Alaska Gazing out at the mountains and hundred-foot-high walls of ice in Glacier Bay, the view gives one a true sense of just how big this 49th state is. The Park Ranger leading our group recounted how John Muir had come to Alaska because he had a theory about the way glaciers had shaped the earth. Once here he could see for himself and also convince others that what he believed was indeed true-that it was the slow moving glaciers that ground down the rocks, cut deep crevices, left scourge marks and poured a fine silt (flour) into the waters. The sun reflecting off these particles gives the water a greenish cast and it seems to teem with life. The most amazing thing for those of us who are used to tropical waters is the murkiness-you cannot see down for more than a foot. To understand more about this vast land, the following books should whet your appetites. For additional research, the CLCD database has information about a wide variety of books regarding the native peoples, marine life, flora and fauna as well as numerous fictional stories set in the days that this land was a wild and booming territory filled with men seeking riches in the goldfields. Today, an important part of the riches to be found are the magnificent vistas and pristine spaces that Alaska offers. Reviews Alaska Joyce Johnston    Each entry in the "Hello USA" series is similar in format with four narrative sections covering the land, history, people and economy, and the environment. A fifth "All About..." section includes fun and other facts, state song, a recipe, historical timeline, outstanding citizens with pictures and short bios, places to visit, annual events, state wildlife, and an extensive annotated bibliography of school resources and nonfiction with a measly single fiction title set in the state. Teachers may want to augment this with any of the Kirkpatrick Hill books including The Year of Miss Agnes or one of Jean Craighead George's "Julie" stories. A political map showing the principal cities and national forests faces a physical map of geological regions, elevation and other features. A later map indicates principal products but would benefit from being superimposed on a political map so readers see the connections. Separate short sections include ones about the World War II evacuation of the Aleutians and totems. The book refers to many tribal groups of indigenous people, some of which are referenced in the index. Illustrations are drawn from modern, historical, archival and artistic sources. All in all, this is a useful, specific, varied and well-organized introduction to the state and one that will assist report writers, would-be tourists or the merely curious equally well. Endmatter includes web sites, a glossary and proper names pronunciation guide and an index. 2002, Lerner Publications, Ages 9 to 14, $25.26 and $6.95. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-8225-4051-7 ISBN: 0-8225-4157-2 Alaska Stephen Feinstein    Part of the "MyReportLinks.com" series, this book opens with a list of 30 Web sites that will help students find expanded information. It's a terrifically varied mix, including sites on the most frequently asked questions about Alaska, the Native Heritage Center, the African-American experience in the state, the Harriman Expedition, and facts about both the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the Valdez oil spill. The sites are accessible through MyReportLinks.com. Of course, there's more to the book than a list of links. It's a valuable short almanac about the Last Frontier, and the information and illustrations in its 48 pages should intrigue almost any kid. Instead of relying on the usual moose-and-goose-in-the-spruce illustrations common to many books about Alaska, the publisher chose some lovely supporting images, such as traditional Aleutian and Yupik clothing, an 18th-century painting of sea otter hunters, a tidewater glacier, galloping Iditarod dogs, a photo of footsore gold-seekers, and an Exxon Valdez-oiled seabird. 2003, MyReportLinks.com Books/Enslow Publishers Inc, Ages 9 up, $19.95. Reviewer: Donna Freedman (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-7660-5025-4 Alaska Barbara A. Somervill    Each book in the "From Sea to Shining Sea" series takes the reader on an armchair tour of a state or territory. Topics such as history, wildlife, government, and people are covered. Granted statehood in 1959, Alaska became the 49th state, and one whose original inhabitants were thought to have crossed a land bridge from Asia. Alaska comes form an Aleut word meaning "great land." It is the largest state and contains the cold desert tundra, volcanoes, and rainforests. This state can boast of many lakes, islands, glaciers, and an incredible shoreline. Alaska provides homes to five species of salmon, caribou, moose, bears, and millions of birds. Rich in natural resources, Alaska's economy thrives on fishing, mining, logging, and tourism. Stunning photographs accompany a source that is fascinating and rich in detail. An almanac, timeline, index, glossary, and additional references make the source an ideal choice for libraries and classrooms. 2002, Children's Press/Scholastic, Ages 8 to 14, $29.50. Reviewer: Laura Hummel (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-516-22318-6 Alaska Xavier W. Niz    This "Land of Liberty" series entry includes information about the state's geography, weather, history, government, economy, and people. Text is straightforward and informational, unmarred by italicized vocabulary (although there is a glossary), and current with today's newspapers. Included are sidebars, maps, an almanac of statistics, a timeline of important events, famous quotes, trivia facts, a recipe that applies to the state's agricultural strengths, and reader-pleasing notes about outdoor sports (Alaska doesn't have any pro teams), plus a mention of North America's first people, gold rushes, the conflicting thoughts about wild land usage, and unique wildlife. The sidebars include interesting notes about polar bears, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the way it was constructed to avoid impeding animal passage, James Wickersham and his role in preserving Denali, and the natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights. Useful for report writers, the information is easily locatable, with an index, more suggested informational but not fiction-based reading, and one Internet site that is an omnibus location set up and updated by the publisher to key readers to useful sites with more information about the Last Frontier State. 2003, Capstone Press, Ages 10 to 14, $23.93. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-7368-1570-8 Alaska: The Last Frontier Isaac Seder    Part of the World Almanac's "Library of the States" series, this is a nicely put together book that is chock-full of information. Yet a number of factual errors mar the total effect, such as its referring to the "Inuit" of northern and western Alaska. That's a Canadian term; although some Alaska Natives do use it, most refer to themselves as either Inupiat Eskimos (northern) or Yupik Eskimos (western). On the same page, a photo caption identifies dancers as Eskimo, when they are in fact Indians from the Southeast. Some are errors of omission, such as the fact that pop songstress Jewel's extended family is a long-established one in the state; the book says that the singer's family "moved to Alaska when she was young." She may have been born in Utah, but the Kilcher clan has been in Alaska for a long, long time. And Alaskan hoops star Trajan Langdon left the NBA in 2001, a fact that should have been checked since athletes do get traded or retire on their own. Such errors are a real shame, because the book is very attractive and could be a useful reference work. 2003, World Almanac Library, Ages 8 up, $26.60. Reviewer: Donna Freedman (Children's Literature) Best Books: Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States ISBN: 0-8368-5147-1 ISBN: 0-8368-5318-0 Alaska Facts and Symbols Muriel L. Dubois    Easy-to-read text covers major state symbols such as the state flag, seal, bird, tree, flower, animal, and more. A "Fast Facts" section highlights the state's capital city, largest city, physical size, population, natural resources, farm products, and primary manufactured goods. Generally, a map or photo faces a right hand page of information written in short paragraphs. Photos are current and simple, featuring the animal, flower, or famous building, with a modest caption. The series has been updated to reflect new census data but otherwise duplicates the earlier editions. A concluding page features three "Places to Visit," to give readers a sense of what features or sites the state is proud of or known for (Denali/Mount McKinley, Kenai Fjords National Park, and the Alaska State Museum). In the end matter, other factual nonfiction books are recommended, a glossary rounds up five or six specialized words, an omnibus website managed by the publisher gives access to further facts, and a very short index is included. The series encourages report writers to locate information quickly and the layout makes comparisons among states easy. This book is a good beginning resource for highlighting a state and its features. 