The Beef Princess of Practical County

by Michelle Houts

After years of waiting, it is finally Libby Ryan's turn to shine at the Practical County Fair. Libby is filled with excitement as she and her granddad pick out two calves for her to raise on her family's cattle farm, in hopes of winning the annual steer competition. Against her father's advice, Libby gives the calves names, even though both steers will eventually be auctioned off. After a few months of preparing for the Practical County Fair, Libby finds that she is growing closer to her steers with each passing day, and the pressure to win Grand Champion is mounting.

Luckily, Libby can count on her best friend to get her through most of the county fair chaos. Yet once reality sets in and she realizes that her steers will soon be sold to the highest bidder, the chaos in Libby's heart becomes
too much to bear.

Michelle Houts lives on a grain and livestock farm in West Central Ohio with her husband and three children. This is her first novel.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Chapter Books, Contemporary, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

"My first memory of writing was when I was in first grade. I wrote an awesome retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk using my friends and myself as the characters. I don’t think my best friend was very happy when I cast her as the giant. The person who was happy, however, was my first grade teacher, Miss Course. She was so impressed that she sent me over to the second grade teacher’s classroom to show her what I had created. I remember knocking on the door of the second grade classroom and being very nervous that all those “big kids” would be looking at me when it opened. The second grade teacher, Mrs. Bryant, made a really big deal about my story! I think I decided then and there that I wanted to be a writer. Thank you, Miss Course and Mrs. Bryant!

"Fast forward A LOT of years… I always liked school, so when it came time to decide on a career, I chose to be a teacher. I went to the Ohio State University to study special education. After teaching for several years, I went back to school for a master’s degree in early childhood education. After having three children, I went back to school again for another master’s degree in speech pathology. I finished that one in 2009. See? I told you I always liked school.

"While I was at Ohio State, I met the farmer of my dreams. I always did want to live on a farm when I was a kid. I think that’s because most of my aunts, uncles, and cousins were farm folks and some of my favorite memories are from days spent in their barns, pastures, and haymows. When you fall in love with a farmer, you move to a farm, because he sure isn’t going to move to the city! So here I am.

"Here on the farm, we are raising three kids, calves, hogs, cats by the dozens, one adorable golden retriever and a goat who believes he’s a golden retriever. But that’s another story…"

Reviews

[Sarah B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say I actually enjoyed this young adult book about a young 12-year-old girl raising two calves for the fair. And while I have been to fairs in the past I must admit I don't know anything about animal judging or how such things work - and certainly not with calves. I am way more familiar with horses but even there I only have a very, very basic idea about conformation. So I found the details in here interesting... And this is a coming of age story of sorts where a young girl faces the facts about raising cattle for the dinner plate. You may not like the facts and you can protest but the facts remain the same. And it can be really hard to give up beef and other meats.

Still this is not exactly a happy story. Cows are raised for very different reasons than horses. And young Libby knows that. She has witnessed her older brother raise calves for the fair and then afterwards they are sold. So it is goodbye. Still she names them and gets attached to them. They became pets. Piggy and Mule.

I was a bit concerned that this would make me cry but it didn't. Luckily. So I am thankful that it wasn't one of those horribly teary-eyed stories about animals. You know the kind. I certainly want to avoid those! It's not exactly happy but it's not sad either...? It's somewhere in between... But the book certainly makes the calves seem real and oh so cute. Especially Mule with his amazing blue eyes!

This was easy to read and never dull. The story takes place over a year and features several major holidays including Thanksgiving, Christmas and July Fourth.

Another thing that really makes the small town of Nowhere Indiana come to life is the three annoying Darling sisters. There are always girls like this everywhere. Apparently even in a nowhere town and raising cattle. They care more about their hair and their clothes than raising the calf for the fair. Oh they want to win the fair but without doing the work but they sure can insult you all right! So Libby has to deal with these girls and that is a good chunk of the story. Plus poor Libby has to enter the beauty pageant while she really is a jeans and Tshirt girl who loathes dresses! I sure could understand her there! Give me Jodhpurs, boots and a top and I am ready! Anyway I really disliked those girls and their bad habits.

An entertaining story.

