Tag Archives: National Parks

YA – The National Parks: Preserving America’s Wild Places

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Koch, Falynn. The National Parks: Preserving America’s Wild Places. First Second, 2022. 978-1-250-26587-6. 120 p. $19.99. Grades 7-10.

A friendly Sasquatch is our guide through The National Parks, a recent entry in First Second’s History Comics series of graphic nonfiction for middle grade and teen readers. Today, our parks and national monuments successfully blend tourism with conservation of unique ecosystems (as well as history), but getting here was a circuitous path. When Congress established the National Park Service in 1916, it was in charge of thirteen national parks. Today the National Park System encompasses over 60 national parks and hundreds of additional federal park sites. In this conversational history of “America’s best idea” to preserve our wild places, author and illustrator Falynn Koch colorfully portrays the visionaries, politicians, Native Americans, wildlife, and occasional scoundrels who contributed to the evolution of our park system. She also addresses the forced removal of indigenous people from land that would eventually be parks: “If we don’t reexamine the past and face these grim truths, we can’t learn from them and make a better future” (92).

THOUGHTS: Rich with historical anecdotes and images of our varied parks, this one will have readers thinking, “The mountains are calling & I must go” (~ John Muir).

333 National Parks          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

YA – Trailed: One Woman’s Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders

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Miles, Kathryn. Trailed: One Woman’s Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders. Algonquin Books, 2022. 978-1-616-20909-4. 320 p. $28.95. Grades 10+.

In May of 1996, Julianne Williams and Laura Winans were murdered in Shenandoah National Park. The remains of “Julie” and “Lollie,” who were in a romantic relationship, were found near their backcountry campsite, off an overgrown and little-used trail. Their killer disappeared without leaving a discernible trace, and their deaths have remained an open, unsolved case. In 2001, author Kathryn Miles began teaching at Maine’s Unity College (where Lollie was enrolled at the time of her death) and learned about the unsolved murders. An avid backcountry backpacker herself, Miles felt a deep connection to the twenty-something women. Years later, Miles began researching the Williams/Winans case for an Outside magazine article. Her dogged reporting led her to uncover truths about the crime scene, forensics, and investigator assumptions. In Trailed, Miles explores Julie’s and Lollie’s personalities, traumas, accomplishments, and impact on those left behind to mourn their loss. She painstakingly unpacks the case against Darryl Rice (the main suspect in their murders) and compiles clues that point to a different suspect altogether. She also digs into thorny questions about crime and safety along America’s scenic trails.

THOUGHTS: This excellent true crime volume falls somewhere between Wild by Cheryl Strayed and I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara, and will be of strong interest to older teen readers who gravitate to the genre.

364 True Crime          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

Elem. – Onyx: The Wolf Who Found a New Way to be a Leader

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Murrrow, Vita. Onyx: The Wolf Who Found a New Way to be a Leader (True Stories of Animal Heroes). Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2021. 978-0-711-26145-7. p. 32. $15.99. Grades K-2. 

Onyx, a wolf pup that lived in Yellowstone National Park, was the smallest and scruffiest wolf in his litter. The runt in the wolf pack was often bullied by his siblings and had to learn skills to survive. However, Onyx grew older and learned leadership skills that served him well in the wild. One day, Onyx came across a wolf family with a lone mother wolf and young pups who had lost their male “alpha” wolf. With time, Onyx became a father figure to the pack and was attentive to a tiny wolf pup named Bravo. Bravo struggled to listen, would sometimes bite and snarl, and often pushed back in stressful situations. Onyx, now grown and showing signs as a leader, had a similar background and took a liking to the young pup. Onyx became a father figure to young Bravo and showed the young wolf how to interact in their world in different ways. This heartwarming story has a fact section at the back of the book that teaches the reader about the real-life reintroduction of wolves that occurred in 1995 in Yellowstone National Park. With time, this movement helped to restore and balance the failing ecosystem. 

THOUGHTS: Onyx, written by Vita Murrow, is part of the True Stories of Animal Heroes series. In 1995, it was indeed true that wolves were brought from Canada to the United States to help increase the movement and population of many animals in Yellowstone National Park. The facts in this story, particularly the story with two wolves now known as Onyx and Bravo, were observed by wildlife observers and biologists.

This picture book was engaging yet not lengthy (considering how much information was contained in the pages). If all the books in this series are as heartwarming and informative as this story, this series would be a great addition to any classroom, school library, or personal library collection. 

Picture Book. Marie Mengel, Reading SD

Elem./MG – Explore! America’s National Parks

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Langlois, Krista. Explore! America’s National Parks. Kane Miller, 2021. 978-1-684-64193-2. 96 p. $18.99. Grades 3-6. 

It’s time for a trip – a trip to America’s amazing national parks! This title takes readers around the United States to explore 61 parks. Parks are profiled by geographic region, and readers will learn about not to be missed landmarks as well as recommended activities. Selected flora and fauna readers should keep an eye out for plants that are also spotlighted. Recommended camping and hiking spots are identified as well as locations to take the perfect park photo. Environmental issues facing parks are also highlighted, along with suggestions of what readers can do to help protect and care for parks. The text is accompanied by Hannah Bailey’s beautiful illustrations, which are created with stencil, ink, and digitally enhanced/arranged.

THOUGHTS: A great resource for research projects on national parks or the armchair traveler, this title is deserving of a spot on elementary an/or middle school shelves. The author consulted with park rangers and it is clearly evident in the wide variety of suggested park activities and park spots not to be missed.

917 National Parks          Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD   

Elem. – Fatima’s Great Outdoors

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Tariq, Ambreen. Fatima’s Great Outdoors. Penguin Random House, 2021. 978-1-984-81695-5. 40 p. $17.99. Grades Pre-K-3. 

Fatima Khazi is having a tough week. Her math quiz was challenging, her peers teased her about her accent, her friends wrinkled their noses at her lunch, and a boy pulled her long braid in the hallway. Her mood, however, is lifted while she eagerly awaits with her sister for her parents after school. She is beyond excited about a weekend camping trip to a state park with her family. Ambreen Tariq’s picture book Fatima’s Great Outdoors celebrates an immigrant family’s connection and affection for nature and the outdoors. Fatima, who speaks Urdu and English, slowly builds confidence as she helps her family set up the camping tent, start a campfire, and adventure in a state park. Readers gain insight into Fatima’s family, who has immigrated from India, and will also learn of the family members that still live in India through memories and storytelling. Each memory teaches Fatima a little more about her strength and confidence. At the end of the weekend, Fatima is sad to leave her outdoor space, but her sister reminds her that sharing her experience at school may help keep the memories in her heart until the next adventure.

THOUGHTS: Author Ambreen Tariq is the founder of BrownPeopleCamping, which she launched in August of 2016 to celebrate the National Park Service’s centennial. This storytelling initiative, found on Instagram, utilizes personal narratives and digital storytelling to promote diversity in public lands and outdoor communities. Her debut picture book Fatima’s Great Outdoors reads like a love letter to state and national parks that encourage all ethnicities and races to explore and enjoy what nature has to offer.

Picture Book          Marie Mengel, Reading SD