A Home For Steamboat: The Story of a Famous Rodeo Horse

by Casey Rislov, Zachary Pullen BA (illustrator)

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Fiction

48 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2025

About the author

Author Casey Rislov is the award-winning author of 8 children's books. She holds a holds a master's degree in elementary education and is endorsed in early childhood and special needs. Casey shares her passion for reading, writing, and storytelling with children of all ages during her popular story times, school visits, and workshops. She lives in Wyoming with her three greatest loves, her husband and their two children.

Reviews

[Ankit Saxena · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)

A Home for Steamboat is a beautifully written and heartwarming tale that captivates readers of all ages. This charming children's book tells the story of Steamboat, a horse in search of a place where he truly belongs. The author skillfully blends gentle, relatable themes of home, belonging and friendship with delightful illustrations that bring the story to life.

What sets this book apart is its emotional depth. It doesn’t just focus on Steamboat’s journey, but also subtly teaches important lessons about resilience, acceptance, and finding your place in the world. The pacing is perfect and the story unfolds in a way that keeps you both engaged & reflective.

The digital water-color styled illustrations are stunning—vibrant yet warm, enhancing the narrative and giving the reader a visual treat to go with the heartwarming tale. The characters are endearing, especially Steamboat, whose determination and kindness make him incredibly relatable to young readers and adults alike.

My only minor critique is that the ending feels slightly rushed, though it doesn’t take away from the overall impact of the story. A Home for Steamboat is an incredibly special book that will resonate with its readers, leaving them feeling uplifted & hopeful. It’s a wonderful addition to any child’s bookshelf and perfect for bedtime reading.

Highly recommend!

My NetGalley review

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is about a special horse that won't allow anyone to ride him. It gave me slight Spirit vibes and I love that this is based on a real life horse.

The relationship between grandpa and Lena is cute and I love that they are doing the chores together while grandpa tells the story of Steamboat.

The illustrations are unique, the backgrounds are spectacular, but the portraying of people was not really my style.

Overall a fun little read.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc.

[Theediscerning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm… Seeing as one of the chief emblems of Wyoming is a bucking horse, and is based on a real bucking horse, there might as well be a kids' book about him. But this isn't a classic of its kind. Steamboat was living a life of Riley until he wasn't, as his second home was full of cowboys who were determined to try their darnedest and break the horse – make him amenable to being ridden and worked. But they did manage to make some dollar from him, with hotheaded cowboys thinking they could be unique in surviving a ride on his back without getting thrown. That is until someone else buys him.

And you'd think at this point that this new, third owner would be the one accepted on the nag's back and be able to prove the placid animal was there all along and just needed love and whatever. No. That wasn't the case, as Steamboat still got to 'work' the rodeo circuit as an unrideable. It seems that back in that day (the 1900s) the best thing for Steamboat was a happy medium – a nice owner, but a job as a challenge, a difficulty nobody could overcome.

So why is this billed as something that "will inspire young cowboys and -girls to never give up"? There is no human trying anything long-term – there is someone befriending Steamboat, but then we were told he was much better than the second owners in the first place, and even Steamboat's efforts don't lead to a peaceful live befitting a fine horse. It's a book where nobody really wins – they certainly don't win the reader's hearts – and while I should applaud a book trying a different kind of narrative to the norm, I couldn't here. Nor could I really get on board with the grotesque caricature-styled portraiture in the art, meaning that the only people this could really be recommended to are Wyomingites. Who may have known the story in the first place. For much of the rest of the world I can only see this as a pass.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Book Review✨
🐴 A Home for Steamboat 🐴

Synopsis:
The well-told, fact-based story about the famous bucking bronco whom now symbolizes the state of Wyoming and the University of Wyoming.

My thoughts:
🤔 Do you know any little cowboys or cowgirls? RUN…don’t walk….to purchase this one for them. They are going to love it! Steamboat’s unbreakable spirit will certainly inspire young cowboys and cowgirls to persevere.
🤔 This is beautifully crafted. I loved how the story about the girl and her grandfather was used to tell Steamboat’s story.
🤔 The illustrations are so, so good! The characters are almost bobble-head-type characters. They are illustrated kind of like the characters on the covers of the “Who Was/Is” series. Kids will love these caricature-style illustrations!

Who is going to love it? Children who ….
❤ …love HORSES, RODEO, and RANCH LIFE!
❤️ …love learning about U.S. HISTORY and the AMERICAN WEST!
❤️ …love FAMILY STORYTIME. This one is so good for the whole family!
❤️ …have ever wondered about the BUCKING BRONCO on Wyoming Licence Plates!