2003 (orig. 2000), Capstone Press, Ages 7 to 11, $14.95. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-7368-2232-1 Aleutian Sparrow Karen Hesse    Within days of the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands in June of 1942, the United States government relocated the native people of these islands to southeast Alaska. In unrhymed poetic form, Hesse recounts the hardships endured by these people in the camps to which they were sent. Through the eyes of a young teenage girl, the reader observes the changes in the lives of the people as they try to hold on to their culture in an environment that is culturally, socially and physically destructive. Hesse presents a little known part of World War II history while showing great admiration for the Aleuts. There is great depth to the characters, the setting and the feelings of and for this culture that was so devastated in the three years of relocation. It is amazing how the author can exude from the reader such a full range of emotions within the historical context of the story. This is a bittersweet tale of friendship, and a cautionary tale on the importance of culture, tradition and freedom. 2003, Margaret K McElderry/Simon & Schuster, Ages 10 to 14, $16.95. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature) Best Books: Capital Choices, 2003; The Capital Choices Committee; United States The Children's Literature Choice List, 2004; Children's Literature; United States ISBN: 0-689-86189-3 Arctic Lights, Arctic Nights Debbie S. Miller Illustrations by Jon Van Zyle    Veteran children's author Miller (A Caribou Journey, A Polar Bear Journey, Disappearing Lake, among others) does many school visits in the Lower 48, and is always peppered with questions about what it's like to live in a place that's pitch-dark for half the year. The Fairbanks resident decided to dispel that mistaken impression once and for all by writing a book about alpenglow, "diamond dust," the aurora borealis, "sundogs" and other aspects of Arctic light. "It is never completely dark all day long," she writes, even in places like Barrow, and the light that does exist is "dynamic and beautiful." The author takes readers month-by-month through a typical year, to help them learn to appreciate each season. Illustrator Van Zyle's acrylic paintings are compelling images of moose, snowshoe hares, grizzlies, wolves, wilderness and, of course, snow. The artist, an acclaimed Alaska painter who's collaborated with Miller before, has a particularly nice touch with the blue, blue-gray and lavender hues of Alaska snow. (No, it ISN'T just white!) The writer and artist show a heartfelt reverence for their subject, and their combination of carefully chosen words and images will inspire the same kind of wonder in young readers. 2003, Walker & Company, Ages 4 up, $16.95. Reviewer: Donna Freedman (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-8027-8856-4 ISBN: 0-8027-8857-2 Big Caribou Herd: Life in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Bruce Hiscock    Sweeping watercolor panoramas reflect the author/illustrator's longtime interest in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the largest of more than 500 wildlife refuges in the United States, and one about the size of Maine. Using the narrative form of a year in the life of a caribou herd (and overusing the word "critical," a word some young readers may not have much context for), he introduces the biodiversity and interdependence of the life forms in this corner of Alaska. Some fourteen animals are profiled in an endnote, and the author also adds a note about his concern about possible drilling for oil in this preserve. Caribou information is embedded in the text so that a report writer might have to seek out facts, such as the fact that females in the immense caribou herd all give birth within the same few days, or that this is the only deer species in which both male and female have antlers. Hiscock's watercolor and pencil depictions of the landscape are dramatic and open, and his animals rely both on his sketched observations and on the work of photographers, whom he credits. A helpful map and the reserve's Web site are included. 2003, Boyds Mills Press, Ages 7 to 11, $16.95. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature) ISBN: 1-5907-8010-8 Best Books: Best Children's Books of the Year, 2004; Bank Street College of Education; United States Buried Alive Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson    This, the twelfth installment in the "Mysteries in our National Parks" series, finds the Landons in Denali National Park, Alaska. Olivia Landon, a wildlife veterinarian, has been asked to help the rangers with a problem involving the park's wolverine population, and she brings her family along. The Landons also have a foster child in tow, a thirteen-year-old boy named Nicky, who has some secrets. The Landon children, Jack and Ashley, have mixed feelings about Nicky, which provides some tension throughout the story. The plot, for the most part, follows the same pattern as other books in the series--the family goes to a national park, the kids' lives are threatened, and a wildlife mystery is solved. While the crises in the book are serious, involving a kidnapping by a violent criminal and an avalanche, the writing does not bring these events to life, unfortunately. In general, Jack and Ashley don't come across as real kids, and their dialog tends to be stilted. The adults can be a bit preachy, as well. Nature-loving readers will enjoy the descriptions of the frigid preserve, the aurora borealis, and the sled dogs and other interesting animals. There is good information about the mysterious wolverine, an animal that kids will enjoy learning about, and the map of the park is useful. National Geographic Society has a good idea with this series, but the writing could be a little more creative and hip, to appeal to a wider range of today's upper elementary readers. 2003, National Geographic Society, Ages 8 to 12, $5.95. Reviewer: Jane Harrington (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-79226-966-7 ISBN: 0-79226-968-3 The Call of the Wild Jack London    With an introduction by Gary Paulsen, noted author of young people's stories, this Aladdin Classic edition joins 20 others of similar stature as must-reads for any age. The combination of man and dog against the elements of the then untamed North and the anything-goes adventurous nature of Buck, the protagonist, makes for exciting reading. London, the author, draws on his turn of the century experiences during the Goldrush in Alaska. The important element of the dogs in the life and survival of those adventurers brings an exciting element to the story. Dogs were as important as people, and London is at his best in describing this relationship through thick and thin. There is a reading group guide included for classroom use, but the story is a good one for reading aloud within the family, too. 2003 (orig. 1903), Aladdin, Ages 10 to Adult, $3.99. Meredith Kiger, Ph.D. (Children's Literature) Best Books: Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002; California Department of Education; California ISBN: 0-689-85674-1 The Exxon Valdez: The Oil Spill Off the Alaskan Coast Tom Streissguth    In 1989, the Exxon Valdez, the largest American built oil tanker, ripped open its tanks while passing over the Bligh Reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound. More than eleven million gallons of crude oil escaped into the water, marking the worst oil spill in history. This information and much more is revealed in this "Disaster!" series book. Readers will learn about the Valdez's design, its ruptured hull (main body of the ship), the evaluation of the accident, and the lessons learned from it. Details are given about the tragic loss of wildlife and the billions of dollars spent on cleaning up the spilled oil. New laws to help prevent environmental tragedies like this are discussed. And, a glossary, index, resource list, and biography invite the reader to engage in future studies. Teachers will find this text with powerful photographs to be a good starting point for lessons in persuasive argument and debate. 2003, Capstone Press, $21.26. