This classic Western is a profoundly moving story of the influence of a singular character on one boy's life.

The Starrett family's life forever changes when a man named Shane rides out of the great glowing West and up to their farm.

Young Bob Starrett is entranced by this stoic stranger who brings a new energy to his family. Shane stays on as a farmhand, but his past remains a mystery. Many folks in their small Wyoming valley are suspicious of Shane and make it known that he is not welcome.

But dangerous as Shane may seem, he is a staunch friend to the Starretts--and when a powerful neighboring rancher tries to drive them out of their homestead, Shane becomes entangled in the deadly feud.

If you read only one Western in your life, this is the one. (Roland Smith, author of the Peak Marcello adventure novels)

I had lain in my bed thinking of our visitor out in the bunk in the barn. It scarce seemed possible that he was the same man I had first seen, stern and chilling in his dark solitude, riding up our road. Something in father, something not of words or of actions but of the essential substance of the human spirit, had reached out and spoken to him and he had replied to it and had unlocked a part of himself to us. He was far off and unapproachable at times even when he was right there with you.

When Kate Thompson's father is killed by the notorious Rose Riders for a mysterious journal that reveals the secret location of a gold mine, the eighteen-year-old disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers and justice. What she finds are devious strangers, dust storms, and a pair of brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, she gets closer to the truth about herself and must decide if there's room for love in a heart so full of hate. In the spirit of True Grit, the cutthroat days of the Wild West come to life for a new generation.

Embark on two full length exhilarating adventures alongside teenagers Gary Cole, Tucker Browne, and Sue Browne as they venture unchartered territories in search of lost fortunes!

In Mystery of the Haunted Mine, somewhere tucked away in these canyons is a life-changing treasure...thousands upon thousands of dollars' worth of gold that many a man has searched and died for over the years spanning back as far as their grandfathers' time. The Indians say it is guarded by ghosts, but Gary, Tuck, and Sue refuse to believe that ghosts use live ammunition... Like Perry Mason's triumphs in the courtroom, these determined young adventurers must overcome adversity and emerge unscathed.

During The Secret of the Spanish Desert, while exploring the vast desert, Gary stumbles upon an enticing secret-a lost Spanish Mission waiting to be discovered. As the trio unravels the enigmatic tale, they encounter a mysterious spectral figure draped in the robes of a friar-just one of the many perplexing dilemmas that lie ahead for our intrepid sleuths-and their relentless pursuit takes them deeper into the arid wasteland, where danger lurks at every turn.

Join Gary, Tucker, and Sue on two unforgettable journeys, as they face desert-bound obstacles and unmask the secrets buried within. Will you answer the call?

Award-winning and bestselling author Gordon D. Shirreffs wasn't known only for his wily western tales, but also for his spirited boys' adventure stories.

Jerry Hunter is a high school senior who is determined to find his missing uncle, Chuck, an expert outdoorsman who loved Lake Mead and disappeared several years ago while searching for a hidden treasure.

As Jerry and his two buddies set out on a perilous journey to find Chuck and the treasure, they encounter mystery and adventure at every turn. They battle dangerous storms, wild animals, and even a group of ruthless criminals. And through it all, they never give up the hope of finding Chuck and solving the mystery of his disappearance.

Mystery of Lost Canyon is a thrilling tale of courage, friendship, and perseverance that's sure to keep young readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

Step into the rugged Texas frontier of 1855 with fifteen-year-old Jack O'Toole in this thrilling first installment of a gripping YA Western series.

When Jack's homestead is brutally attacked by Comanches, his world is shattered. With his parents and two siblings gone and two more taken captive, Jack is left with a burning desire for vengeance and a heavy burden of guilt. Determined to rescue his brother and sister, he plunges into the perilous wilderness, relying on his faith and survival instincts.

