Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers

By the time he was 22, Ralph Moody had lived more adventures than most of us will know in several lifetimes. Ralph's adventures are, I think, even greater because he came West (1906) at a time when the West was wide open for opportunity: the days of open range had ended about 20 years earlier and places like Colorado had been sufficiently settled so as to provide basic services (and safety), but there were not as yet so many people as to saturate the market. Small fortunes cold be made and lost as fast as an industrious young man could think them up and carry them out! But more than that, Ralph Moody simply had a determination and confidence and aptitude that enabled and motivated him to go out and make his own fortune and adventure in the world. So on one level, the entire Little Britches series (all eight books) is a testament to what a person can do if he takes life by the reins (pun only partially intended). Yes, life was hard, but Ralph never let circumstances discourage him. And he had an amazing father and mother who provided him with a rock-solid moral and spiritual foundation in addition to a unwavering work ethic. This was an era when there was no income tax, and a man could pretty much keep whatever income he could generate, by hook or by crook (or by "crooked"--but not Ralph!). So if the Moody kids collected coal that fell off the trains, they could sell it to their neighbors and make enough money for a widow to survive--and neither the IRS nor Social Services had a problem! But on a more basic level, Ralph Moody simply had a fantastic gift for telling a story that is engaging, unique, suspenseful, poignant, informative, delightful. It seems clear that Ralph kept a fairly detailed diary from his early years (although the only verification that I've found of this assumption is Ralph's own reference to "going off to write in my journal" when he lived in Maine). His ability to recreate events that happened years earlier, and his ability to describe them so wonderfully, speak to a lifetime of observing and writing about the world around him from an early age. Alas, I have not been able to find any satisfying information about "the rest of the story" about Ralph Moody outside of his eight books. We know he worked for Procter & Gamble in California and had a long marriage with three children. The National Little Britches Rodeo Association was started in Littleton after this book was published in 1950, although, incredibly, the rodeo association does not credit Ralph Moody on its own website (not that I could find)! For anyone who has a love of the West--or rural life in general--in the twilight of the era before WWI, and who loves good writing about an amazing life, I implore you to get and read all eight books in this series! PS--One little note: the subtitle "Father and I Were Ranchers" may lead you to guess that this is a story of a cattle rancher. In fact, farms of that day were generally referred to as "ranches" even though the primary function was growing crops, not cattle.

If I could give 10 stars to this book I would! I read Little Britches to my children ages 6 & 8 last year and we are now on the 7th book in the series (of 8 books). Little Britches (book 1) is still by far my favorite, but they are all wonderful. While we enjoyed Little House on the Prairie, I would say these rank even higher and they are especially good for boys (although my daughter and I love them just as much as my son). As a young man, Ralph Moody made himself a promise that he would save [...] by the time he was 50 years old and would write a book. This is the book he began on the eve of his 50th birthday. Ralph is 8 years old in this first book, in 1906 and his family has just moved west to help his father's tuberculosis (he's a "lunger" as the book says). They spend three years struggling to make a go of ranching and Ralph learns most of his lessons the hard way. His father, Charles, is a huge influence on Ralph. He is a patient, resourceful, upright man who is devoted to his family and to teaching his son to be a man of character. The book is never preachy however. All of the lessons are demonstrated but not outright told. My children get it though, even at their young ages! Even though the father is only in the first book, his presence is felt throughout the whole series in the lessons that Ralph learned from him ("always give a man a full day's work for a day's wage.") After reading it aloud to my kids, I purchased it on CD, read by Cameron Beirele Father and I Were Ranchers (The Little Britches Series Book 1) [UNABRIDGED ] and they have worn it out listening to it in their rooms. Mr. Beirele does an excellent job doing the voices (book 6 six is a little different but still not bad). We now have all the books in print and audio CD (except book 8 which is seems you have to get as an MP3 download). My absolute favorites are the first 4 ( Little Britches: Man of the Family (The Little Britches Series) [UNABRIDGED ] The Home Ranch (Bison Book) and Mary Emma & Company (Bison Book) . The Fields of Home turns out good, but his crotchety old grandfather just about drove me crazy. Shaking the Nickel Bush is probably the least favorite. Ralph has a "buddy" named Lonnie that is a lazy leech and I kept preaching for Ralph to dump him through the whole book. When he is finally rid of him, he finds all of his savings is gone too. That one might be better read than listened to because the Lonnie character is grating and Mr. Beirele suddenly can't get situated on a voice for Ralph and it changes throughout the CD. I think these books should be required reading in every home in America. We need more everyday heros to emulate. Ralph was a dutiful, devoted son who was not afraid to write about the dumb things he did as well as the smart ones. Just be aware there is some "cowboy language" in most of the books. That's how I described it to my children and they understood - we are not cowboys. It is certainly mild by today's standards but still bears mentioning. The family is a family of faith and that is more impressionable than the language. Just d**n and h*ll is all I remember hearing. Some other Moody favorites are Come on Seabiscuit! ; Stagecoach West ; and Kit Carson and the Wild Frontier .

