When Jackrabbit Jewel's friend Pecos Bill cannot take a herd of longhorn
cows to a big ranch in Montana, the task falls to Jewel. She follows the
Goodnight-Loving Trail and must face many of the tribulations historical
cowboys would have faced.
Jackrabbit Jewel's character is based loosely on Jewel Frost Duncan, a
pioneer ranchwoman and cowgirl who was elected to the National Cowgirl
Museum and Hall of Fame in 1976. As a publicity stunt, in 1937 Howard's
Studio in Pecos modified an image of her to make it appear she was
riding a "Texas-sized jackrabbit." This historical photo was the
inspiration for Conejo Grande, the giant jackrabbit who is Jewel's mount
and loyal companion throughout the story. Jackrabbit Jewel is a
children's story that gently mixes Texas tall tale with the history of
Texas and the Southwest.