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The arena glowed in the summer night".
12-year-old Libby has grown up on a cattle farm, watching her father and grandfather manage the many details. She has also watched her older brother enter calves at the county fair for years. This year, Libby is finally old enough to compete herself, in the Practical County Fair. When she picks out her calves, her daddy warns her not to get attached. Libby knows what happens every year at the auction, but she can't keep herself from losing her heart to her two babies! Pressure grows as the calves develop championship qualities, and the time draws nearer for a choice of which one to enter. As if that's not enough, Libby's mom urges her to enter the "Beef Princess Pageant", and things really heat up! Libby is up against three of the nastiest teenagers in town in the calf contest AND the pageant... and they will stop at nothing to make sure they win...
Great Quotes From This Book:
(pg.220) Mom-"If you give up, some pretty sweet animals will miss out on your love and attention. Besides, they taught you an important lesson; how to say goodbye."
I really enjoyed this book! I picked it from the library because it looked and sounded interesting. As soon as I finished it, I had a copy of it and the sequel in my Amazon cart. I would recommend it for middle-grade/Y.A. readers., especially "city kids"!
*This book got a rating of "A" in my Book Journal*

[Abigail M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abigail Manning
Mrs. Toney
Periods 3 and 4
Friday March 13, 2015
The Beef Princess of Practical County
Rating 9/10 Author: Michelle Houts Pages: 226
Summary
The book starts off at Libby’s grandfather’s farm picking out calves. She picked one that was liking her hand and sucking her fingers. Her grandfather picked out the other one, a smaller calve who was standing all alone in the middle of the pasture. Her granddad said “That right there, he’s a winner.” Libby had her doubts on the one her granddad had picked but she went along with it anyway. She took them home and put them in their pins. She was trying to decide what to name them but her dad said that fair calves don’t need names, but she went on and named them anyway. She named the one that she had picked Piggy because he was always hungry. She still hadn’t figured out a name for the other one until she tried to put the halter on him. That’s when she decided to name him Mule because he was being so stubborn. She had then decided that she fair she would show Piggy in the Practical County Fair because he was the one she liked better and he actually walked instead of just standing there. One day Libby was standing in the barn and the Darling sisters and their father rolled up the driveway. The 3 sisters walked in the barn and took one look at Mule and Piggy and laughed. Lib followed in Precious’s footsteps, and the other sister Omaha is kind of a loner.
One morning at 10:00 Libby woke up and she was confused, her dad normally woke her up by 9:00 to go do her barn chores. She went down stairs and outside with her dad and found out the Piggy had gotten his leg caught in the fence and nearly broke it. Her dad told her that they would have to take him to the butcher. When her dad did she cried and she decided she would become a vegetarian for Mules sake. She knew she would have to show Mule. She needed a little help from her brother (who was home on semester break from Purdue University) but she knew she could get it done. Libby’s mom suggested she should do the beef princess pageant she didn’t want to until she found a dress at the thrift shop and bought it. When she was walking out the Darling sisters were walking past and noticed that she had her dress at the thrift shop. She knew it would be tough because the Darlings always had the most beautiful dresses and they one every year. It was finally the week of the fair. Mule had been washed a couple of times he was trained but she was not even near ready to let him go to.
Libby and her best friend Carol-Ann were walking around the fair when they walked past the Darlings calve pin. She what the girls had said how wonderful their calves were. They didn’t look like anything to wonderful. All ratty. Then she seen Omaha’s calve it looked sick or bloated. Well it was. Libby and Carol-Ann were on top of the fares wheel when the vet came rushing in. Omaha’s calve was lying dead on the ground. Precious blamed Libby because she seen Libby near Omaha’s cow earlier before it had died. Later that night before Libby left she heard something in the barn. She found out that it was Omaha in the corner crying because of her cow. She said some kind words and they became friends. Then the day of the show came Libby was nervous but she had Mule to comfort her. She did just what her brother told her and she was the first one in the Ryan family to win…Reserved Grand Champion! She thought that precious had cheated and she did. She had switched cows and she got eliminated. Libby didn’t win beef princess but neither did the Darlings. Libby decided to not be a vegetarian and eat meat again. Libby sold Mule and she was upset but she got over it and picked out her new calves and didn’t name then this time!
Characters
Libby is caring and she loves animals. She loves her friends and family. Carol-Ann is a good friend. A Person who would be there for you when you needed her. Frannie, Libby’s younger sister, is imaginable and creative. She may be the only child in the world who has imaginary grandchildren. She makes up some very unique names to!
Piggy is very energetic and loving. He was always eating. Mule was stubborn. He had potential he just didn’t show it. He deep green eyes that Libby loved. Two of the Darling sisters were stuck up and only cared about themselves. The other one was more understanding and like Libby.
Setting
The book a ton of settings starting with her grandfather’s farm. The pasture was one of the biggest settings so was the showing arena. Libby house the, thrift store, and the barn are other places that are important but not as important. The stall barn is where Libby got blamed for killing Omaha’s steer even though she didn’t.
Conflict
The conflict is that Piggy gets his leg caught in the fence. When Piggy got hurt they had to butcher him so then Libby had to show Mule. Mule wasn’t trained like Piggy so it was a little bit harder. Whenever she was done showing the auction and she wasn’t sure if she could let another The Darling sisters were also a really big conflict.
Resolution
Libby showed Mule in the Practical County fair. Not only did Libby show Mule but she won Reserved Grand-Champion. She sold Mule in the auction and was upset but she got over it. Precious Darling got illuminated from the final round because she cheated
My opinion
The book was fantastic! It seemed like a really fast read and I loved it. I think that if it had a movie that it would be even better. As long as the movie had as much detail as the book did it would be fantastic.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to any girl who loves cows. It would be a good read for grades 4 through 8. I would NOT recommend this book to any boy unless they like reading about beauty pageants and girl problems. In conclusion IT WAS AWESOME!

