Leroy Ninker Saddles Up

“Leroy Ninker took off his hat and scratched his head.

Beatrice sighed again. ‘Horses, Leroy,’ she said. ‘Every cowboy needs a horse.’”

When Leroy scratches his head, DiCamillo signals the trajectory of his arc from a person with intangible dreams to one who takes action to make them a reality. When Beatrice first presents the advertisement, Leroy doesn’t immediately see it as relevant to his own life because he doesn’t yet see himself as a person who takes action. Beatrice’s explanation and encouragement provide him with the support her needs to take that active step, underscoring the book’s thematic interest in The Need for Friendship and Community.

“‘I am here about the horse,’ said Leroy.

‘You’re interested in Maybelline?’ said the woman.

‘Maybelline?’ said Leroy.

‘Follow me, Hank,’ said the woman.

‘Hank?’ said Leroy.”

Patty, the woman selling the horse, calls Leroy “Hank,” which sounds like a cowboy’s name, foreshadowing Leroy’s internal transformation. Leroy never corrects her, suggesting that he’s already embracing his growth into the best version of himself.

“How many teeth was a horse supposed to have? Beatrice Leapaleoni had not said.”

When Leroy sees that the horse only has four teeth, this question pops into his mind and shows how little he knows about horses, despite his dream to be a cowboy. At this early stage, he still relies on others for knowledge and help, emphasizing Beatrice’s role as a mentor to him.