I love this series! It is the true story of an amazing little boy who supports his family from age 11. It's warmth is much like the Little House on the Prairie series, but much meatier. It's filled with examples of ingenuity and follows this boy into manhood. He's smart, likeable, has great character and tells a great story. I wish I'd been aware of it when my children were young! We read the Little House series, and loved its lessons on character building. Ralph's books not only have lessons you can teach children with but also have lessons on problem solving, getting along with difficult people, and how kindness and a good heart can help you get along well in life. I have read the series twice and can't wait until my grandchildren are old enough for me to share it with them

I remember reading this book as a young boy. Now 78 years young, I read it again before giving it to one of my grandsons as a gift. I told him even after reading it again, I learned some life lessons. Wonderful, inspiring read for anyone of any age.

It is 1906, and eight-year-old Ralph Moody's family is getting ready to move. They live in East Rochester, NH, and Ralph's father Charles works in the woolen mills, but it isn't good for his lungs. Cousin Phil who lives in Denver, CO, visits and convinces Father that ranching in Colorado would be better for his health. So Father, Mother, Grace, Muriel, Philip, Hal, and Ralph rent a ranch on the Fort Logan-Morrison road, near Littleton, CO, not far from Denver. This autobiographical book chronicles their first year which involves settling on the ranch, planting crops, raising animals, meeting neighbors, going to school, experiencing a huge wind storm, and fighting over irrigation rights. Ralph, who becomes known as "Little Britches," learns how to be a cowboy and even participates in a rodeo, but will the ranch be successful? Will the family even survive? This series of books has long been recommended by homeschoolers as the "Little House for Boys." First, there are some negatives, one of which is language issues. One catalogue says, "Be aware, however, that there is some inappropriate language used - no doubt in keeping with the actual verbiage of rugged cowboys and characters of the time." Another catalogue says, "an excellent read-aloud selection (which will allow you to filter out the smattering of `cuss' words that occur, and which Moody himself wasn't allowed to use as a lad)." And still another catalogue says, "A customer pointed out that there are a few undesirable words used to watch out for." Also, several who have read the entire series have noted that the later books, especially after Ralph goes to live with his grandfather in The Fields of Home, are not as good as the earlier ones which detail his childhood because they are more "dark" with lots of bad attitudes which are displayed over and over. However, there are also some strong positives. Little Britches is rich in the values of family unity, honesty, inventiveness, earning others' trust, and satisfaction in a job well done. And there is great emphasis on character development. Ralph gets in several predicaments and doesn't always make the right choice, but he learns to do better by heeding his father's wise advice, who said, "Any man who says the world owes him a living is dishonest. The same God that made you and me made this earth. And He planned it so that it would yield every single thing that the people on it need. But He was careful to plan it so that it would only yield up its wealth in exchange for the labor of man. Any man who tries to share in that wealth without contributing the work of his brain or his hands is dishonest." The seven sequels are Man of the Family, The Home Ranch, Mary Emma and Company, The Fields of Home, Shaking the Nickel Bush, The Dry Divide, and Horse of a Different Color.

