The Great Cow Race

The Great Cow Race
By Jeff Smith
Cartoon Books, 1996. 144 pgs. Young Adult

The second book in the Bone series focuses on the Spring Fair. The three Bone cousins, now reunited, have different agendas. Lovable Fone Bone just wants to spend time with Thorn, the human girl he has a crush on, while Phoney Bone has a cooked up a gambling scheme. With Grandma Rose set to enter and win the Cow Race, Phoney spreads word that there is a mystery cow that is expected to win the race this year. The cow is really Smiley Bone in disguise, but the people don't know that, and as they lay down bets on the mystery cow, Phoney prepares to swindle them out of their property.

This book doesn't address the larger problems in the series--like, who are the rat creatures, why are they after Smiley, and how does Thorn fit into all of this?--but it does gives some hints that Grandma Rose and her friend Lucius know more than they're letting on. So there's little resolution, but the hints are enough to get the reader wondering what will happen in subsequent books. A good pick for reluctant readers; it's easy to read and understand, and they'll likely be interested enough to proceed with the series.

AE