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Andrea Sears Andrews (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-7368-1320-9 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Nichol Bryan    Exxon Valdez Oil Spill is one in a series of six books on "Environmental Disasters." Bryan introduces us to this disaster through an introduction which explains the cause of the crude oil spill that dumped more than 260,000 thousand barrels of oil into Alaskan waters. It was the largest oil spill in United States history. Although no human lives were lost, hundreds of thousands of sea birds, otters, bald eagles and killer whales died. Fifteen years after the spill, pockets of oil still contaminate the area's shores. The following four chapters go into detail on different aspects of the oil spill. Chapter one talks about the Alaska wilderness and Prince William Sound where the accident occurred in 1989. Chapter two describes the accident caused by human error when the Valdez struck an underwater rock wall. The error opened up the cargo tanks, spilling oil into Prince William Sound. Chapter three examines the damage done to the environment and how Exxon dealt with the clean-up. Chapter four looks at the fate of the ship's captain, Joseph Hazelwood and the Valdez. New laws and protective measurements were put into place to prevent future Environmental Disasters. Also included in the book are many interesting sidebars, time line, glossary, and further information. Good color photographs accompany the text. 2004, World Almanac Library, Ages 10 up, $29.26. Reviewer: Della A. Yannuzzi (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-8368-5506-X ISBN: 0-8368-5513-2 Free Radical Claire Rudolf Murphy    Playing baseball is all Luke McHenry has planned for his summer vacation. His highest hope is to finally make the all-star baseball team for his town, Fairbanks, Alaska. He has worked hard for his moment to succeed. Then his world takes an unexpected turn. His mom is a fugitive and has been on the run from the FBI for over thirty years. When she was a student in college, she participated in a riot that caused another student's death. She finally decides to turn herself in due to the never-ending guilt she has had over the years. Luke begs her to change her mind and to look at the life that they have now. When he sees that his mother needs the forgiveness of her family and the victim's family in order to be happy, he is forced to accept reality and become independent. This is a great book for gaining understanding of a person's past and what they need in order to move on with life. Murphy shows how the need for forgiveness can help a person dramatically, but how it can also hurt others. This is referred to as a free radical, something in the body that drags a person down and causes other problems. Free radicals are used throughout the book to help understand the troubles that Luke and his mother go through. 2002, Houghton Mifflin Company, $15.00. Ages 11 to 16. Reviewer: Christina Williams (Children's Literature)    Fifteen-year-old Luke McHenry is looking forward to this summer's baseball season in Fairbanks, Alaska. This could finally be the year he makes the All Star team. His hopes are soon threatened, however, by his mother's thirty-one year old secret. Protesting the Vietnam War, Mrs. McHenry's misguided zeal prompted her to take part in an act of violence that resulted in a young man's death. Luke is astonished to discover that his mother has been living underground for over three decades, the target of an FBI manhunt. As Luke's baseball season advances, so do his mother's intentions become known--to turn herself in and pay the price for her criminal actions. Torn between wanting his mother to do the right thing and risking losing her to prison, Luke turns to his friend, Amy, who is wheelchair bound as a result of a drunk driving accident. Amy tells Luke about restorative justice, a program that puts victims of crime in the same room with the perpetrators in an effort to bring healing to both sides. There are no easy answers in this well-written, intensively researched novel. The conflict is exceedingly well drawn, highlighting political and social issues that often get overlooked today. 2002, Clarion Books, $15.00. Ages 12 to 16. Reviewer: Christopher Moning (Children's Literature) Best Books: Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to the Eighth Edition, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States Top 10 Sports Books for Youth, 2002; American Library Association-Booklist; United States ISBN: 0-618-11134-4 Gold Rush Winter Claire Rudolf Murphy Illustrated by Richard Waldrep    Klondy is a little girl living in South Dakota with her mother during the Gold Rush. Her father is a miner looking for gold in Alaska. After several years, Klondy and her mother join him in Council City, near Nome, Alaska. Klondy expects Nome to be a fancy city with streets of gold. But after a grueling trip over land and sea, Klondy is disappointed to find a city with dirty tents and muddy roads. The little girl's disappointment continues when she finally reaches her father and realizes that he has little time to spend with her. Klondy's sadness is palpable in this fine chapter book, which is based on the life of a Klondy Nelson, a girl who lived 100 years ago. In this land where the sun shines only two hours each day, Klondy and her mother learn to be happy with their new life. This title is a "Mile 4" chapter book in the publisher's "Road To Reading" series. 2002, Golden Books, $3.99. Ages 6 to 9. Reviewer: Jeanne K. Pettenati, J.D. (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-307-26413-0 ISBN: 0-307-46413-X The Great Serum Race: Blazing the Iditarod Trail Debbie S. Miller Illustrations by Jon van Zyle    In 1925, a diphtheria outbreak threatened the isolated town of Nome, Alaska. The nearest supply of antitoxin serum was 1,000 miles away, in Anchorage and the railroad covered only the first 400 miles of the route. Miller tells the exciting true story of 20 mushers who carried the serum in relays across the state, braving temperatures as cold as 56 degrees below zero. The author emphasizes the ticking-clock nature of the relay, and kids will be carried along on this literal life-and-death adventure. Miller includes bone-chilling details such as a roadhouse worker pouring hot water over a musher's frozen mittens to free them from a sled handle, and the fact that the dogs could not be allowed to run fast because if they breathed too deeply, they would "frost their lungs." Van Zyle's use of blue captures the Alaska winter landscape beautifully, especially when he is smearing a layer of "ice fog" over everything. He definitely knows dogs, being a two-time veteran of the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which commemorates the 1925 serum run. His human figures are not as skillfully drawn as the dogs, however. 2002, Walker & Company, Ages 7 to 10, $17.95. Reviewer: Donna Freedman (Children's Literature)    Every March the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is run from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. The race commemorates the incredible courage and determination of the relay of dog teams that in 1925 brought life-saving diphtheria antitoxin serum to halt an outbreak of the disease in Nome in the frozen winter. Miller takes us along through the ice, snow, wind, and cold as each team with its brave dogs and men fights its way to deliver the precious cargo and save the lives of many. The excitement and suspense are sustained until the satisfying conclusion. Van Zyle's impressionistic double-page acrylic paintings convey the intensity of the bitter minus 60 degree, snow-swept landscape and the melodrama of the dog teams. His palette is limited to the shades of the Arctic's blue-whiteness; it is hard not to feel the chill as we follow the straining dogs and parka-shrouded men. A map, further notes, and some photographs are included. Also this year, Robert Blake has written Togo (Philomel Books), covering similar information but emphasizing the role of one dog in particular. His illustrations use a few more naturalistic colors to sharpen visual contrast and define characters. 2002, Walker & Company, Ages 7 to 10, $17.95. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature) Best Books: The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2003; Bank Street College of Education; United States Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2003; National Council for the Social Studies NCSS; United States Awards, Honors, Prizes: Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Recommended Title 2003 United States ISBN: 0-8027-8812-2 ISBN: 0-8027-8811-4 Groucho's Eyebrows Tricia Brown Illustrations by Barbara Lavallee    Kristie is delighted when she gets home from school and discovers that her mother has a new pet for her. It is a white kitten with extraordinary eyebrows. The a big, black and busy just like those of the famous comedian Grocucho Marks which is what they decide to name him. The two become fast companions and the story recounts the fun they have together. The idle is broken when Groucho slips out of the house and cannot be found. Kristie worries and imagines all sorts of disasters. Then she heads out in the morning to look for Groucho. Lavallee introduces readers to some of the more commonly found animals in Alaska-a fox, porcupine and a moose. Finally, on her way back home Kristie spots those dark eyebrows in a snow bank. Her kitty friend has been found and once again, the world is a warm and happy place. The watercolor illustrations range from the small interior scenes to the spreads of the vast outdoors. Kids from warmer climes will enjoy seeing this cold and snow filled part of the world where Kristie is bundled up in her warm boots and parka and inside wears warm furry slippers and flannel pajamas. 