DONNIE COLLINS. Toby The Cowboy. Paperback, 314 pages, $15.99. www.tatepublishing.com
Toby had a difficult childhood that caused him to mature beyond his years. Toby falls in love with a cowboy lifestyle and his horse, Pudge, and when he graduates from college he seeks work on a ranch. The story carries him through his experiences on the ranch, which include cattle drives, wild animals, and encounters with the men and women of the ranch.