True story. Printed well. Nice cover.

Read this to my 10 yr old son and 7 yr old daughter. We read aloud a lot and this book is now one of our top choices. It is the most excellent boy coming of age book I have read. To give you an idea of what sorts of books we like, other family favorites are the Little House series, Hobbit + LOTR, Secret Garden, Chronicles of Narnia, Wind in the Willows. Ralph, the main character is so genuine and relatable. His family is loving, and his father is so kind and wise I think he may even displace Pa Ingalls as my favorite children's lit dad! The chapter where he steals the chocolate bar is absolutely priceless. My kids and I had the best discussion about that chapter. We are almost finished with the second book in the series now, and Ralph feels like an old friend now. I'm quite sure we will read the whole series. *UPDATE (11/19/2018)* We did finish the whole series and we just adore Ralph and his family. For kids younger than high school, however, I would stop after reading Book 5 (Fields of Home). The last 3 books (where Ralph has become a young man) have a lot more technical descriptions, business dealings and math in them that I think make them less interesting to a younger audience. Plus, the end of Book 5 is so perfect you just kind of want to think his life goes on forever in that blissful state!

One of my very favorite books. The first of an eight part series about a young boy coming of age in the America. I read it when I was young, reread it in my 40s, gave it to my father who loved it, and will buy it for my grandchildren.

I fell in love with the Moody family when I read this book to my family. It is a habit in our house to read in the evening before bedtime (Just as Ralph's mother did) and I am always very picky about my choice of novels to read. I prefer non-fiction and historical novels that show a way of life and living unfamiliar to most of our generation. It nearly seems like fiction when you compare this 9 year old boy from 1908 to nine year old boys today. I never thought I would have any interest in a book about a boy who loved horses, but Mr. Moody has a way of grabbing your interest from the very beginning. I would have wanted Ralph as my own son. He was a not-so-flawless typical boy but had an inimitable charm, and a strong sense of respect for not only his parents, but his siblings as well. My two eight-year-old sons as well as my husband looked forward every evening to hearing a chapter and the three of them would often chant "one more, one more!" I was elated to find out that Ralph had written several books following and we have enjoyed the ones we have read so far. Not only were we entertained, we learned a lot of new (old) things. Unless you are only into unicorns, superheroes and zombies, I honestly believe that there is not one literate person who would not get something out of these amazing books.

It's surprising to me that I went through my entire life loving the Little House on the Prairie books, and tales of the "olden days" in general, and yet never heard of Ralph Moody or his series of books which begins with this one, Little Britches. Little Britches is a true story. In the book, Ralph remembers the time when he was a young boy and his family moved west, to a ranch in Colorado, in the early 1900s. When they arrived, the "ranch" was not quite what they had expected, yet instead of complaining, they all buckled down and got to work to create a farm that their family could live off of, getting some help from kind neighbours along the way. Ralph worked hard too, and even helped with the family finances when he went to work herding cows - at age 9! Life held many challenges for the Moody family, but the way in which they pulled together, and loved each other, is truly inspiring. I especially enjoyed the scenes where the father was imparting wisdom to Ralph about what it means to be a man - an honest, hardworking man. Truly, there are some good lessons in this book, and I plan to read this book very soon with my own 9 year old son. I highly recommend this book as a family read aloud for older children (maybe 8 and up?), and as a good, touching book for anyone who enjoys stories from times past.

had to read a couple of chapters to get interesting but after that I look forward to reading more

Was a gift for my mother. She loved this book when she was younger.

I had heard about this series of books, so I just went on and looked for Ralp Moody books. It's new for the family but we absolutely love it. I will gladly recommend it as it's good reading for a family setting.