FICTION

John Muir Wrestles a Waterfall

by Julie DANNEBERG
illus. by Jamie Hogan. 32p. ebook available. further reading. notes. websites. Charlesbridge. Mar. 2015. RTE $16.95. ISBN 9781580895866. LC 2013049026.
COPY ISBN
Gr 3–5—This attractive picture book retells naturalist and writer John Muir's climb up a steep trail behind a waterfall along Yosemite Falls in April 1871. Danneberg includes information about Muir's love of the outdoors, his house in Yosemite (where he slept in a hammock that hung over an indoor spring), and his exploration of the park's natural setting. Lucid descriptions and the use of the present tense make the story immediate and relevant. Hogan's expressive renderings of the explorer's face are the highlight of this book, depicting the excitement and awe that Muir experienced standing beneath the falls. Many pages include supplemental information about the man and his love of nature. Quotations used in the text are cited, along with suggested readings and pertinent websites.
VERDICT This is a solid work, ideal for those looking to add to collections or units on environmental studies, geography, writing, or biography and sure to inspire further interest in Muir.
Reviewed by Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community Colls., Mt. Carmel
One night in 1871, the beauty and sounds of Yosemite Falls lured a young John Muir to hike alongside them. A strong breeze suddenly allowed Muir to scoot behind the waterfall, but then the shifting falls almost swept him away. Factual sidebars and back matter about the naturalist's life extend the story; skillful pastel-pencil illustrations impart a sense of the vast setting.
, Feb 01, 2015

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