Cowboy Trade

by Glen Rounds

Describes the life of a cowboy, his dress, his daily tasks, and his duties during roundups and cattle drives.

40 pages, Hardcover

Published March 1, 1994

About the author

Glen Harold Rounds was a distinguished American writer and illustrator whose career spanned over six decades, during which he wrote and illustrated more than 100 books. Known for his vivid storytelling and masterful illustrations, Rounds garnered over 25 literary awards, cementing his legacy as one of the prominent children's authors and illustrators of his time.
Born in a sod house near Wall, South Dakota, Rounds had a rugged childhood that involved various jobs such as baker, cook, and ranch hand, alongside adventures in the carnival and logging industries. His early years on a Montana ranch provided a rich foundation for the characters and landscapes that would appear in his later works. Rounds was drawn to art from a young age, and after studying painting and drawing at the Kansas City Art Institute and the Art Students League of New York, he spent time touring the Western U.S. with fellow student Jackson Pollock and their teacher, Thomas Hart Benton. It was during this period that Rounds began his lifelong pursuit of illustrating stories.
Rounds’ breakthrough came with Ol' Paul, the Mighty Logger (1936), a collection of Paul Bunyan stories he largely created himself. The book's success launched his career, and he went on to write and illustrate numerous titles, including The Blind Colt (1941) and the Whitey series, which featured a young Montana cowboy. His works often explored themes of the American West, wildlife, and the natural world, with a unique ability to convey both humor and pathos through his illustrations and writing.
Throughout his career, Rounds introduced a variety of beloved characters, including Mr. Yowder, the itinerant sign painter, and his books continued to win critical acclaim. Even in his later years, after arthritis forced him to switch to drawing with his left hand, Rounds remained a prolific creator. His last book, Beavers (1999), was lauded for its informative and succinct prose, paired with illustrations that demonstrated his enduring skill and patience.
Rounds received numerous accolades, including the Kerlan Award (1980) and the North Carolina Award for Literature (1981). He was also inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in 2002, shortly before his death. His works continue to be celebrated for their captivating illustrations and stories that bring the American landscape and its characters to life.

Reviews

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review of the 1972 hardback edition. You can currently find it at the Internet Archive.

Glen Rounds' books are generally considered children's books (even his non-fiction, like this one) but the tone is very much like one adult talking to another (just no trace of sex or swearing.) The prose is loose, but doesn't go all over the place. He keeps to the topic at hand -- what the lives of real cowboys were like.

Rounds begins and ends by comparing TV and movie cowboys to real ones. At the end, when historical horse-based cowboys were dying out by 1972 (when this was first published), Rounds still compares the real and the fake.

Rounds makes mention of things that I don't think ever made it to the screen -- like cowboys having to use their guns to shoot open a can of tomatoes, because they didn't commonly carry can openers, or cowboys riding the grub line in winter to avoid long hours in the saddle during biting cold. He also showed the other jobs cowboys were required to do, such as digging water holes in ice for the cattle, putting up fencing or other carpentry jobs. And, as he notes, there was no such thing as overtime pay.

The illustrations are the icing to this very tasty cake. Rounds' style easily sets him apart. His people and animals have a quirky charm. He was a particularly good drawer of dogs. Although dogs aren't mentioned in the text, they trot and sniff about, tails in the air, faithful companions to the words.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a simple, non-fiction book that clears up the misconceptions that people have about cowboys. Due to western movies and dime novels, people often think that cowboys were sharpshooters who spent most of their time fighting Native Americans on the plains. In reality, the life of a cowboy was hard work and less glamorous than depicted in movies.

As an example of a reversal, the first chapter explains the myth of the cowboy, but then spends the rest of its pages explaining the life of the cowboy, talking about the cattle herding, the rough weather patterns, and the individualistic nature of their lives. Cowboys were possessive of the few things they owned. My favorite fact is that the cowboy originated in Mexico and was actually called a vaquero.

I recommend this book ot those who wish to learn the basics about the cowboy and for those who want to experiment with simple non-fiction. The language is basic, and the illustrations make for comedic relief.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting history of cowboys down through the years. An excellent little book for 10 -12 yr olds.