2003, Alaska Northwest Books, Ages 6 to 10, $15.5. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot. Format: Picture Book ISBN: 0-88240-556-X The Iditarod: Story of the Last Great Race Ian Young    The Iditarod Trail from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska was used for many years to deliver mail, freight, and even gold during the Alaskan gold rush. The first race in 1967 was only 9 miles long. For the last 30 years, mushers, as the racers are called, have faced harsh conditions along the trail, such as extreme cold and blizzards, to compete in the over 1,000-mile long trek. Although driven to win the race, racers have a commitment to help each other survive injury and illness during the race. Well-trained Alaskan huskies are the dogs of choice to pull the lightweight sleds. Hundreds of unpaid workers on the ground and nearly 30 pilots in the air help with the race by supplying food, medical treatment, and veterinarian care. There is a Junior Iditarod race that is 160 miles long. Several famous racers are highlighted in the book, including Susan Butcher, who was the first woman Iditarod winner. Joe Redington helped with the first race in 1967 and, although he never won the race, the last time he completed the race, he was 80 years old. Rick Swenson won the race five times. This book is part of the "High Five Reading" set. 2003, Capstone Press, Ages 10 up, $22.60. Reviewer: Sally Niezgoda (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-7368-9523-X ISBN: 0-7368-9545-0 The Inuit Raymond Bial    A fact-packed book full of historic and modern photos, The Inuit is an intriguing look at the aboriginal cultures of Greenland, Canada, Alaska and Russia. The author's respect for his subject is evidenced by the book's dedication: "To the Inuit who have learned to live joyfully in the harshest climate on Earth." Bial illustrates that joy by explaining the spiritual beliefs, family values, venerated traditions and art forms of the Inuit. He even includes a couple of recipes. School kids might be fascinated by some facts (a hunter might have to wait for days for the chance to kill a seal?) and horrified by others (they ate seal meat raw?). That's entirely the point, since too many American children feel that the way we do things is the only way that things should be done. The book is part of the "Lifeways" series that has profiled the cultures of sixteen other Native American groups. 2002, Benchmark Books, Ages 9 up, $32.79. Reviewer: Donna Freedman (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-7614-1212-3 John Muir: Naturalist and Explorer Charles W. Maynard    The portrait on the cover of this biography shows the young reader that the father of our National Parks and the man who founded the Sierra Club was once young too. This is the story of a man's lifelong love of the wild and a dedication to exploring it, writing about it, and conserving it. The book spotlights John Muir's Scottish beginnings, his early relocation to the Wisconsin wilderness, his 1,000 mile walk down through the eastern U.S. to Florida, his unplanned trip to California, and his subsequent adoption of Yosemite as a cause. His marriage, fruit ranching, two beautiful daughters, and travels all over the world are highlighted. The book is laid out attractively and edged in a gold tassel and brown leather-like design to mimic a nineteenth-century notebook. Photos, drawings, and pages from Muir's own notebooks and letters are included as well as maps, a timeline, glossary, index, sources, and Web sites. One in a series of "Famous Explorers of the American West," this brief book could capture the imagination of a budding explorer or writer. To find more about Muir's life, such as his adventure in Alaska with a dog named Stickeen, the reader may turn to Muir's own books. 2003, PowerKids Press/The Rosen Publishing Group, Ages 8 to 11, $18.75. Reviewer: Carol Raker Collins, Ph.D. (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-8239-6291-1 John Muir and Stickeen: An Alaskan Adventure Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff Illustrated by Karl Swanson    The name John Muir usually brings to mind giant redwood trees and the Sierra Club. Did you know he also thrived on trekking across glaciers in Alaska? This story recounts one harrowing adventure when Muir and a small terrier named Stickeen were climbing over and around, up and down a glacier trying to get back to the safety of their camp before dark. You can feel the cold--"Mountain streams crash upon the boulders. Trees bend in the wind...John enjoys nature's fierce weather." And you can see the cold in the dramatically detailed illustrations, all in shades of gray and brown and steel-blue ice. It's as if you could touch the frost on each hair of Stickeen's chin or Muir's beard. Muir uses a pick ax to chop steps in a sheer cliff of ice: "He must not slip. He is only inches away from death." Near the end, dog and man must cross a narrow ice bridge. "Stickeen wails. But does not cross." Finally, there is the warm red glow of the campfire--a sharp contrast to the page after page of ice and frigid air. This is a tense and dramatic story with exquisite illustrations. It would be a perfect classroom read-aloud for many age groups as well as an exciting book for individual browsing. 2003, Millbrook, Ages 4 up, $14.95. Reviewer: Karen Leggett (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-7613-2769-X ISBN: 0-7613-1997-2 The Klondike Cat Julie Lawson Illustrated by Paul Mombourquette    Within this adventure story about a young boy named Noah and his cat, Shadow, the author presents a view of the hard times and travails of those who set out to find a fortune in the Alaskan gold rush in the late 1890s. When Noah sets out with his dad for the Klondike, he stows Shadow in his pack. After an arduous trip they arrive at their destination only to discover that most of the good land has already been staked and they will have to head back home with nothing. Shadow, in the meantime, has given birth to a litter of kittens. At first, that seems to be just one more problem for Noah and his dad, until Noah realizes that the prospectors are being plagued by mice. He then sells the kittens at an excellent price. Additional information about the gold rush is provided in the historical note, and the oil paintings illustrating the text are superb. The reader will be tempted to reach out and feel the warm flannel of Noah's rumpled shirt, the soft, silky coat of Shadow and the prospector's knit cap, stiff with icy snow. 2002, Kids Can Press, Ages 6 to 10, $15.95. Reviewer: Carolyn Mott Ford (Children's Literature)    When news arrives of gold discoveries in Alaska, Noah and his father head for the gold fields. Against his father's order, Noah sneaks his cat, Shadow, into the bag with his clothing. The story of their travels to the gold fields--and of how Shadow becomes a heroine--makes an interesting story. The paintings that illustrate the story are appropriate and full of surprising little details. Finding the right grade level for this book is a problem, and it might best be utilized as a "read-to" for the primary grades. The story is such a simple one that older students would probably be bored, but the text is a bit above the primary level, and the younger students would probably also need help in discovering the more interesting aspects of the illustrations. Additionally, at the end of the book is a Historical Note that is definitely at the upper elementary level. Perhaps the best place for this book would be as a supplement to a unit on Alaska or on the various gold rushes of the nineteenth century. Fiction. Grades 1-2. 