[Kirby · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my local booksellers said she passed on this book because she didn't think kids in our area could relate to a girl who raises and sells her own steer. She changed her mind when I pointed out that 4H is huge in the eastern part of our county.

And for those of us who will never raise a steer or goat or even a rabbit, I think this is an important book because it portrays a way of life we city folk never experience. And Libby is a likable character who struggles with the tensions between her love for Muley, the steer she raises, and the reality of his fate. Talk about the price of success!

I found the Darling sisters -- the bad guys in the book-- a bit hard to believe and wished that the adults had taken more of a backseat in Libby's journey of personal growth but I still genuinely appreciated my time in Practical County.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who ever grew up in a farming town this book may just be a trip down memory lane. Growing up on a farm I named all of our animals, even when I knew they were to be sold or butchered. I therefore identified with Libby Ryan. She grew up in the shadow of her brother and for me it was an older sister. There comes a time when parents have to let you learn by making some of your own mistakes. This is what Libby’s parents finally do. She learns to believe in herself and work hard for her dreams. In the end she influences an enemy for the good. I loved this book and hope that many of my students will as well. It is often hard to sell work set in this setting because many of my students can’t identify. I think the underlying messages will overshadow this problem.

[Daleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, the title caught my eye. Beef Princess? Then the back description. My eyes widened in amazement. Really? Seriously? I didn't know that stories that actually related to my (kind still current) childhood! Then I bought it (something I rarely do if I've never read the book before). Then I read it. Then I fell in love with the story. I related with Libby so much! Growing up on a beef farm, I'm used to seeing cows come and go, and this is the first story I've seen that tells the story of us beef ranchers.

READ IT.

[Raymond Bial · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Beef Princess of Practical County is a touching and delightful book. Children’s literature at its finest, this little novel will appeal to both young and old—anyone who enjoys an artfully crafted story. Anyone who grew up in the country will especially appreciate this sweet and loving portrayal of a wonderful farm family. And young people growing up in the cities and suburbs today will enjoy learning about real life in rural and small town America.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. For my urban/suburban students this will be a window on a world so very different from their own - but with a main character who they will identify as being like them at heart. I'm not sure how the guys will like it - but we need at least one good girl read and I think this might be it. (Well, it's missing romance - but we can have girls write a guy for Libby).

