A High Uintas Bookshelf

In this column we’ll list 2-4 interesting articles, books or the like that have caught our attention. They aren’t necessarily recent or recently read-- sort of a random compilation. Within a year, hopefully, we’ll have an established and detailed reading list. It won’t be complete without your additions. Please send suggestions and a descriptive sentence or two.

Nature with Children of All Ages. Edith A. Sisson and the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Prentice Hall. l987.

MAS has produced some of the finest educational materials on nature appreciation, both in graphic design and approachable text. This book is a fine compilation of activities, projects and lessons. From "Nature's life packages: seeds" to "Creatures small and spineless," the entertaining chapters are full of insightful information.

Sharing Nature with Children. Joseph Cornell. Dawn Publications, Nevada City, CA. l979.

Cornell's is the seminal text on opening one's senses to keen nature awareness. "Micro Hike," "Predator- Prey," "Earth Windows"-- the possibilities are endless for exposing children to the joys and mysteries of the natural world. This small volume will be visited again and again for its precious gems of discovery.

A Life in Hand: Creating the Illuminated Journal. Hannah Hinchman. Gibbs Smith, 1999.

Hannah's book is a delight. Buy it for the beauty of the book itself, or launch into a wonderful excursion of capturing the world around you in line and color. When I met Hannah nearly 20 years ago, sketching as the speakers at a meeting droned on and on, I peeked over her shoulder and we shared a knowing smile... her heart was out there in the wild country. I have always deeply admired her fresh, intricate work; this book is a joy to peruse.

The Local Wilderness. Cathy Johnson. Foreward by Ann Zwinger. Prentice Hall. l987.

This book is a nuts and bolt manual, a fine "field teacher" for one interested in improving his/her style and sense of observation. Cathy Johnson is a fine artist; the book is a pleasure to thumb through for her illustrations alone. Her trademark, "writing your own field guide," will empower you to collect in ink and memory the minute detail of the living planet underfoot, in the air, and "in your own special place." Worth owning!

Noah's Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Back Yards. Sara Stein. Houghton Mifflin. l993.

Sprawl is hideous and insidious, but here is hope we can undertake, one by one: Home Comes the Bluebird. To Plant a Prairie. Unbecoming a Gardener. Stein is right on the mark!