Cowboy Sam and Those Confounded Secrets

by Kitty Griffin, Kathy Combs, Mike Wohnoutka (Illustrator)

Under Cowboy Sam’s hat are more secrets than fleas on Doc Peeble’s hound dog, more secrets than peppers on a chili pepper plant, and more secrets than spikes on a horny toad lizard. Just about everyone in the town of Dry Gulch wants to tell Sam a secret. But when his hat gets plum full of secrets and won’t stay put on his head, Sam is bumfuzzled and bewildered. How can he keep all those secrets under wraps—and keep the townfolk from going crazy?
Perfectly matched by Mike Wohnoutka’s comic illustrations, this funny and unexpectedly touching tale will appeal to readers young and old alike.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 17, 2001

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh gosh how adorable! Love the writing style; it would be so fun to read aloud. Love the conceit "I'll keep it under my hat." Love the art style; the characters are cuter than dolls.

[Janet Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! It teaches a great lesson about telling secrets and also it has a great story line, the characters are really interesting and the events that happen are exciting. I would read this from 1st grade on to 4th probably.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun read aloud!

[Susan Chapek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love both the story and the illustrations. A terrific read-aloud.

[Caitlin Barclay]

Metaphors, alliteration, and writing in the accent of the characters is throughout this book. The plot is about problem solving and this can even spark a conversation about telling and keeping secrets and honesty. I would use this as part of my writing workshop!

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great tall tale, full of similes and metaphors and great exaggeration. The ending was a bit sappy, but the story was good all the same.

[Douglas Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most heartwarming and beautiful stories written for the 4 to 6 age group.

[Michelle Cropper · Rating 5 out of 5]

a cute book about secrets