2002, Kids Can, Unpaged, 6 to 8, $15.95. Ages Reviewer: Ginny Hoskins (Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 15, No. 3)) Best Books: Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States Awards, Honors, Prizes: Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Medal Nominee 2003 Canada Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Book Prize Finalist 2003 Canada Society of School Librarians International Book Awards Best Book 2003 Language Arts Picture Book United States ISBN: 1-55337-013-9 Kumak's House: A Tale of the Far North Michael Bania    Set in a small Inupiaq (Eskimo) village in Alaska, this joyously silly tale gets increasingly hilarious as the character tries to make more room in his house, but winds up with less and less space. Kumak thinks his home is too small for his large and clamorous family, and visits a village elder to ask for advice. Aana Lulu tells him not to build a bigger house, but to ask Bear, Whale, Porcupine, Caribou and other animals to move in. Adults can see where the story is going, but small children will be too busy laughing at the sight of the caribou in Kumak's bed, or the rabbit sitting like a fur hat on grandmother's head. Bania, who lived above the Arctic Circle for nearly 20 years, illustrates cartoonishly but gets the Alaska stuff just right, from the kuspuk worn by Aana Lulu to the sundog (rainbow) in the winter sky to the warmth of family life in a home that turns out to be just the right size after all. 2002, Alaska Northwest Books/Graphic Arts Publishing, Ages 4 up, $15.95. Donna Freedman (Children's Literature) Best Books: Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2003; National Council for the Social Studies NCSS; United States ISBN: 0-88240-540-3 ISBN: 0-88240-541-1 L Is For Last Frontier: An Alaska Alphabet Carol Crane Illustrated by Michael Glenn Monroe    Travel through the land of the midnight sun to explore various aspects of one of the last frontiers. Readers are entertained from A to Z with rhyming couplets. "N is for the Northern Lights, / mysterious colored glow. / Sweeping across the shy, / a shimmering night time show." These are set on engaging realistic paintings depicting wildlife, plants, people, and geographical features of Alaska. Longer expository paragraphs accompany each poem and are chock-full of amazing information. Learn about the Yukon River and of mining techniques for gold. Find out about wolves, musk ox, ptarmigans, bears, and moose. Discover how Alaska Natives use soapberries and umiaks. Cleverly executed and beautifully designed, Crane's book transports the reader to a land of great beauty and adventure. One will desire to partake again and again, each visit revealing something new. Additional alphabet books in the "Discover America State by State" series are available. 2002, Sleeping Bear Press, $17.95. Ages 3 to 12. Reviewer: Laura Hummel (Children's Literature) ISBN: 1-58536-020-1 Leaving Protection Will Hobbs    Robbie Daniels can't wait to earn some cash--a commodity in short supply in Port Protection, Alaska, where his parents scrape out a living through fishing and sheer ingenuity. Robbie signs on with gruff Tor Torsen, a loner renowned for his luck catching king salmon in the outer waters. Back problems force Torsen into taking on a hand, and Robbie's experience on his parents' smaller boat is enough to get him aboard Torsen's Storm Petrel. Once they're out for the brief season, Robbie discovers that fishing is only part of the agenda; Torsen intends to secure his fortune by searching for possession plaques--Russian land-claim markers buried along the coast in the late 1700s--and selling them on the black market. A strong sixteen-year-old like Robbie will certainly be useful doing the grunt work (and helping bring in the bumper salmon catch), but he just might, Robbie fears, be expendable when his contribution to the job is over. Hobbs keeps readers guessing whether Torsen is a moody fisherman with an odd hobby, a ruthless treasure hunter with a gift for fishing, or a sad old man whose greed has driven him over the edge. All the requisite adventure story elements are in place, from the corny-but-cool patter ("There was sea salt in his tangled beard and piracy in his voice") to a raging storm and a desperate run for harbor, but Hobbs excels at conveying the claustrophobia and rising tension between two overworked, overtired, overambitious men who have just two weeks to grab their dreams and make it home alive. (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2004, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2004, HarperCollins, 192p, $16.89 and $15.99. Grades 5-9. Elizabeth Bush (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, May 2004 (Vol. 57, No. 9)) ISBN: 0-688-17475-2 ISBN: 0-06-051632-1 Minuk: Ashes in the Pathway Kirkpatrick Hill    Young readers can follow 12-year-old Minuk into Yup'ik, Alaska in 1890 in Ashes in the Pathway by Alaskan resident Kirkpatrick Hill. Minuk is curious about the white missionaries who have recently moved into her Eskimo village. She learns English and "white medicine" from them while continuing to respect the ways of her people. The book captures a vanished time, with rich details about customs and daily life woven into an intriguing plot of the village's struggle against a deadly epidemic. There is humor, too, such as when Minuk encounters a woman's corset flapping on a clothesline and tries to make sense of it. Ashes in the Pathway is one of four titles launching Pleasant Company's new historical fiction series "Girls of Many Lands." Known for its popular American Girl dolls and books, the company hopes to broaden youngsters' view of the world with this line of multicultural books and dolls (the Minuk doll wears Native dress: a furry parka and boots). 2002, Pleasant Company, Ages 9 to 12, $7.95 and $12.95. Reviewer: Mary Quattlebaum (Children's Literature)    Strangers are relatively unknown to the Yup'ik Eskimo tribe living in the cold northern reaches of 1890s Alaska. Not since the Russian missionaries came when Miruk's grandfather was a small child has any white settler arrived to live in their village, until now. The Hoff family has arrived. They have built a home. They have built a school. And, most of all, they have captured Miruk's attention. She has a million questions for these new people. What is that hard, stiff thing hanging on the line outside their back door? Why do they wash their hands so often? Why do they bother to take wrinkles out of clothes? Miruk begins to learn their ways and their language. When the Hoffs bring a schoolteacher and a nurse to live with them, Miruk's translation abilities are especially helpful. She is happy to be learning about the white settlers. She is happy to help them communicate with the Yup'ik people. Yet she is troubled by their interference in the Yup'ik ways. Why do the missionaries think their ways are better? And why do they try to force them on the Yup'ik people? When an outbreak of influenza takes nearly all of Miruk's family and much of the village, her life changes forever. Kirkpatrick Hill's story is full of interesting details about the Yup'ik Eskimo way of life at the turn of the century. It is straightforward and deals with difficult issues without being overly sentimental. As part of the "Girls of Many Lands" series, this book includes a "Then and Now: A Girl's Life" section, an Author's Note, and a glossary of Yup'ik terms. 2002, Pleasant, Ages 9 to 14, $7.95. Reviewer: Heidi Hauser Green (Children's Literature) Best Books: Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to the Eighth Edition, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, August 26, 2002; Cahners; United States School Library Journal Book Review Stars, October 2002; Cahners; United States School Library Journal: Best Books, 2002; Cahners; United States Awards, Honors, Prizes: Jefferson Cup Award Worthy of Special Note 2003 United States ISBN: 1-5848-5520-7 Mystery at Chilkoot Pass Barbara Steiner    In this well-researched historical fiction novel, Hetty McKinley and her father set off to search for gold in the Klondike. The year is 1897, and the Alaskan Gold Rush is in full swing. As they make their way along the seventeen- mile Chilkoot Trail, Hetty faces many hardships and meets an assortment of spirited people. A mystery presents itself almost at the start, first with the disappearance of substantial sums of money followed by many personal items with little more than sentimental value. Hetty, herself, finds her locket missing--one of the only remembrances of her deceased mother. Along with her friend, Alma, Hetty tries to solve the mystery as they move from camp to camp. Children will be captivated by descriptions of harrowing avalanches, rampant illness and the utter exhaustion of carrying heavy loads up the snowy, treacherous trail. A beautiful map at the beginning of the book will help kids keep up with Hetty's travels, and a nonfiction section at the back is very well illustrated and chock full of interesting tidbits about the Gold Rush. Kids will find this installment of the "American Girl History Mysteries" a pleasant and easy read, but the narrative would be much more immediate and personal if more entries from Hetty's journal had been included in the text. Much reference is made to Hetty wanting to be a writer and keeping a journal, but there are disappointingly few glimpses of it. Still, a very good book, which historical fiction fans will like. 2002, Pleasant Company, Ages 8 to 12, $10.95 and $6.95. Reviewer: Jane Harrington (Children's Literature)    It is 1897 and a madness has struck the country, a madness to seek gold in the Klondike. Hetty and her father have given up their life in San Francisco to join the thousands who flocked to a very inhospitable part of the