Books About Rodeos

The Best Rodeos Books for Kids

Looking for our other guide?

Explore our editor-reviewed guide to Cowboy and Cowgirl Books, featuring 10 favorites and recommendations by age.

Looking for excellent children's books about rodeos? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

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The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About Rodeos

Sale price

$958

Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1995

Armadillo Rodeo

By Jan Brett

A near-sighted armadillo embarks on a wild chase after a mysterious red figure.

32 pages· 861 words· Est. 7 min read-aloud

5.3/7 Bookroo·3.9/5 Goodreads · 1,200 ratings

$9.99Save 4%

Paperback

Summary: Bo, a curious armadillo with poor eyesight, sets off on a thrilling adventure across the Texas countryside. Mistaking a girl's red boots for another armadillo, he leaves his family behind, diving into a world of rodeos and unexpected encounters. Will Bo find what he's looking for, or will his journey lead to something entirely different? Join Bo as he discovers the true meaning of adventure and the surprises that await beyond the horizon.

Sale price

$1797

Picture Book · Ages 7–10 · 2019

Let 'Er Buck!

By Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, Gordon C. James (Illustrator)

A cowboy defies odds at a 1911 rodeo, becoming the people's champion.

40 pages

4.1 Goodreads · 368 ratings

$18.99Save 5%

Hardcover

Summary: In 1911, at the Pendleton Round-Up, three cowboys vie for victory: one white, one Indian, and one black. When the judges favor the white cowboy, the crowd rallies behind George Fletcher, the black cowboy, crowning him their champion. Discover how Fletcher's spirit and the audience's support turn an unjust loss into a legendary triumph. This true tale of courage and community will captivate those who cherish stories of unlikely heroes and the wild West.

Sale price

$759

Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2016

Showdown at Widow Creek

By Franklin W. Dixon · Book #11 in the Hardy Boys Adventures series

Can the Hardy Boys outsmart cattle rustlers and save a stolen horse?

128 pages

3.9 Goodreads · 304 ratings

$7.99Save 5%

Paperback

Summary: Frank and Joe Hardy face a wild challenge when a prized horse is stolen during a rodeo event in Bayport. As they join a cattle drive to help the shorthanded Welch family, their horse-riding skills are put to the test. But when dirt bike-riding rustlers strike, taking the horse, the brothers must act fast. Can they outwit the thieves and recover the stolen horse, or will this be their toughest showdown yet? Saddle up for a thrilling adventure where the stakes are high and the action never stops.

Sale price

$3251

Picture Book · Ages 8–14 · 2013

Bareback Riding

By John Hamilton · Xtreme Rodeo series

No saddle, one hand, and eight wild seconds on a bucking bronc.

32 pages· 946 words· Est. 8 min read-aloud

$34.22Save 5%

Library Binding

Summary: Bareback riders hold on with one hand and no saddle while a bronc bucks and twists beneath them. This book explains how judges score both rider and horse, the protective gear riders wear, and the organizations that run the sport.

Sale price

$3251

Picture Book · Ages 8–14 · 2013

Roping

By John Hamilton · Xtreme Rodeo series

Fast horses, quick hands and a flying rope: rodeo roping against the clock.

32 pages· 961 words· Est. 8 min read-aloud

$34.22Save 5%

Library Binding

Summary: Rodeo roping comes in several forms: tie-down, breakaway and team roping. This book explains how each event works, from the start signal to the tie that stops the clock, and introduces the rules set by professional rodeo groups.

Sale price

$3251

Picture Book · Ages 8–14 · 2013

Saddle Bronc Riding

By John Hamilton · Xtreme Rodeo series

Can a rider stay on a bucking horse long enough to score?

32 pages

3.0 Goodreads · 3 ratings

$34.22Save 5%

Library Binding

Summary: Saddle bronc riding is one of rodeo's classic events. Readers learn how riders are scored, how long they must stay aboard a bucking horse, and the special equipment they use, including hornless saddles, padded vests and chaps.

Sale price

$3251

Picture Book · Ages 8–14 · 2013

Steer Wrestling

By John Hamilton · Xtreme Rodeo series

A cowboy leaps from a galloping horse to bring down a steer.

32 pages· 835 words· Est. 7 min read-aloud

$34.22Save 5%

Library Binding

Summary: In steer wrestling, a rider jumps from a running horse and wrestles a steer to the ground as fast as possible. This book walks through the event from the start to the final throw, explains the rules and timing, and introduces the professional rodeo associations that oversee it.

Sale price

$3251

Picture Book · Ages 8–14 · 2013

Barrel Racing

By John Hamilton · Xtreme Rodeo series

Horse and rider race the clock around three barrels.

32 pages· 856 words· Est. 7 min read-aloud

4.5 Goodreads · 2 ratings

$34.22Save 5%

Library Binding

Summary: Barrel racing is a timed rodeo event where speed and steering decide the winner. Action photos show how riders guide their horses around the barrels, and the book introduces the rules, the associations that run the sport, and its big championship finals.

Sale price

$3251

Picture Book · Ages 8–14 · 2013

Bull Riding

By John Hamilton · Xtreme Rodeo series

Eight seconds on a bucking bull: inside rodeo's most dangerous event.

32 pages· 997 words· Est. 8 min read-aloud

4.2 Goodreads · 9 ratings

$34.22Save 5%

Library Binding

Summary: Bull riding is the most dangerous event at the rodeo. This photo-filled book explains how a ride is judged, how long a rider has to hang on, and the gear, from leather chaps to helmets, that helps keep riders safe.

Sale price

$470

Chapter Book · 1977

Bill Pickett: First Black Rodeo Star

By Sibyl Hancock, Lorinda Bryan Cauley (Illustrator)

A Black Texas cowboy invents a daring new rodeo event and becomes a legend.

61 pages

3.0 Goodreads · 1 ratings

$4.95Save 5%

Hardcover

Summary: Bill Pickett grew up on the Texas range, where he learned to wrestle steers to the ground by biting their lips the way cattle dogs did. This easy-to-read biography follows how his daring trick became bulldogging, a new rodeo event, and how he rose to become the first Black rodeo star, performing across America and abroad.

The Bookroo Book Club