Fate intervenes when Jack saves Wild Horse, a young Comanche, from a deadly mountain lion, forging an unlikely bond. As they navigate the treacherous frontier together, Jack grapples with his thirst for revenge against the teachings of forgiveness and mercy. Along the way, they are joined by a wise Black cowboy, forming a trio bound by friendship and courage. But their journey is fraught with danger, pushing them to face their fears and stand up for what they believe in.

Will Jack and Wild Horse discover that the truth sets them free? Can Jack's faith inspire Wild Horse to find his own path?

Join Jack on his perilous journey and witness the making of true men. Dive into Perilous Trails: Jack's Adventure Beginstoday and embark on an adventure where faith, friendship, and courage are tested in the wildest of lands.

The relentless fifth chapter of The Frontier Chronicles sweeps readers back to the unforgiving American West, where Jack O'Toole's loyalty, endurance, and faith face their greatest test yet.

In 1858, the frontier is as dangerous as it is vast-a brutal land that spares few. Having narrowly escaped deadly threats in Texas, Jack and his Comanche ally push northward, only to find themselves in a race against time. When Blue Flower is kidnapped by the fierce Lakota subchief Kills Many, Jack is thrust into an intense pursuit across untamed wilderness to bring her back safely. But on the frontier, survival means confronting savage landscapes, relentless foes, and the dark truths of the West's unyielding march toward conquest.

As Jack navigates treacherous trails to Wyoming and beyond, he's forced to reckon with what he's willing to sacrifice-and who he must become-to rescue Blue Flower. Each step into the wild frontier brings him closer to danger and deeper into a destiny shaped by courage and guided by God.

Will Jack's grit and unwavering belief see him through this harrowing rescue, or will the unforgiving frontier claim him and those he loves? Dive into Hunter Vs. Hunted: Jack's Great Frontier Challenge to discover the next gripping chapter in Jack's journey of faith and survival.

Climb into your saddle with Longhorns North: Jack's Great Trail Drive, the third spellbinding installment of The Frontier Chronicles YA series.

Now seventeen-years-old, Jack O'Toole and his Comanche friend Spirit Talker must find the courage and endurance to take on the tough challenges faced in driving a herd of longhorn cattle northward through a hostile frontier to Wyoming. Storm-driven stampedes, wildfires, raging rivers, and attacks by Cheyenne and dreaded Blackfeet warriors test their resolve.

Along the trail to the fledgling ranch of their Black cowboy friend George Freeman, Jack and Spirit Talker must also deal with vulnerable caravans of prairie schooners headed west on the Oregon Trail, defend themselves against a huge angry grizzly, and find a way to free an enslaved Comanche girl.

Does Jack's faith and friendship with Spirit Talker result in the success of their cattle venture despite the rigors of the trail? Will Jack make it home to Rising Cross Ranch in time for the birth of his first children? And what of the mystery surrounding Zeb, the ever-present wolf?

A 2024 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award Gold Medal Winner

A brutal, suspenseful, and surprising read with an unforgettable protagonist. --School Library Journal, Starred Review

Utterly riveting from beginning to end. --Demetra Brodsky, ITW and Black-Eyed Susan Award-nominated author of Last Girls

Be Careful Who You Root For

When a violent, decades-long feud between two powerful men comes to a head in the small settlement of Bladestay, Colorado, cunning resident Theo Creed must use her wits to stay alive. Disguising herself as a young boy, seventeen-year-old Theo bluffs her way into the inner circle of August Gains, the magnetic leader of the ruthless gang that has descended on her town. But the deeper Theo gets into the con, the more she starts to question her loyalties. Complicating her subterfuge is a mysterious outlaw whose small moments of kindness contradict the blood he has on his hands, making Theo wonder who, exactly, is conning who. To save her town, Theo must parse façade from reality and choose between the barefaced malevolence she's infiltrated and an evil she didn't know lurked at home.

For readers who enjoy No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy and Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee.

Wyoming Calls: Jack's Risky Quest, the second gripping installment of The Frontier Chronicles, plunges young Jack O'Toole into a daring adventure from Texas to Wyoming, testing his courage, faith, and endurance like never before.