world to seek their fortune. With them are Hetty's uncle Donall, her friend Alma, Alma's mother, Mrs. Vasquez, and a single woman traveling alone called Sarah Lancaster. The journey to the Klondike in Canada is a very difficult one. "Klondikers" must have almost a ton of supplies per person and must be able to pay a sizable tax to enter Canadian territory. Hetty and her party struggle to get all their supplies over the Chilkoot Pass before winter arrives. Carrying load after load of supplies, the Klondikers inch their way up the mountainside. They deal with a blizzard, an icy path, an avalanche, illness and even death. Against this backdrop of hardship, Hetty and those who are traveling with her encounter another problem. Money is stolen and then treasured keepsakes start to disappear as well. Hetty realizes that there is a thief, or even two thieves, among them. Hetty is determined to discover who is taking their possessions. Even if we think this hunt for gold is foolishness, we cannot help but feel admiration for these adventurers. They face each crisis as a group, finding love and even laughter as they toil up the mountainside. The author has incorporated a lot of fascinating historical detail into this mystery story. We meet various characters who really did cross the Chilkoot Pass in the late 1800s, for example, the now famous writer Jack London. In addition, many of the events in the story actually happened during the Klondike gold rush. This is one of the books in the American Girl "History Mysteries" series. 2002, Pleasant Company, Ages 10 up, $6.95. Reviewer: Marya Jansen-Gruber (Children's Literature) ISBN: 1-5848-5488-X ISBN: 1-5848-5487-1 Runaways on the Inside Passage Joe Upton    Drawn into a world of dangerous adventure by a personal dream, David and Annie Ross embark on a journey that most thirteen-year-old twins could never imagine. This brother and sister pair presents the reader with page after page of exciting drama, while giving the young audience something to relate to. David and Annie enlist the help of Lars Hansen, an elderly fisherman who knows the Alaskan waters better than most. By weathering near fatal storms on the sea and spending day and night with their wise mentor, Annie and David finally locate their father, and their dream becomes a reality. They are able to experience a memorable reunion with their father, while remaining amazed at what they have just done. Upton does a wonderful job of telling a tale of adventurous proportion. This book is one that will keep children of all ages glued to each page and hanging on every word. A tale of rapids, runaways, and reality, this novel is an exciting success. 2002, Alaska Northwest Books, Ages 9 to 12, $9.95. Reviewer: Sarah Hammond (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-88240-564-0 ISBN: 0-88240-565-9 Sailing for Gold Deborah Hopkinson Illustrated by Bill Farnsworth    The 1897 Klondike gold rush is the setting for this exciting historical adventure, the first of the Klondike Kid trilogy in the Ready-for-Chapters series. Orphan David Hill, 11, tells how Seattle is suddenly mobbed with desperate, greedy "stampeders" from everywhere on their way to find gold. The brave kid stows away on a boat bound for Klondike not to make his fortune but to search for his uncle, his only surviving family. Hopkinson wrote the excellent nonfiction immigration history, Shutting Out the Sky (2003), a 2003 Booklist Editors' Choice, and here she once again draws on careful research to create an authentic sense of the time and place, including some real characters and events, while Farnsworth's full-page pencil illustrations capture the feverish excitement on the streets as well as David's yearning for home. The facts are astonishing: for example, prospectors were told to take a year's supply of food for the 800-mile journey ahead of them. The last words are "To be continued," and readers will want to know what happens next. A map would have been helpful. Category: Books for Middle Readers--Fiction. 2004, Simon & Schuster/Aladdin, $11.89, $3.99. Gr. 2-4. Hazel Rochman (Booklist, Jan. 1, 2004 (Vol. 100, No. 9))    Hopkinson brings her sharp research and thoughtful storytelling to the story of the Klondike Gold Rush in the first of a planned series about Davey in Alaska. Eleven-year-old orphan David Hill lives with Mrs. Tinker in her Seattle boardinghouse, where he pays his way doing chores, finding boarders, and watching the ships sail in and out of Puget Sound. He has a secret dream, one that he can share with only Cook. He wishes to find his uncle Walt, who now lives in Alaska. He sends a letter to him, but never hears anything. He waits at the docks for boats from Alaska, and he scans the crowd for his uncle's face. When he meets a photographer bound for the Klondike, Davey hatches a daring plan to stowaway on the ship, the Al-ki. The cliffhanger chapter endings, frequent realistic pencil sketches, and generous font that are the trademark of the Ready-for-Chapters series, along with Hopkinson's eye for compelling historical details, make this particularly fine fare for beginning readers. 2004, Aladdin, 64p. Category: Fiction. Ages 6 to 9. Š 2004 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews (Vol. 72, No. 3)) ISBN: 0-689-86031-5 ISBN: 0-689-86032-3 Seldovia Sam and the Very Large Clam Susan Woodward Springer Illustrated by Amy Meissner    Sam is looking forward to digging clams with Dad. On the way to the clam beds at Jakolof Bay, Dad stops for a moment to chat with a friend. Uh oh! Melody Chambers, the know-it-all queen of elementary school is there and she doesn't hesitate to tell Sam that the clams at Jakolof Bay are puny. Unfortunately, it seems that Melody is right. Sam and Dad are pulling only little clams from the mud at the bay's edge. Sam is determined to prove Melody wrong and find the biggest clam ever. "I'm going to try digging by that island," Sam tells Dad. Sam figures no one digs out there and it is likely the clams grow huge. Dad says yes but tells Sam he had best be quick because the tide is turning. Sam finds an enormous clam--possibly the king of all clams--and is wrestling it from the sand. He has forgotten Dad's warning and pays no attention to the rising tide. Predictably he finds himself trapped on the little island by the tide with no way to get to the shore. Now Dad is off to get help and Sam is wondering just how high the water will rise. Young readers will enjoy the tale of Sam's misadventure and will learn a bit about life in the isolated Alaska town of Seldovia. This paperback book is the first in a soon-to-be-published series about Sam's misadventures. Illustrated with black and white drawings. 2003, Alaska Northwest Books/Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company, Ages 6 to 8, $6.95. Anita Barnes Lowen (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-88240-570-5 Seward's Folly Melissa Whitcraft    The "folly" was William Seward's purchase of Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million dollars in 1867. So soon after the expense of the Civil War, many thought it folly indeed, but the Secretary of State wore down the opposition and the half million square miles of Alaska became U. S. territory. This volume of the "Cornerstones of Freedom" series presents the story of Alaska both before and after its purchase. Always rich in natural resources, Alaska owed much of its growth to greed, its economy really taking off after gold was discovered in the Yukon. The author chronicles the plundering of the territory by capitalists, its steady gain in population, and the long struggle for statehood and Native rights. A good deal of space is given to the controversy over oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a subject still prominent in the news. Illustrations are mostly photographs, some rather dull, but others attractively picturing the state's wildlife and the beauty of glaciers and mountains. One intriguing old photo captures a circle of rugged gold miners posed with a furry dog and a very demure little girl in the foreground. Of interest, too, are the historical prints, especially a map of Alaska immediately after its acquisition, showing Russian place names and the future states of Washington and Oregon still as territories. Extra research pages provide a glossary, a well-illustrated timeline, an easy-to-use index, and a bibliography which includes Web sites about Alaska. 2002, Children's Press, Ages 9 to 13, $24.00. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-5162-2525-1 The Stolen Sun: A Story of Native Alaska Amanda Hall    In The Stolen Sun author/illustrator Amanda Hall weaves motifs from Native Alaskan folklore into her original tale of humankind's greed--and redemption. At the beginning of the world, Raven creates animals, people, birds and fish. He gives them a special song of love and respect. Alas, the song is forgotten. People take advantage of the animals and one another--until angry Raven snatches away the sun. The world is plunged into darkness and cold. But a child named Little Darkness searches out the hidden brightness and sets it free, soaring over the heavens with Raven. Hall matches her lovely language with stylized illustrations that beautifully convey the colors and textures of the frozen North. 