[Nichole]

The Beef Princess of Practical County by Michelle Houts. In the beginning of this book Libby Ryan picks out her two calves to take to the county fair, Piggy and Mule. We follow her journey in training the steers and falling in love with them. Then, Piggy, her favorite steer, suddenly is injured and can not go. She must learn to love Mule. As she gets ready for the fair, Libby runs into the Darling sisters many times and most of them end badly. Libby decides she is going to compete in the Practical County Beef Princess pageant. Then we arrive at the fair. The Darling Sisters get caught cheating and so Libby wins Reserve Champion with her steer and is incredibly proud When the pageant comes, she doesn’t win, but learns a lot about her and the Darling girls don’t win either! Libby has to then overcome the heartbreak of selling her steer at the action. By the end of the story Libby has learned a lot about life on a ranch, how to do her best, and that lying doesn't get you anywhere. The main character of this book is Libby Ryan. She is a 12 year old girl from Nowhere, Indiana (the county seat of Practical County). Her family owns one of the most successful cattle ranches, Ryansmeade. She is a tomboy, she’d rather be out in the barn with her steer than shopping at the mall. Libby wants to fill the shoes of her big brother Robbie, both at the ranch and at the local fair. In the book it’s her first year of showing a steer and is a little nervous but excited. She is a kind young girl but can be a bit impatient. In Libby’s family there is mom, a real estate agent in town. She always seems to be in a rush, but works hard to take care of her family. There's her dad, a hardworking rancher. He loves his children, but often puts on a tough face. Robbie is her older brother, off at college. He was a great showman, but comes home to support and teach Libby. Lastly there is Frannie, her four year old sister. She is full of energy and has a wide vocabulary. We also meet the Darling sisters, Precious, Lil, and Ohma. Precious and Lil are very beautiful and popular girls, while Ohma is a little bit shy and usually grumpy. All three girls show streets but put very little work into their animals, but they do shine in the Practical County Beef Princess pageant. There are no illustrations in this book. It is a fairly easy read, but is a chapter book. I absolutely loved this book as a child because I grew up showing steers at the fair. There’s not a lot of books out there about this so I was so excited when I found it! This book has a great message at the end and is a fun read! You really got to know Libby and her family and felt a connection with them. I would use this book to get a student excited. If I had a student interested in livestock or showed at the fair I would suggest this book to them. I could also have a student use it as a book report book, writing a summary, giving a review, etc.

[Kassie Schepp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read this book several times, it is one of my favorites. Growing up showing market animals at the county fair I feel I can relate to this more than others. I cry every time thinking of my own time selling my market hog in the ring. A great read for teens to old, and still relates after all of these years.

[Autumn Plikerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book because I love horses. In this book it has a lot to do with them, like putting them and shows and problems that they have. I would recommend this book to anyone but manly people who love horses and want to see the adventure that happens next.

[Emi えみ Takami 鷹見 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and sweet. This book really hit home with me because of the major impact our fair has on our local youth. I never showed animals (unless you count the one time I took my cat Puddin for a 4-H project), but I've always enjoyed visiting the barns.

[Olivia Juarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book only took me a week and I loved it so much. And u should defiantly read it

[Maggie Boger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book !! I have to admit though I started tearing up at the end.

[Elle]

pretty good

[Janella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for those in 4-H

[Emma Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to read in the 4th grade for author days at school. It's really sweet and cute. If you grew up on a farm or showing livestock at the fair you will relate.

[Payton Maurice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an overall amazing book and is very easy to relate to and also to read.

[Janine Darragh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the rural setting and the focus on raising and showing animals for the fair. This children's book also touched on themes of bullying, death, poverty and friendship.

[Melissa Ehrhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome author!! She caught innocent teen life so well!

[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoy contemporary realistic fiction then The Beef Princess of Practical County is a good choice for you when choosing a Lovelace nominee. The main character is 7th-Grader Libby Ryan. The Ryan family’s livelihood is raising, showing and selling steers at market. Libby has grown up surrounded by the workings of the beef industry on property owned and run by her family for generations.

When the story begins Libby is picking out the calves she for whom she will care and groom to show (and then sell) at the Practical County Fair the following year. With her older brother away at his first year in college Libby sees this as an opportunity to participate in the beef industry so loved and fostered by her parents and grandparents. It is also a prime opportunity to spend time with her father and prove to him she is worthy of his attention.

When she proposes to name her newly acquired calves her father counsels against it. He knows that the end result of raising and showing a calf is selling it for beef at the Fair. Libby, however, proceeds with her own plan of action.

There is a parallel plot line for Libby involving their neighbors, the Darlings, and their three daughters (Precious, Lil and Ohma). In this storyline Libby–at her mother’s and best friend’s urging–enters the Beef Princess Pageant at the Fair. The title has been held by one of the Darling sisters for the past four years.

