Weeks after arriving in Colorado to start a new farm, the Hollowell family is looking at disaster when 15-year-old Owen witnesses the theft of their mules. Learning that Hercules and Peaches will likely be sold to the mines, Owen sets out to track the rustler over the mountains. It’s all Ma can do to hold back little brother Till, who’s more than a handful. The outlaw’s trail leads to Telluride, the turbulent “City of Gold.” Owen gets help from a resourceful girl named Molly and dubious assistance from Till, who shows up on the train from Durango.
Telluride’s notorious marshal finally takes an interest when he identifies the rustler as one of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch. The lawman leads Owen and Till on horseback into the canyon country and all the way to Robbers Roost. For readers who love adventure and humor, Will Hobbs delivers a stirring tale of two brothers who risk it all to recover their mules and secure their future.
Topics <p>Frontier and pioneer life. Colorado. Robbers and outlaws. Mules. Single-parent families. Nineteenth-century US history.</p>
Trim Size 8 3/10" x 5 1/2"
JLG Span Fall
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2020-07-20
JLG Release Date Oct 2020
Minimum grade 5
Maximum grade 8
Reading level Middle
Format Print
High Intereest Middle Plus (Grades 5-8)
High Interest Middle Plus
High Intereest Middle Plus (Grades 5-8)
For Grades 5-8
This collection features high-interest fiction titles designed to capture attention quickly and keep middle school readers engaged. Selections emphasize strong hooks, dynamic pacing, and engaging voices across a range of genres, prioritizing momentum and immediate appeal over genre or format.