National Parks of the USA (National Parks of the USA #1)

by Kate Siber (Author) Chris Turnham (Illustrator)

National Parks of the USA (National Parks of the USA #1)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
“…a surefire way to get your kiddos excited for the journey ahead.” —The Everymom 

Take a tour of America's great outdoors and discover the beauty and diversity of its most iconic and majestic national parks.

*A 2019 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students: K–12 (National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council)*


Packed with maps and fascinating facts about the flora and fauna unique to each of the 21 parks portrayed, this lushly illustrated coast-to-coast journey documents in large format the nation’s most magnificent and sacred places—and shows why they should be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Explore Florida's river-laced Everglades, travel down the white water rapids of the Grand Canyon, trek across the deserts of Death Valley, and scale the soaring summits of the Rocky Mountains with this book that brings you up close to nature's greatest adventures.

Divided by region (East, Central, Rocky Mountains, West, Tropics, and Alaska), a pictographic map at the start of each section shows the locations of the parks to be covered. Each park is introduced by a stunning, poster-worthy illustration of one of its scenes and a summary of its makeup, followed by individual illustrations of the animals and plants that make their homes there.

Captions provide captivating information about the wildlife. Did you know that Everglades National Park is home to marsh rabbits who paddle through its swamps searching for herbs, flowers, and other plants to nibble on? Or that the pronghorn antelope of Badlands National Park are the continent’s fastest land animals, sprinting up to 60 miles per hour to escape predators like bobcats and coyotes?

“Can you spot this…?” page at the back challenges you to find a pictured critter or plant for every letter of the alphabet.

The parks include: Acadia, Badlands, Big Bend, Biscayne, Bryce Canyon, Channel Islands, Death Valley, Denali, Everglades, Glacier, Glacier Bay, Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Hawaii volcanoes, Isle Royale, Mesa Verde, Olympic, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Virgin Islands, Yellowstone, and Yosemite.

A book to be treasured by children and adults alike, National Parks of the USA serves to inspire the adventuring naturalist in all of us.

Brimming with facts, activities, and beautiful illustrations, the National Parks of the USA series of books immerses young people in the wonders of America’s outdoors. Learn about the wonderful wildlife, stunning scenery, and rare plants that inhabit these precious outdoor spaces. Celebrate these beautiful and rare locations, and be awed by the diversity and grandeur of the national parks’ living landscapes.

Also in the series: National Parks of the USA: Activity Book and National Parks of the USA Postcards.
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Paperback
$14.99

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Publishers Weekly

For travelers and outdoor enthusiasts alike, this attractive volume explores 21 of America's most iconic national parks, from Maine's Acadia ("Lace up your hiking boots!") and Alaska's Glacier Bay ("Listen for the whoomph of glaciers calving icebergs") to tropical destinations in Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The guide begins with a brief history of nature reserves, including President Grant's 1872 establishment of Yellowstone, and maps throughout show each region's park locations (though not all mapped parks are further detailed, which may frustrate readers). Subsequent pages for each region highlight its grandest parks with a full-bleed introduction and a second, factual spread that details area highlights, including common flora (in Denali, the black spruce: "Even a tiny, stunted spruce could be more than 100 years old"), fauna (at Glacier, the wolverine), and habitats. Digital art by Turnham layers visuals--Bryce Canyon's stone strata, the steam of Yellowstone's geysers, and the striated skies that soar over them all--as children and adults hike and paddle their way through the illustrations. An afterword discusses the fragility and welfare of the country's outdoor spaces, and an alphabet seek-and-find invites readers to locate visuals throughout the pages--and, presumably, in the parks themselves. Ages 6-9. (July)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-6--This oversize picture book atlas of sorts examines U.S. national parks. Striking art deco--style illustrations and stylized fonts create an informative feast for the eyes. Early elementary school readers will love the browsable pages, but even middle schoolers will find some use here, and adults will marvel at the presentation. Familiar parks such as the Everglades, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite are here, but lesser known ones get equal treatment. Each region of the United States, from sea to shining sea, boasts a national park worthy of exploring. Fascinating snippets of information are interspersed--lobsters are ill tempered; wolverines can take down animals as big as elk. VERDICT Pair, use, or display with a more detailed guide book of the parks for a thorough, stunning look at our nation's natural treasures.--Sharon Verbeten, Brown County Library, Green Bay, WI

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"It will make you want to hit the road and start exploring." - Design Mom
Kate Siber
Kate Siber, author of the award-winning bestseller National Parks of the USA, is a journalist and a correspondent for Outside magazine living in Durango, Colorado. She has tried her hand at almost every adventure activity going, and covers the world's wild and remote places as well as environmental and social issues. Her writing has been featured in many publications, including National Geographic Traveler, National Parks, Preservation, Men's Journal, and The New York Times.
Chris Turnham is an illustrator and printmaker based in Los Angeles. He's worked as an artist in both feature and television animation and has contributed illustrations to publications and children's books.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781847809766
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Wide Eyed Editions
Publication date
July 03, 2018
Series
National Parks of the USA
BISAC categories
JNF038100 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States
JNF037020 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Environmental Conservation & Protection
JNF054030 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Sports & Recreation | Camping & Outdoor Activities
Library of Congress categories
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