Libby is more comfortable in jeans and sweatshirts than a frou-frou dress. Because the Darling sisters are set up as the quintessential “mean girls” from middle and high school: pretty, shallow and elitist, Libby decides she needs to take a stand. The Beef Princess of Practical County needs to be a knowledgeable and passionate voice for the beef industry and the Darlings value only the tiara and the title.

There are parts of the book I thoroughly enjoyed. The author succeeds in creating a realistic loss situation for Libby to navigate. I think the character of Libby’s mother explains this too much at the end when she really doesn’t need to. As readers we already get it. Libby’s voice seems to be that of a 7th Grader for most of her narration but she occasionally lapses into what seems more like the adult voice of the author.

My biggest confusion came from the dual storylines. Every so often they would intersect, but never in a way that helped me understand why they were both in the same story except to manufacture some plot points. The Pageant story and the Beef Industry story don’t complement each other in a way that makes them more than what they are individually.

That said, I did find it informative about the beef industry in ways that were not preachy one way or the other. I enjoyed some laugh-out-loud moments with Libby’s younger sister Frannie and her imaginary grandchildren. And I was moved (as I usually am) by the child-animal relationship between Libby and her steer in a way I had not expected.

All in all I liked it more than I disliked or was confused by it. It’s a good choice for a young girl deciding which Lovelace nominees to read.

[Kay Mcgriff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just in time for county fair season (okay, just past our county fair), I read The Beef Princess of Practical County (Scholastic 2010) by Michelle Houts. If the county fair is the highlight of your summer–whether you complete 4-H posters, show animals, compete in the fair pageant, or just take it all in, you will enjoy Libby’s story.

This is Libby’s first time to show steers at the Practical County Fair in Nowhere, IN, and she is determined that she can live up to the Ryan family name and follow in her older brother’s footsteps. She picks out two promising calves and works to get them show-ready. She is less thrilled with her mother’s insistence that she also compete in the Beef Princess pageant. As the fair draws closer, the reality of the pageant and livestock auction loom ever larger, giving rise to conflicting emotions that Libby struggles with.

I found Libby to be a likeable and believable character. She may not always think through her decisions–like declaring herself a vegetarian at a family cookout–but her heart is in the right place. She soaks in her experiences and conversations to figure out her own place in the Ryan family tradition. I love the fact that her family is supportive even when her choices are surprising.

Other characters provide much humor as well. Little sister Frannie has two imaginary grandchildren named Eugene and Esmerelda Emily. Best friend Carol Ann doesn’t hesitate to tell it like it is. The Darling sisters–Precious, Lil, and Ohma–don’t miss an opportunity to antagonize Libby.

Open the pages to join Libby and the rest of Practical County for the biggest event of the year. Since our fair is already past for this summer, I’ll have to wait for the scoop of homemade ice cream, my favorite part of the fair. What is your favorite part of the fair?

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Beef Princess of Practical County

The book Beef Princess of Practical County by Michelle Houts is about a teenage girl named Libby Ryan, she picks out fair calves in her grandpas pasture for the county fair. She has to decide which one she takes to the fair. She picks her favorite to take to the fair, but one night he gets his leg caught between some gates and while struggling to get free he hurts his leg. So her dad takes him to the slaughterhouse. Then she decides to take her other one to the fair and wins her class and gets Reserve Champion. Earlier in the year Libby’s mom suggested she be in the beef princess pageant so she can be the next speaker for the Cattleman board. So Libby, her mom, and her friend go dress shopping.



Libby is getting her steer’s stall ready at the fair and she notices a neighbor’s steer was bloated on one side and it died that night. On the day of the show Libby was going to get another can of fly spray, and she heard a cow bellow in a stock trailer, and Libby found a steer in there, and found out it was a neighbors steer that was suppose to be showed. Their dad bought another so the girl would win her class and have a chance to get Grand or Reserve Champion. Libby was going to tell the fair board that the girl was cheating, and would get disqualified from the show, and the fair for two years. Libby didn’t tell the board, but the girl’s younger sister did.


