Outlaw Heroes

Title: Outlaw Heroes
Author: Deanna Lynn Sletten
Publication Information: Deanna Lynn Sletten. 2011. 141 pages.

Book Source: I received this book through a contest on the author's website. The book was received through Smashwords.

Favorite Quote: "Sometimes you have to love people for who they are, not who you want them to be."

Outlaw Heroes is a children's book that tells a rollicking tale of outlaws and bandits. It is the story of Will and his adventures with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The book is told as a story within a story.

Will is telling his son and friends the story of his childhood. He was raised on a ranch and shared adventures with his father. Unfortunately, his father's untimely death ended that carefree childhood. On a trip with his mother to visit family, Will finds himself transported back in time. He joins up with his heroes Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and for a while lives the outlaw life. Along the way, he learns about lessons about life, himself, and his family.

Outlaw Heroes is a fun story to read. It tells of adventure and of family. In addition, it demystifies the outlaws, describing them as real people. It also removes the glamor from the outlaw life, making clear the point that at the end of the day, these were people who broke the law and as such always lived in the shadow of that. Not a career to aspire to.

At the end, you are left wondering as the kids are. Was it just a tall tale or could it have happened? It is up to your imagination to decide. I look forward to sharing the book with my children and seeing what they think.