Joined by his steadfast Comanche friend Spirit Talker, sixteen-year-old Jack faces perilous trails and uncharted territories dominated by Lakota, Crow, Cheyenne, Pawnee, Kiowa, Shoshone, and Comanche tribes. Each step northward into this rugged no-man's land pushes Jack to the limits of his grit and determination, embodying the essence of frontier resilience.

Thrown into Comancheria, the most dangerous part of the frontier, Jack's fate intertwines with divine guidance, steering his path through the wilds.

Will Jack survive the brutal challenges of the western frontier? Can his faith and friendship with Spirit Talker see him through the most treacherous journey of his life?

Discover the answers in Wyoming Calls: Jack's Risky Quest and join Jack on a quest where the stakes are higher and the risks greater.

In this transformative coming-of-age western a devastating fire sends Rowdy hot on the trail in a twist of vengeful pursuit...

When Rowdy returns from a hunting trip he discovers the Circle 'R' has been burned down and Dog severely injured. Searching for answers, he finds a clue that just might lead him to an old foe. Filled with anger, frustration, and pain, Rowdy once again sets off with Roberson and Cappy to face Patrick Byrne, the man behind the ruthless attacks.

Things go awry on their trip north when they stop to help travelers, and Rowdy and Roberson soon realize they have been double-crossed. Taken captive by bandits, Rowdy, now a prisoner, must await his fate. Forced to fight for survival, Rowdy takes a stand with Byrne.

Rowdy's journey from Lincoln started as a vengeful pursuit, but somewhere along the way he came to the realization that no matter their acts, it was not for him to decide the fate of another. Leaving Rowdy to wonder, can he find Redemption of his own?

Rowdy's vulnerability and forthrightness make his character relatable to people of all ages and backgrounds. - Early Reader

The gripping fourth installment of The Frontier Chronicles plunges readers into the unforgiving wilds of the American West. As Jack O'Toole faces the most brutal challenges yet, his courage, faith, and unyielding grit are put to the ultimate test...

In 1858, the Comancheria was a deadly battleground where savage and civilized worlds collided. Jack, barely eighteen, finds himself navigating this treacherous no-man's-land alongside his Comanche ally. Together, they confront relentless threats from Comanche warriors, White settlers' growing hostility, and the escalating violence that leads to the fierce Battle of Little Robe Creek.

This riveting historical western not only chronicles Jack's survival against impossible odds but also sheds light on the complex and often untold truths of the American frontier. With each step, Jack's journey is shaped by the harsh landscape, relentless enemies, and a destiny governed by faith and fate.

Will Jack's unwavering faith guide him through the bloodshed, or will the relentless violence of the frontier consume him? Discover the powerful tale of endurance and belief in Warpath: Jack's Faith is Tested.

Born into slavery in 1854, Nat Love, also known as Deadwood Dick, grew up to become the most famous African American cowboy in the Old West. A contemporary and acquaintance of Bat Masterson and Billy the Kid, Nat was widely known as an expert roper and driver, a crack shot, and a real Wild West character. Featuring lively full-color artwork by Randy DuBurke, Best Shot in the West is an exhilarating mix of high-interest historical fiction and nonstop adventure.

This gripping fictional tale imagines William Bonney's fate had his life of crime taken a very different turn. Fans of adventure will be riveted by Theodore Taylor's fresh take on a legendary character.

Includes an author's note about the real Billy the Kid.

This gripping historical novel set during the final years of the Indian Wars explores army life in the American West as it details one boy's struggle to become a man.

The unyielding sixth chapter of The Frontier Chronicles thrusts readers into the tumultuous prelude to the Civil War, where Jack O'Toole's faith, grit, and courage are put to the ultimate test.

