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

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)

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