Slim Jim Watkins is one wise cowboy. He knows why cowboys sleep with their boots on and why cowboys need a brand. Until now, though, he has never even wondered why cowboys need a pardner. Slim Jim is about to find out. All alone working on his ranch, he passes the time by telling stories to his horse, Bonecrusher. Of course, Bonecrusher cannot talk back. However, Slim Jim is so hungry for conversation that he starts to hear the cattle talk! Whoa! He reckons he better round himself up a pardner before he goes completely "loco." Why Cowboys Need a Pardner is another book in the series about cowboy Slim Jim Watkins.

Author Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton and illustrator James Rice also collaborated on Why Cowboys Sleep with Their Boots On and Why Cowboys Need a Brand, both published by Pelican. Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton is an Ohio native who lived in Houston for seven years. Laurie has since moved back to an Ohio farm with her husband. She is also the author of Pelican's Nana's Rice Pie. James Rice is widely acclaimed as one of the leading creators of American juvenile fiction. This grandfather of seven has written and/or illustrated nearly fifty books, including the Pelican classic Cajun Night Before Christmas. His works now total more than one million copies in print.