51 books
—
4 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Let 'er Buck!: George Fletcher, the People's Champion” as Want to Read:
Let 'er Buck!: George Fletcher, the People's Champion
by
In 1911, three men were in the final round of the famed Pendleton Round-Up. One was white, one was Indian, and one was black. When the judges declared the white man the winner, the audience was outraged. They named black cowboy George Fletcher the "people's champion" and took up a collection, ultimately giving Fletcher far more than the value of the prize that went to the
...more
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Let 'er Buck!,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Let 'er Buck!
Community Reviews
Showing 1-45
Don’t miss the back matter with Ms. Nelson’s extensive research!
George Fletcher moved to Pendleton, Oregon, a place where there weren’t a lot of African-Americans. He made friends with the children from the Umatilla Indian Reservation and learned how to train horses with gentleness. George started riding in competitions at age 16, though he was often shut out of competitions because of the color of his skin or judged unfairly. He got his chance to really show off his skill at the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up, the biggest rodeo in the Northwest. He made the top th
...more
George Fletcher was an African-American cowboy back in the early 1900's. Unfortunately, discrimination cut into his chances for winning. At times this was subtle, at other times blatant. At the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up he competed in the Saddle Bronc Championship against two reknowned bronc-busters. Despite an impressive ride he was given second place. The crowd objected, declared him the People's Champion, and donated money to give him his due. Pendleton erected a statue to Fletcher in 2014. Thi
...more
This new children's biography featuring the 1911 Pendleton Round-up will capture hearts and minds with its down home narrative and gorgeous watercolor illustrations. Phrases like "Life at home was no bushel of peaches either" and "like a wet kitten on a warm brick" contribute a strong sense of setting as does the Rodeo and Western Words Glossary included in the book. Finally detailed bios on the main characters of the book include interesting details about the lives of the men in the book.
Thank ...more
Thank ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
One of my favorite types of book to introduce students to in the library is the "unknown" biography. This biography about rodeo rider/cowboy George Fletcher will be a great addition to our school's collection. It's hard to find African American historical biographies that are not based in the South. ( Pacific Northwest!) Gordon C James's illustrations compliment the books focus on George and the other people satisfactorily, but really shines in bringing the horses and the historical setting to l
...more
The art is well suited to the topic, giving the reader the idea of movement on the page. The use of language gives young readers a great flavor of the time and setting of the book without being too complicated to understand. The back matter is wonderfully detailed and lets the reader know that the author did his work well and even the names of the horses was researched. This is an original story that will be fun and educational for young readers.
Nelson's book about George Fletcher was a wonderful read with fantastic illustrations. Georges life was, like so many others at the turn of the century, rough, but he found a way to use that to his advantage. Finding a new life with local Native American tribes near Pendleton, Oregon, George found he was meant to ride horses. Nelson's story focuses on the 1911 Pendleton Roundup and George's participation in the saddle bronc competition. After being denied the win, he became the people's champion
...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson loves bringing books and children together and feels lucky to have two careers that foster this. The children's librarian and author says, "It was destined from the day I was born. My mother found my name in a novel she was reading."
Vaunda's first book, Always Gramma, was selected by the Children's Book Council as a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studie ...more
Vaunda's first book, Always Gramma, was selected by the Children's Book Council as a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studie ...more
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