2002, Eerdmans, Ages 4 up, $17.00. Reviewer: Mary Quattlebaum (Children's Literature) When the people Raven has placed on earth begin to argue and rage, he hides the sun from them and vows never to return. But he leaves one small feather behind. When a woman swallows this feather, she gives birth to a child who grows wings, flies up to Raven, and finds the sun. Aided by Raven, he brings the light back to earth. The visual story, paralleling the brief mythic telling, is produced in tones of blue and purple across double pages, with stylized details of a few animals, landscapes, and starry skies in mystic light. The gradual evolution from the early dark to the final rosy brightness conveys hope for the future. A note bases the tale in themes of Native Alaskan belief and culture. 2002, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Ages 5 to 8, $17.00. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-8028-5225-4 The Tlingit Raymond Bial    Part of the "Lifeways" series, this volume presents the history and culture of the Tlingit Indians of southeastern Alaska. Six chapters discuss Tlingit origins, social organization, lifeways, beliefs, cultural confrontation, language, and the Tlingit today. Many striking color and black-and-white photos add to the book's appeal. A thorough, balanced and sensitive text helps make this volume useful for reports and recreational reading. A final "More About the Tlingit" section offers a timeline, portraits of five notable Tingits of the past and present, a glossary, and further information section containing a bibliography, list of organizations, and Web sites. An index, maps and a recipe are also included. 2003, Benchmark Books/Marshall Cavendish, . Ages 10 up, $32.79. Gisela Jernigan, Ph.D. (Children's Literature) Best Books: Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to the Eighth Edition, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States ISBN: 0-7614-1414-2 Togo Robert J. Blake    The hero is not always the dog who crosses the finish line first, but, as in this case, the dog that made the last lap even possible." These words taken from the epilogue honor an amazing canine. Togo was too small and independent to be a good sled dog, but he is destined to become one of the greatest mushers in history. Seppala, Togo's owner, was known as the fastest man in North America, because his team, led by Togo, always won races. When Seppala was asked to help bring life-saving diphtheria serum to Nome, Alaska in 1925, skills were put to the ultimate test. It became a life and death race in which Togo led his team over 350 miles of icy terrain. Attacked by weather, dogs collapsed, lines became tangled, and one dog's eyes froze shut. Although Togo's look told Seppala, "your team has given all they have," they painstakingly reached the relay point. Another dog team, led by Balto, ran the last 53 miles to receive honor and fame, yet Togo was never able to race again. Evocative oil paintings tell the riveting true story, which inspired the now famous Iditarod. Snow-textured pages chillingly convey the action and heroics of an incredible dog with so much heart. Meticulously researched and beautifully illustrated, the tale is sure to transport readers back into history. 2002, Philomel Books, Ages 6 to 12, $16.99. Laura Hummel (Children's Literature) Best Books: The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2003; Bank Street College of Education; United States Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States Choices, 2003; Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States Notable Children's Books, 2003; American Library Association-ALSC; United States Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2003; National Council for the Social Studies NCSS; United States School Library Journal Book Review Stars, September 2002; Cahners; United States Teachers' Choices, 2003; International Reading Association; United States Awards, Honors, Prizes: Parent's Choice Award Silver 2002 Picture Book United States State and Provincial Reading Lists: Georgia Children's Picture Story Book Award, 2003-2004; Nominee; Georgia Great Lakes Great Book Award, 2004; Nominee; Michigan ISBN: 0-399-23381-4 The True Story of Trapper Jack's Left Big Toe Ian Wallace    This oversized hardback picture book goes perfectly with its tall tale of how Trapper Jack's left big toe came to live in a tobacco box at the Sourdough Saloon. Josh has just moved to Dawson, Alaska, and when his new best friend, Gabe, tells him about Trapper Jack's toe, Josh just has to see it for himself. Trapper Jack takes the boys to the saloon to show them the infamous toe, however there is a hungry three-legged dog near them and you can guess what happens. Kids will love this slightly gross, larger-than-life story. Bundle it with other American tall tales of Davey Crockett, John Henry, or Paul Bunyan. Two-page spreads of color pencil illustrations on textured paper add detail and humor to a delightful story from the Yukon. 2002, Millbrook Press, Ages 4 to 10, $24.00. Reviewer: Wendy Pollock-Gilson (Children's Literature)    Talk about tall tales! You just might believe it if you heard that Trapper Jack had only nine toes. But what if you were told that his "missing" toe was stored in a jar right here in town, in Dawson City, at the Sourdough Saloon? Josh has just moved to the Yukon, and he knows that the area gets very cold--yes, cold enough to freeze your toes off--but to keep the toe? In a jar? His new friend, Gabe, swears that it's a true story. After all, Gabe's mother saw it once. Gabe takes Josh to Trapper Jack's cabin, where they hear the whole story. The toe is in a can (not a jar) at the Sourdough Saloon, and if the boys are sure they won't chicken out, Trapper Jack will show it to them! When the toe is in Trapper Jack's hand and the boys are staring open-mouthed at it, a stray dog and a flock of ravens get involved, and mild chaos follows. It's a totally unbelievable story, told in so wonderfully straight-faced a manner that it becomes totally believable. The trick at the end, which is best unrevealed in a review, just adds to the story's fun. 2002, Roaring Brook Press, Ages 5 to 9, $17.95. Judy Silverman (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-7613-1493-8 ISBN: 0-7613-2405-4 Under the Ice Kathy Conlan    Conlan is a Canadian scientist who has been fascinated with aquatic biology since she saw tide pools on Vancouver Island as a child. She became a marine biologist, landing her first job at the Canadian Museum of Nature. She immediately fell in love with field research--studying plants and animals where they are found--and joined scientists studying sea otters and underwater creatures in Alaska. But all of these experiences were but a prelude to the adventure, and love, of a lifetime--field research in Antarctica. Conlan is careful to list the discomforts and dangers of life in a South Pole field station. She describes the perils of diving under the ice with stomach-knotting detail, then describes the undersea word and its inhabitants with reverence and awe. Meeting above-the-ice animals such as penguins and endangered Weddell seals, traveling to see Robert Scott's base camp where everything is as it was over 90 years ago, and living in an unforgiving place where the sun sometimes doesn't set at all adds up to an extraordinary life. Conlan has combined the well-written text with exquisite photos. Older readers through adults will enjoy this remarkable book because it reads like an autobiographic adventure story. This is an important book because it is about a woman scientist who was able to leave her family for big chunks of the year to do the research she loves. Also, she doesn't whitewash the inconvenience, discomfort and risk. If you know a student--especially female--with a love of discovery, make sure she reads this. 2002, Kids Can Press, Ages 10 to Adult, $16.95. Reviewer: Judy Crowder (Children's Literature) Best Books: Amelia Bloomer Project, 2003; American Library Association-SRRT; United States Best Books for Children, 2003; Science Books & Films; United States The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2003; Bank Street College of Education; United States Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States Children's Choices, 2003; International Reading Association; United States Choices, 2003; Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to the Eighth Edition, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States Smithsonian Magazine's Notable Books for Children, 2002; Smithsonian; United States Awards, Honors, Prizes: The Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children's