The Beef Princess of Practical County was a good book a lot of farm kids can relate to. When Libby is picking out her fair calves, and when she’s getting her steer ready for the show, and when she won her class with her steer. However we see that girls can do thing boys can. This story shows the reader girls can do boy things like showing cattle.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about a girl. A story about farming. A story about two calves who change a girl's entire perspective on life itself.
I love this story so much because I can relate to it so well. Author Michelle Houts takes readers into the mind and world of Libby Ryan, twelve-year old daughter of one of Practical County, Indiana's most prominent beef farmers. Libby's goal is to show cattle at the Practical County Fair in hopes of winning the coveted Grand Champion prize and bringing home the honor and glory that her farm and family deserves. She has big shoes to fill as she follows in her older brother Ronnie's footsteps, but she knows that she can prove to her dad that showing cattle can indeed be "a girl thing".
Libby chooses two calves to show at the fair, and the hard-working, independent young woman knows she must face off against the dreaded Darling sisters if she wants to win. As she spends more time with beloved steers, Piggy and Mule, she grows closer to them, even though they will eventually be sold for beef. Throughout the novel, Libby grows up and learns about family, friends, life lessons and decisions, love, and sacrifice. Read the book to find out what happens to Libby and her steers at the fair!
I recommend this book to anyone who shows or has shown animals at their county fair. 4-H and FFA members will find this down-to-earth American farming story so relatable. The fun and the pain that goes with raising livestock for market is so prominent throughout this story. I also recommend it to anyone who loves farming, animals and just simply a good story as there are so many funny moments to cherish.
And finally, a word about me and American agriculture. Farming and raising livestock is what I do. It's my livelihood, my passion. Some people may not agree with our lifestyle and that's okay, it's their decision. But this is what I believe.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

THE BEEF PRINCESS OF PRACTICAL COUNTY is a sweet coming-of-age novel.

Libby loves the cow farm she's grown up on. But she's lived in her brother's shadow and her father has never noticed her when it comes to the farm. When her brother heads off to college, Libby is granted the chance to raise two calves for the next county fair. She will only be able to show one of the calves, but she has the opportunity to show her father what she can do.

When her dear Piggy becomes too injured to enter, Libby has to work with the more obstinate of the two calves. She can't imagine that he can possibly be a winner, but Libby is determined to win the Grand Champion designation, something even her brother has never accomplished.

Libby's competing against the Darling girls. The two eldest have been the fair princesses for the past few years and are entering their own cattle. The youngest one, Ohma, is the same age as Libby. And although Ohma isn't in the same princess league as her sisters, she's still a Darling.

Libby finds herself learning to love the calf that wanted to be left alone. And more surprisingly, she finds her mom has talked her into running for the princess title against the Darling sisters. As the summer winds down and the fair looms closer, Libby grows more confident in herself and her abilities.

For a first-time novelist, Ms. Houts has written a tender story of growing up and becoming who you are meant to be. Growing up in a small town that holds annual fairs similar to that depicted in THE BEEF PRINCESS OF PRACTICAL COUNTY, I felt a special connection to the story. Ms. Houts captures the spirit and the competition of a county fair to a T.

[Yan · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the odder storylines, Beef Princess still manages to hold onto the readers’ attention while maintaining its rural background.

I am not quite sure what to say about this book—it is unlike anything else I have read. The storyline focuses more of the growth of the steers and Libby’s ambition to make her father proud. In some ways I can relate to Libby. Being overshadowed to an older sibling you are forever compared to and judged by their accomplishments. Can you do better? The struggle to perform well is what drives Libby. Even so you have a great admiration for your old your sibling and Michelle Houts show that through Libby’s training with her brother’s help.

The more agricultural background shows a great deal of knowledge from the author and she crafts it into the novel quite well. She talks about caring for the animals, machinery, contests, and the job to raise and let go of some of your cuddly friends.

Michelle Houts was also able to bring in some humor to the book. I found the names to be the most funniest. From Precious, Lil, and Ohma their last name Darling combined gives off a “what were the parents thinking” type of chuckle. I found the irony of naming the steers other animal names, such as Piggy and Mule, was cute.

I feel that if the book fell into a different set of hands it might have received a bit higher grade. While some scenes were adorable the overall set of tone childish (being a 12-year-old girl I kind of expected this). The plotline was slightly drab and predictable.

