book reminded me of the time when I got to go to a ranch and get to see the horses and almost got to ride them.I wonder why the other ranch Dapper Dude was just like the Bar none on the inside and had pretty much everything the same.My favorite character is Kate because she gets to ride horses,live on a rach and gets to take care of animals.I think the Author wrote this book to enspire kids to ride horese,have fun when they do things and love what you want to do.A part that really disoppointed me was when Carloe nocked over the Barrel when the were doing the Barrel racing and them more time was added to the clock.I was really supprised when Derek traded on them.The theme of the story is mainly about horses and having fun.I want to read the same books by the same Author because I love horses,want to learn more about horses,the books are funny,intersating,exciting, and I can understand the book really well.I liked the ending because it ends happy and I am happy for the Bar None because the Saddle Club helps the Bar None Ranch get money because the Bar None Ranch was going downhill.I was confused when Derek cheated on them was helping them not do so good and tricking them.I would recommend this book to other students because the book is about horses,they can learn about horses, and hear about what they do,how to take care of them I would recommend this book for girls also.I made a prediction that they were going to win because they have very good kids,they love to race, and they all pratice a lot together.One of the problems in the book was when Carloe nocked over the Barrel in the Barrel Racing and got a bad time. The problem was resloved when the rest of the girls on the team made better times.When i was reading the book I felt happy,scared that they were going to lose,funny,and excited.After eading the book I felt happy,and giggle.I really love these books they are really good and I hope you will read this book too.
6 reviews2 followers
January 26, 2009
So far I think it is really good. These books really teach kids to help each other out. The saddle club is staying with some friends at a ranch called the barn none which is losing alot of buisness. The saddle club enters in a rodeo to try to raise money and spread some advertisment for the barn none to keep them from going out of buisness.
Profile Image for aixin .
153 reviews7 followers
March 6, 2009
Simply fantastic! If I could, I'll visit a ranch and try to get all the experiences(except the rattlesnake one)!
Profile Image for Hazel.
328 reviews10 followers
August 4, 2011
A good series for horse crazy young teens. I loved it when I was younger.
Profile Image for Kelly.
950 reviews135 followers
September 28, 2019
The One With the Rodeo

This was definitely cute, if not one of the best in the series. But a very fun re-read. I love these characters and Bonnie Bryant's humor.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews

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