Arty Goes West by Mark Redmond introduces us to a Christian chapter book series featuring Mark-Twain-like humor and memorable characters. Redmond draws on the canvas of the Old West, small-town Texas apparently in the late 1800s.
Arty, age twelve, and his widowed mother arrive in town to take up residence on their very own ranch, purchased by Arty’s father before he died a year ago. In this episode, Arty makes friends, gets some cowboy clothes, goes to school, and encounters some unsavory characters who start causing trouble.
I enjoyed reading it, especially because Redmond has a great ability to get into the mind and heart of a twelve-year-old boy. Homeschoolers have been reading this book for many years–it was published in 1999. I can see why kids like it and clamor for more.
It’s a Christian book with frank discussion of faith. It also contains a politically incorrect joke about “Injuns,” if you’re sensitive about that.
Five stars! *****
