The Beef Princess of Practical County

June 1, 2009
Gr 4-7-Libby, 12, hails from a farm family that raises beef cattle in rural Indiana. Continuing in the Ryan tradition, she plans to compete in the steer competition at the annual Practical County Fair. The novel opens in September, when she picks two newborn calves. When Piggy, the favored one, injures his leg and must be slaughtered for beef, she is crushed. She had raised Piggy and Mule as pets, against her elders' advice, and now turns to vegetarianism. Libby's mother, meanwhile, has been urging her to enter the Beef Princess pageant at the fair, arguing that she would be a far better representative of the county than the rude, self-centered Darling sisters, cloyingly named Precious, Lil, and Ohma. Libby does enter the pageant, trading her holey jeans for a thrift-store dress, but another contestant wins. True satisfaction comes when Libby and Mule earn the Reserve Grand Champion in the steer competition, bringing pride to the Ryans and their farm. In victory Libby savors a delicious cheeseburger with her family and realizes that she has learned something about saying goodbye to animals she loves. Her narration inclines toward telling rather than showing the action, and several characters are not fleshed out, yet this first novel provides a robust glimpse of Midwestern farm culture while unabashedly championing the taste of quality beef."Susan W. Hunter, Riverside Middle School, Springfield, VT"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2009
Grades 6-9 Calves dont need names, Libbys dad warns as she chooses her first two steers to show at the Practical County Fair. Yet in her enthusiasm and determination to bring a ribbon home to Ryansmeade, the family farm and cattle ranch, Libby immediately names the animalsPiggy and Muleand falls in love. How will she ever sell them at auction now? First-time novelist Houts paints an idyllic yet authentic picture of farm life as she takes Libby and her family through the ups and downs of cattle raising and fair-showing with sly humor and a flair for description and characterization. Rural readers and their urban cousins alike will laugh at the Darling sistersPrecious, Lil, and Ohmawho are fine villains, all, and they will cry with Libby as she leads her prize steers to slaughter. Welcome another talented YA author to the fold.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)