📢This one releases April 15, 2025! You can preorder now!

🥰Thank you to Mountain Stars Press and @NetGalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book. I grew up in a family that was very close to the rodeo, so it felt like a story my grandpa would tell me when I asked for a story.

The illustrations feel like old paintings and give a feel of Americana nostalgia. The colors are muted in present day, but vibrant in memories, which gives the reader a deeper understanding of how the story is told. The image of Steamboat being brushed in the barn by lamplight was particularly beautiful and I wouldn't be surprised if I saw that image framed somewhere. I really enjoyed the information about how the image was created using inspiration from Allen Tupper True.

This would be good for advanced children readers, as some of the words are more difficult than an early reader. The story is also quite emotional, so it would be good for children to learn about empathy.

I never knew Steamboat was real, so being able to read about Steamboat's legacy at the back of the book was a treat.

This is really a love letter to the wild west and cowboy life, and any family who has a history or passion for that history will love this book.

[art.books.chemistry (SamE.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a Wyoming native but my family has fully dedicated ourselves to Wyoming now and my daughter is a Wyoming native by birth. There is a lot of rich history here and I love how much of the state is covered in Steamboat and bison. (Don't pet the fluffy cows!)

This story of Steamboat is relatively short and to the point but still contains a good summary of information. The illustrations are engaging and fun. My 20 month old kept point at them on my phone screen. A couple of the pages the text is a little long for a children's book, in my opinion, but they're overall very good. I just would have split a couple of the longer text blocks to an extra page.

I appreciate the style of this being a historical narrative but told from the perspective of someone within the story; it makes it more engaging than a straight nonfiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Mountain Stars Press for letting me have a copy for review!

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
4 out of 5
Recommended for older children, horse lovers, fans of US hisory trivia.
I'm familiar with Steamboat through Craig Johnson's Longmire books, so I couldn't pass up a chance to read this book.
It's a well told short bio of a very famous 'bucking bronco' who became one of Wyoming's state symbols.
The illustrator is known for his character/cariacature style of art, and there is so much detail here!
I do like that the story shows that animals have their own personalities and differences too, and that everyone needs understanding and acceptance to find what they are meant to do with their life.
The 'bookended' story of a grandfather and his granddaughter was a great storytelling device as well.
Perfect book for family storytime.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are nice, although not my personal preference for style.
The story is a good one, and remind me of a short version of many of the horse books I read as a child. However, there were a lot of words on each page for a children's picture book. The timeline felt rushed.

Ages: 2-3rd grade (too much on each page for younger than 1st grade)
Recommended: only if there is a child who is extremely interested in horses or rodeo but is not ready for chapter books.

This honest review is given in exchange for a free ebook copy from NetGalley.

[Emma Filbrun · Rating 4 out of 5]

My little girls, especially the animal-loving one, enjoyed this book. The story is quite engaging, as people learned what a bucker Steamboat was, and the pictures are humorous. We enjoyed learning about this horse and about rodeos, and especially liked that this is a true story. The author’s note at the end was quite informative. This book is a great one to read to any child who likes horses, and especially if that child lives in Wyoming!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the bucking bronco of a horse named Steamboat. Steamboat became the symbol of Wyoming that is still used today. This book is about family and not breaking anyones spirit just because you can. This book is a fine biography of a horse. What sets this apart is the artwork. It’s a goofy somber western comedic style artwork not usually seen in children’s picture books. But it goes perfectly with this story.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Home for Steamboat by Casey Rislov is a heartwarming and beautifully illustrated story that gently teaches the values of kindness, compassion, and belonging. Inspired by a real horse, this Wyoming tale follows Steamboat’s journey to find a forever home, capturing the hearts of young readers and parents alike. With its engaging storyline and meaningful message, it’s a book families will want to read again and again. A true treasure and a must-have for every reader!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preparing to read this book for library classes tomorrow (grades 4-6). We are in rural Wyoming, so I am exited to share Old Steamboat's story. I enjoyed this book and love the illustrations! I'll be paring it with a slideshow & discussion to provide a more complete picture of Old Steamboat's life and his ties to the famous bucking bronco image that is representative of so much here in Wyoming.

[Comfort Akon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully told story about Steamboat, a horse with unbreakable spirit and independence. The illustrations are charming and engaging, and the story inspires young readers to persevere and follow their own path. A perfect mix of history, heart, and lessons in resilience!

[Julia Tyser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations! Rislov and Pullen are such a great combo and they are perfect for Wyoming!

[Crystal O'Brien]

very cool story