Overall: The Beef Princess of Practical County manages to showcase a good old county side lovin’ with an interesting set of views.

[Ashley Bieber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libby Ryan a very smart girl with a lot of potential and courage. Now she has to raise two cattle and prove to her dad that she is just as good as her older brother Ronnie. After a few months of preparing for the Practical County Fair, everything is starting to become a big deal to Libby. Not only is she growing closer to her steels with each passing day but the pressure to win Grand Champion is mounting in her head but Libby’s mother also ropes her into entering the Beef Princess Beauty Pageant, where Libby must fore off against the dreaded Darling Sister: Precious, Lil, and Ohma, the nastiest girl in Nowhere. Lucky Libby has her best friend Carol Ann by her side. How would she survive?
Libby lives on a successful farm that includes cattle rising. Now that her older brother is off to college, it falls to her to raise to her to raise two calves for the annual competition at the County Fair, but she ignores her father’s advice and names them, then finds herself growing attached to them. Since the purpose of the cattle competition is to sell them for a good price to someone who will eventually slaughter them for meat. Libby begins to rethink her life, and reconsidering whether showing cattle is something she wants to do.
“The Beef Princesses County” is an amazing book. You could feel all the worries about other emotion that the main charter Libby felt. It had exceeded imager. I could see how the fair and calves looked. So hop on he train to a place called Nowhere where you can feel all the pain and struggle of Libby Ryan.

[Talia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libby Ryan is getting ready to follow in the family footsteps and raise and show cattle at the county fair. She picks two calves and raises them, wanting to beat the evil Darling sisters (Precious, Lil, and Ohma) who don’t even care about animals, but just want to make money. Libby becomes attached to her calves, Piggy and Mule, and after one of them dies, she wonders if showing cattle is even for her. Should she quit, showing everyone (including her father, who thinks showing cattle isn’t a girl activity) she doesn’t belong, or is showing cattle truly in her blood?

I really liked reading this book, and lovers of county fairs will enjoy reading it too. There is a small debate of “meat is murder” (the calves shown are sold and then get turned into hamburgers) and as a result, Libby becomes a vegetarian for a short while. This kinda irked me at first, that to Libby, killing animals for food is wrong, but then it’s ok,…but I know of many 12 year olds who have been short-term vegetarians. Overall, this was a nice story where not everything is tied up in a neat bow at the end, but the ending is still satisfying, and you still respect and like the main character afterwards.

[Anna Schroeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

To Begin: This is more of a middle grade book, and I knew that going into it, but I wanted to get it because I can relate to it. My dad has a farm and he raises beef cattle, too, so I've grown up around this type of thing.

Characters: Libby was a wonderful character. She was well defined, and you can relate to her, and see where she's coming from with the issues she deals with in this book. However, I felt like the adults in the book - her mother, her father, and her grandfather, for the most part - were very unrealistic. They pretty much did whatever Libby or her sister wanted them to, and they just didn't act like normal parents or grandparents. I saw it more with Libby's parents, but at times her grandfather got that way, too.

Plot: Loved the plot. It was wonderful, and also very original. And that's pretty much all I have to say about that. xD

Wow Factor: For the most part, I was pretty wowed by this book. I loved how it was set in the country, how it revolved around farming and raising beef cattle, and how it dealt with 4-H and a girl raising her own show cattle. 4 hearts.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was on the Young Hoosier committee that selected this as one of our middle grades titles (after all, it IS set in Indiana!). I enjoyed reading the author's blog and background. (and my husband lived in Warsaw for awhile). I enjoyed the characters, although the Darling girls seemed a bit much at times (but perhaps not for students reading the book). Even Frannie, the four year old, had a fun personality. (I've read that truly gifted children have more than one imaginary friend at a time, although I've never heard of imaginary grandchildren!) I also liked the fact that things didn't always turn out perfectly for Libby, and she did have a wonderful friend in Carol Ann. The first-person narration was well done, and I loved some of the phrases, such as farmers, "measured rainfall on a daily basis year-round, like a supermodel measures fat grams". A few things seemed a bit far-fetched (incidents in the show ring), and the Darlings leaving Ohma by herself after her tragedy.
All in all, a fun read giving some insight into cattle farming. I'd love to know how Nowhere, Indiana became the name of the town. Is this a dig from Ohio?