Wilder Good: The Green Colt

The Adventures of Wilder Good #4 / 158-page paperback / 5" x 8" / ISBN 9781589881143 / Publication Date: November 15, 2016

Winner, 2017 Western Heritage Award for Juvenile Book

Winner, 2017 Will Rogers Medallion Award for Young Readers

Finalist, 2017 Western Writers of America Spur Award for Juvenile Fiction

“The Green Colt is told beautifully, with grace and quiet power, and shows S. J. Dahlstrom to be a big new talent. I highly recommend this wonderful book.”—Nancy Plain, award-winning author and vice-president of Western Writers of America

Twelve-year-old Wilder Good likes basketball, 4-H club, hanging out with his friends, and reading. But, more than anything, he loves to be outdoors.

In this fourth book of the series, Wilder is back at his grandfather’s ranch in West Texas. Papa Milam gives him an unexpected gift—his very own “green” colt to break. Wilder is excited to begin, but he quickly realizes that even getting near the colt is much harder than he expected. So Papa hires Tequito, a Mexican vaquero, to help. Tequito doesn’t speak much English, and at first Wilder is intimidated. But the vaquero is both gentle and firm with the colt, and soon they’re making good progress. Wilder sees how skilled Tequito is with horses, and learns that American cowboying has its roots in a much older Mexican tradition.

Breaking his new colt is a challenge, but—as Wilder discovers—it’s only the beginning of the joy and pain of owning a horse.

Award-winning author S. J. Dahlstrom delivers a powerful story with a timeless theme. A welcome addition to any child’s bookshelf.

Also available as an ebook:

• Amazon
• Apple iTunes Bookstore
• Barnes & Noble
• Google Play
• Kobo (See IndieBound's list of independent booksellers selling e-books.)

"If you like Hank, you'll like Wilder Good, too."—John R. Erickson, author of Hank the Cowdog

"Horse-loving readers will identify with Wilder, and take away positive messages about horses, respect, family, friendship, and never giving up."—Western Horseman

"Wilder loves the outdoors, and the author’s appreciation for nature rings true in his writing…The language was rich, and the imagery was vivid. I felt as if I was walking the ranch with Wilder, feeling his pain or his excitement."—The Old Schoolhouse magazine

"If you’re looking for summer reading ideas, 'The Adventures of Wilder Good' series by S. J. Dahlstrom should be at the top of your list." —Aidan Laxson, age 11, for The Christian Chronicle's "What We're Reading" column

"One test of really good young readers' fiction is that it can engage old readers. Being in my ninth decade, I have no immediate plans for breaking green colts, but I loved, as will a young reader, being told how an expert cowboy models and a willing boy learns to gentle a wild thing, to be let in on the subtle moves and the real terminology of artful know-how."—Eva Brann, author of Homeric Moments and Doublethink/Doubletalk

"Dahlstrom's signature backdrop of nature, both the beauty and the harshness, once again illustrates why it is one of life's best teachers."—Kristen Campbell, English teacher and former Teacher of the Year 

"Dahlstrom writes value-driven and action-oriented books for middle school readers encouraging them to get out and explore nature."—Glenn Dromgoole, Texas Reads

"[The Wilder Good books] deal with stories about hunting and fishing and ranching and farming, but they do it from maybe the perspective of a nine- or ten-year-old, and that’s not always easy to find. They’re also very family-oriented, very wholesome."—Kay Ellington, Lone Star Literary Life

"These are exciting tales...Dahlstrom’s superb writing takes Wilder through those anxiety-producing years between childhood and adulthood, when life’s simplest and most important lessons are learned."—Forbes

"Dahlstrom writes about ranch life with flair and specific detail."—WORLD magazine

"I am a big fan of this series. Last fall I included The Elk Hunt in my list of favorite books of 2013, and Texas Grit is every bit as insightful and positive as the first one."—Glenn Dromgoole

"Family, friendships and faith converge to provide a thoughtful story for independent readers or for parents reading with their children."—The Christian Chronicle on Texas Grit

Learn more about Wilder at wildergood.com and read his running journal entries about wild stuff.

Read this article or this article in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal and see a video piece on the author and his books.

Watch S.J. Dahlstrom give his acceptance speech at the 2017 Western Heritage Awards.

S. J. Dahlstrom lives and writes in West Texas. He has numerous magazine credits for his writing and photography. The Adventures of Wilder Good is his first series. His writing draws on his experiences as a cowboy, husband, father, and founder of a boys' ranch.

Learn more about S. J. Dahlstrom in this Q&A.

Author S. J. Dahlstrom at a reading