In a small town in what appears to be the Old West, most people fear the Outlaw, for good reason. Eventually, much to the townspeople’s relief, the Outlaw stops coming to town. Years later, a stranger comes to town. The man quietly lends a hand wherever he can, building and repairing structures, until one day he is recognized as the Outlaw. A crowd gathers; people kick dirt and spit at his feet. A boy defends him, saying that he is “trying,” and the crowd slowly disperses. Although some people are moved by the boy’s words, others are still angry, but the Outlaw continues “to make amends.” Illustrations on previous pages show the same boy caught stealing food; the Outlaw appears to take him under his wing. This simple narrative about the complexity of forgiveness and reconciliation is illustrated with watercolor and ink in a muted, gray palette. Newsprint transfer and scraps of 19th-century fabric patterns add further visual details to this highly discussable story. (Ages 4–8)

A small town lives in terror of the Outlaw, but one day, he disappears—and a mysterious stranger rides into town ...

In this spare and powerful story set in the Old West, people in a small town live in constant worry of another visit from the Outlaw. Then the Outlaw suddenly and mysteriously disappears. Time passes, and one day a stranger rides into town. He takes it upon himself to fix everything that is in disrepair — the clapboard schoolhouse, the train station platform. He even builds a horse trough. But when someone recognizes him as the Outlaw, the crowd turns on the stranger. It takes the courage of a small boy to change the course of events ...

The subtle, beautiful mixed-media art with its nineteenth-century textural references perfectly complements this original story from debut author and illustrator Nancy Vo.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3
Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.6
Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)