Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

Starred Review There's a new kid in town, and Rodeo Red's laying down the law. When her parents a the sheriff and the deputy ing home a baby brother, Red has a full-time job keeping her territory and property safe, particularly her best friend Rusty: a cuddly stuffed hound dog. Perkins' stylized turns of phrase are straight out of western oldies (or at least Toy Story 2) and beg to be read aloud: "The first time our eyes met, I knew Slim was trouble. He looked as slippery as a snake's belly in a mudslide." The story's western motif proves an ideal venue for the drama of acquiring a new sibling. Wrangling, thieving, "squawling," and the inevitable firm hand of "the law" fit naturally into this framework. Caldecott Honor Book illustrator Idle (Flora and the Flamingo, 2013) wields her pistol rry, pencil th aplomb, creating soft, inviting illustrations that truly set the scene. Saloon-style bedroom doors, bars of a back-turned chair acting as a holding cell, and a cactus-shaped coatrack are a few details that Idle conjures to enrich Red's environs. For all her trials, Red's story is playfully spirited and upbeat, making for a rootin'-tootin' tale that won't fail to quick draw a smile.

Horn Book (Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

Rodeo Red--a red-haired girl in dress-up duds--is never without her (stuffed) canine companion "until Sideswiping Slim showed up." That baby-faced baby nabs the pooch when big sister's back is turned, so Red has to git back what's hers while avoiding a time-out. High-spirited illustrations straddle Red's real life and her wild (west) imagination; the drawling text is full of kid-centric, Old Westflavored expressions.

School Library Journal (Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

PreS-Gr 2 Rodeo Red, a pig-tailed preschooler, tries to save her beloved stuffed dog from the clutches of her baby brother in this Western-style sibling showdown. Red and Rusty are constant companions, but when Sideswiping Slim learns to walk, he quickly claims Rusty for his own. Attempts to rescue Rusty from his kidnapper only set Slim wailing, and the Sheriff and her Deputy (Mom and Dad) side with the enemy, sending Red to a "holding cell" for a timeout. What's a cowgirl to do? Fortunately, the stagecoach arrives with a belated birthday present that just might provide the perfect solution to Red's dilemma. Perkins's lively text is an age-appropriate version of the colorful vocabulary, rhythm, and figurative language of traditional Westerns. Perfect for reading aloud, it will have even the most die-hard Yankee speaking with a Texas drawl. Idle's illustrations convey the wide range of Red's emotional ups and downs while having fun with her cowgirl personaMom and Dad sport accessories shaped like a sheriff's badge and entryways resemble swinging saloon doors. Red's solution to her brother's needs demonstrates ingenuity and understanding and offers a satisfying resolution to a common conflict. While the subject matter doesn't blaze any new trails, it's certainly lots of fun. VERDICT A first purchase for most picture book collections. Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Sacramento Public Library, CA