So often when the word "cowboy" is used, people think of some John Wayne type of character. In this book, author Russell Freedman tells the real story. "In the Daysof the Vaqueros: America's First True Cowboys" is written for older children, partly because it relates quite candid facts about the first cowboys (Indians) in Latin America and how they were forced to labor for the Spanish conquistadores. However, this book also focuses on the incredible skill of the Indian cowboys. Although the book is about vaqueros all over Latin America and the Southwest, there is a good section on the California vaqueros during the Mexican period. Readers will learn about the cowboys' jobs, tools, customs, and language. There are great illustrations and photographs throughout the book. ( )