Howdy, Partner! (Sky & Ty #1)

Gr 1-4--Sky's a cowgirl hankering for adventure, and Ty's a gentle giant (a tyrannosaurus, to be specific) lurking lonesome in his cave. When the two meet, they form a dependable duo ready to serve their fellow folks--be they bunnies or balladeers. Breen affectionately recounts Sky and Ty's first meeting, wherein Ty saves a small rabbit by besting a gruff polar bear in a dance-off. Sky, impressed, invites him to depart his musty cave for her cozy barn. In their first outing, they are due to deliver an important package to a musical hootenanny. They dally a bit in the desert, brainstorming a team slogan and strategy while ambling across the expanse. When they realize they must hoof it for a timely delivery, their skillful stampede is ever so slightly cinematic. Sky and Ty's origin story is goofy and amiable, and although it lacks a sense of greater consequence, there's plenty to appreciate here. In particular, the mimicked quirks of cowpokes offer a gentle, general introduction to the Western genre--even featuring a vocabulary guide entitled "Learn to Speak Western." Breen's orange and blue-hued illustrations of slightly bobble-headed, grinning goofballs are energetic and endearing in their own right. VERDICT Light, lilting fair, a satisfying series opener that leaves lots of room for ambling fun and cowpoke banter in many amusing outings ahead.--Emilia Packard