In 1859, America is a nation on the brink of upheaval, and Jack O'Toole finds himself at the center of its fiercest battle-the fight for freedom. Awakening to the stark immorality of slavery, Jack resolves to make a stand. Armed with his cowboy skills and unshakable faith, he launches an extraordinary crusade to help escaped slaves find freedom, turning a cattle drive into a daring underground railroad. Leading a band of newly freed men and women from Texas to Wyoming, Jack teaches them the art of survival in the wilderness and the strength of self-reliance.

But the road to freedom is fraught with danger. Slave catchers and hostile tribes dog their every step, while the looming shadow of a nation divided threatens to crush Jack's mission. As the young cowboy faces impossible odds, he must grapple with his own growing responsibilities and the weight of leadership, all while the tensions of a country on the edge of civil war begin to shape his destiny.

Will Jack's bold undertaking succeed in carving out hope and freedom for those who follow him, or will the forces of greed and hatred snuff out his flame of defiance? Freedom Drovers: Jack's Awesome Crusade is a riveting tale of courage and conviction, blending the untold stories of the frontier with a heartfelt journey guided by faith.

It's not until you tame the wild places that the monsters come out.

New hope brings new challenges and new blood from the East. With Archer and Rosamund Scott presiding over the land they love and Raymond Lacey serving as marshal, Glory Mesa is poised to enter a new golden age. But the hard-won peace is marred by rumblings of trouble on the horizon and the shadow of the ancient curse.

From Jesse Thatcher's run-in with a grizzled mountain man to Kate Carnegie's quest to bring justice to a pair of hapless brothers, the Western Territory becomes a stage for desperate deeds and unlikely heroes. Yet, unknown to all but a few, this season of range wars, breakneck rides, lone gunslingers, and gentle romances is building to a deadly day that will alter the territory and its people forever.

Welcome to the Wild West,

a time of exploration, independence, and countless opportunities...

for death.

You've been to Placerita Town often to sell your father's ironworks, but never have you experienced a day like this. Jumpin' John and his gang of outlaws are tearing apart the town, and the Sheriff's doing nothing to stop them.

You'll have to steer clear of the gang and brave the dangers of the desert if you're going to survive in this interactive novel. Watch your back, choose wisely, and be careful who you trust. It's wits versus might as you try to stay alive in the Wild West!

MORE THAN TWO DOZEN WAYS TO DIE.

JUST ONE CORRECT PATH.

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SURVIVE?

If you grew up reading Goosebumps (R) or Choose Your Own Adventure (R) stories, you'll love this western! Find out why fans say, I had a great time with the different decisions, even though I died a lot!

...a fast-paced western adventure that ropes in subjects of prejudice, race, and death...a captivating and engrossing read. (Quill and Quire)

Set in the harsh desert world of the Arizona Territory and northern Mexico during the 1870s, Written in Blood, the first installment of the Desert Legends Trilogy, follows young Jim Doolen as he attempts to find some trace of the father who abandoned his family ten years earlier. As he travels through a scorched landscape very different from the lush West Coast forests of his home, Jim crosses paths with an assortment of intriguing characters, including an Apache warrior, a cave-dwelling mystic, an old Mexican revolutionary and a mysterious cowboy. And with each encounter he learns something more of the strange world he has entered and adds one more link in a chain that leads back to his father-and a dark, violent past. Jim comes to realize that his father's life was much more complex than he had imagined, and that, in discovering his past, he has opened the way to his future.

That future is told in Ghost Moon, where Jim meets Billy the Kid who draws him into a violent range war and its bloody conclusion on the streets of Lincoln.

The Trilogy concludes with Victorio's War. Jim becomes a scout for the Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry and finds himself in the middle of a brutal war to force Victorio's Apaches onto a reservation far from their traditional lands. As he begins to understand the plight of the doomed Apaches, he finds his loyalties divided, and seems destined to share their fate.

Told in a terse, present-tense narrative, Jim's adventures will thrill all fans of traditional pulp-style oaters. (Booklist)

Has all the markers of a classic Western...Wilson's writing is vivid. (CM Magazine)

The story is very well written and...is full of tension and adventure...Recommended. (Tri State YA Book Review Committee)