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Writer's pictureLinda Wilson

The Gift of Cowboys & Packrats

By Linda Wilson @LinWilsonauthor

Do your children like cowboys? And the antics of mischievous packrats? Then they will love the picture book, A Packrat’s Holiday: Thistletoe’s Gift, by Linda Wilson, illustrated by Nancy Batra, for ages 4 and up.


Times were tougher ‘n horseshoes this holiday season. The cupboards were bare in Thistletoe’s den. He would like nothing better than to cheer his mama up with a holiday feast, but food was scarce. That is, until the cowboys rumbled in herding the rancher’s cattle. Thistletoe daydreamed about the scraps of food the cowboys might leave behind. All the fixins’ Mama Packrat would need for a proper holiday feast. Could he and Cuz scamper around the cowboys’ campsite and find something to eat? And something shiny to use to decorate their den? Or would the Great Horned Owl swoop down and collect them first?


At the end of this fun and colorful story children can learn about what packrats are really like and where they are most likely to be found. And if your children like to sing, they can sing a stanza of “Home on the Range” along with the cowboys and learn the history of this beloved song of the American Southwest.


Here is what one parent had to say about Thistletoe and his adventure:

“I read the story of Thistletoe Q. Packrat with my daughter and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The author weaved a beautiful narrative about the simple life of a packrat interwoven with adventures and emotion. The author has such a magical ability to weave the tale, we root for Thistletoe's happiness from the very first page. A Packrat's Holiday is a pleasurable read that lingers in your mind long after you finish reading it. If you are looking for a wholesome story that has family bonding, friendship, adventure and the little joys of life, this book is definitely recommended.


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