Non-Fiction Finalist 2003 Canada Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Recommended Title 2003 United States Science in Society Book Awards Winner 2002 Canada ISBN: 1-55337-001-5 Unseen Companion Denise Gosliner Orenstein    On the surface, the worlds of a fashion-obsessed white girl, an equally white preacher's daughter, and two Yup'ik teens seem as far apart as the miles that separate them in the Alaskan bush of 1969. Dove Alexie, a mysterious sixteen-year-old boy, doesn't really know any of them, yet he is the one who unites them. We first meet the irrepressible Lorraine, a girl who spends her spare time memorizing beauty tips from magazines and makes a little money by delivering meals to the local jail. It is at the jail that she gets a glimpse of a supposedly crazed inmate, a hauntingly attractive boy who doesn't look old enough to be there. Annette, a home-schooled daughter of the town's conservative minister, volunteers at the jail, where things don't seem quite right to her, either. Thelma and Edgar, both Yup'ik ("authentic people," natives of Alaska), meet Dove at a boarding school where Dove disappears as quickly and mysteriously as he appeared. Circumstances bring Lorraine to meet Annette, Thelma, and Edgar, each of whom has a tiny bit of knowledge about Dove. Lorraine sets out to prove that Dove existed--and to find him. The author has created an engaging picture of small-town life that is sometimes funny and sometimes heartbreakingly honest, all set in Alaska's wide-open world of possibilities during the year when man first walked on the moon. Readers will hear Lorraine's marvelously humorous and spunky voice long after finishing this wonderful, satisfying novel. 2003, Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, Ages 12 up, $15.99. Reviewer: Linda Johns (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-06-052056-6 ISBN: 0-06-052057-4 Whale Snow Debby Dahl Edwardson Illustrated by Annie Patterson    Fat snowflakes fall as the Iņupiat boy Amiqqaq's grandmother fries Eskimo doughnuts while they wait for Amiqqaq's father to return from a whale hunt. The crew has been successful and Papa takes the boy on his skidoo to see the huge, dead, dark gray whale. Happiness prevails among the Iņupiat community as they celebrate with a feast of whale meat stew, cooked fruit, and doughnuts. Edwardson focuses on the historical importance of the bowhead whale to the Iņupiats, spiritually and (formerly) as sustenance. There is, however, a strange contradiction between the very cheerful tone of the story, the charming, pastel watercolor illustrations, and the realities of killing a whale. Ignored are the dangers of the hunt, the death agonies of the huge mammal, and the bloody business of reducing a whale to meat, blubber, and bone. Papa speaks of the whale as being "given" to the people, but a whale doesn't give itself; it must be killed. Although bowheads are endangered, native peoples are allowed to hunt them to perpetuate their traditional way of life. One could say that time marches on--people who have modern homes, electric stoves, cars, and snowmobiles might show their respect for the endangered whales by letting them live. If children have studied whales or listened to their voices, they may find the community's unmitigated joy disturbing. On the other hand, teachers may choose to stress the traditional importance of the bowheads to the Iņupiats, a relationship well presented in an author's note. 2003, Charlesbridge, Ages 4 to 8, $15.95. Barbara L. Talcroft (Children's Literature) ISBN: 1-5709-1393-5 Wild Man Island Will Hobbs Yet another top-notch thriller from Hobbs (Far North, Jason's Gold, Down The Yukon, among others,) this is an emotionally charged novel about a 14-year-old boy who slips away from a kayaking trip to search for a memory of his late father. Andy Galloway could never have imagined what he would find instead on a remote Southeast Alaska island. The book is crammed with detailed perils such as high winds, strong tides and sea lions that ram kayaks, and Andy soon finds that the wrong choice, or even a wrong step, could kill him quite handily. He is totally on his own if he wants to survive, or is he? Is he hallucinating when he sees the "wild man," and does the man want to help him, or keep him from telling anyone what he has seen on the island? As usual, Hobbs' details are spot-on, from the deadly lethargy of hypothermia to the body-clenching pain of starvation. Yet he's also good at describing the beauty of this lethal landscape and the satisfaction that comes from having seen a difficult task through to the end. One quibble, though--when a character is told he cannot have a dog on the island because it might breed with the local wolf pack, why didn't anyone think of suggesting that the dog be neutered? Overall, though, this is a superb piece of storytelling that should make young readers go back to the library or bookstore in search of everything else Hobbs has written. 2002, HarperCollins, Ages 10 up, $15.95. Reviewer: Donna Freedman (Children's Literature)    To quote KLIATT's March 2002 review of the hardcover edition: Hobbs sets this survival story off the coast of Alaska, where he himself has had experience sea kayaking. Andy, the protagonist, tells this in the first person, making the adventure all the more vivid and exciting for the reader. He chooses an Adventure Alaska trip near the place where his father died some years before while studying caves for evidence of human habitation before humans could have walked across the straits from Siberia. While Andy is away from the group to make a pilgrimage to the place his father died, a storm whips up and Andy and his kayak are blown far off course. This struggle against the sea and wind is filled with excitement, and then Andy finds a refuge on an island that seems deserted. There are bears around, wolves, and inexplicably, a wild man and a large black Newfoundland dog. The rest of the plot revolves around Andy's attempts to find out who this man is and how he got there. Could it be Andy's father? He definitely is well educated and interested in archeology. Andy's resourcefulness and his courage help him to persevere until he finds out the answers as he awaits rescue. Again, Hobbs proves his skill at placing YA readers into wilderness environments as they follow the adventures of his teenage heroes. Category: Paperback Fiction. KLIATT Codes: JS*--Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2002, HarperTrophy, 184p. map., $5.99. Ages 12 to 18. Claire Rosser (KLIATT Review, May 2003 (Vol. 37, No. 3)) Best Books: The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2003; Bank Street College of Education; United States The Children's Literature Choice List, 2002; Children's Literature; United States Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to the Eighth Edition, 2003; H.W. Wilson; United States Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, 2003; National Science Teachers Association; United States Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 2003; American Library Association-YALSA; United States Awards, Honors, Prizes: Colorado Book Awards Finalist 2003 Young Adult United States State and Provincial Reading Lists: Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, 2004-2005; Nominee; Colorado Great Stone Face Award, 2003-2004; New Hampshire Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award, 2004; Nominee; Illinois ISBN: 0-380-73310-2 Winter Is Ann Dixon Illustrated by Mindy Dwyer    Charming watercolor paintings brightly detail the wonders of winter in this delightful book. The author uses simple poetic verse to tell about the wonders of winter through a child's eyes. This book describes an Alaskan winter, showing all elements of this long season. The author and illustrator are both from Alaska and do a wonderful job describing a child's anticipation of this exciting time of year. The children are shown bundling up and heading out to enjoy skating, sledding, and playing in the snow. The children talk about the long winter nights and watching the stars and northern lights in the sky. Some animals are shown in their winter hibernation, while others are quietly searching for food and shelter in the cold. Children are dreaming of the joys of winter holidays. Finally, the children are happily enjoying the end of the long season. They enjoy throwing off their coats and watching the snow melt around them. They are now anticipating the wonders of summer. This book does a wonderful job of describing the wonders of winter. This would be a great book to use with young children who are learning about the changing seasons. 2002, Alaska Northwest Books, Ages 3 to 6, $8.95. Maureen Boyle (Children's Literature) ISBN: 0-88240-543-8 ISBN: 0-88240-544-6 To stay up to date on new books on this topic, consider subscribing to The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. For your free trial, click here. Updated 8/16/04