RED RIVER ROAMER

Thirteen year old Andy Yoakum is worried about the break-up of his family due to drought conditions on the North Texas farm. His mother has already gone back to her East Texas mother's home and vows to go California with her brother if Andy's pa does not sellout and join her. His pa, caught between trying to salvage the farm and giving up to go with her, takes to drink. Andy searches for a way to hold his family together.

When his pa finally sells most of the farm and prepares to leave for California with his mother, Andy agrees to stay behind. He is to be watched over by a neighbor who gives him ajob and promises to see that he is fed.

Before his father leaves, a stray dog shows up to gather scraps at the back door and Andy asks to keep him. "He is a wild dog from the river," his father says." "He can't be tamed."

The dog, Andy discovers, has a job also. Andy follows him on his next visit to the house and finds that the dog is caring for an old man, an ex-Texas Ranger, living in a dugout on the river. The three ofthem--Ranger, dog (named Roamer), and Andy become fast friends.

Tragedy strikes but Andy sees it through with Roamer's help. When his family returns, Andy is told that he may keep Roamer, but no one expects Roamer to be entirely a home bound dog. A Roamer is a roamer--especially is he is a Red River Roamer.

Historical fiction is a pursuit of first time author, Betty W. Graham. She credits her interest in researching local history/to her five children, each of whom was born in a different state. Her historical research since her family joined her includes Alabama's capital of the Confederacy; Nebraska's Windlass Hill and pioneer wagon trails; Colorado's Cripple Creek mining camp; and Georgia's Revolutionary War Patriot settlements.

The Red River of Texas, her native state, was the scene of many conflicts between the Texas Rangers and Plains Indians which provided the background for her first novel for children, "Slowpoke", as well as "Red River Roamer."

In 1941, Betty received her M.S. degree from Texas Woman's University where she was art editor of the Daedalian Quarterly and Silver Anthology ofDaedalian Quarterly Verse. She taught in primary and secondary schools in Texas and Oklahoma before becoming head of the art dept. at Edmond State College, Edmond Oklahoma. Later she returned to teach at Texas Woman's University while her husband completed his Bachelor of Music degree.

A member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, she has published four short stories and self-published three paperback books.