(4) K-3 Illustrated by Shannon Cartwright. This book conveys facts about Denali's (Mt. McKinley's) flora, fauna, geology, and climbers; an Athabascan creation myth is also included. The detailed art adds interest and humor. However, the busy format, including paragraphs of factual information, rhymed text, captions, labels, and boxed inserts, scatters the reader's attention. The book could serve as a good starting point for research on North America's highest peak.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Shannon Cartwright. Occasionally awkward rhyming verse relates a tall tale about a woman who digs for gold and creates the Yukon River, then enters a dog sled race with a grizzly and wolverines for a team. The playful illustrations are a good match for the story, and Alaskans will recognize the hardy Sitka rose decorating the art.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Shannon Cartwright & Shannon Cartwright. Following the pattern of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," this book features different Alaska-dwelling animals. Paragraphs of animal facts are included in smaller typeface. Accuracy is traded for humor in the anthropomorphized art, but readers will enjoy the attractive illustrations, which manage to include all the animals without seeming overly busy.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Shannon Cartwright. This is a fascinating firsthand account of the author's victory at the 1985 Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Blizzards, sub-zero temperatures, and icy terrain are just some of the conflicts detailed. While the challenge of the thousand-mile Alaskan race is intense, so is this musher's love and admiration for her team of dogs. Pastel-toned illustrations alternate with Riddles's sometimes blurry personal photos.

Reviewer: Charlotte S. Huck

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Shannon Cartwright. Throughout the seasons, a girl looks for a family of willow ptarmigan as they change their plumage to blend in with the snow or summer brush. Although the rhyme is occasionally forced, the illustrations successfully show the ptarmigan's ability to blend in with its surroundings. Alaskans will appreciate the wordplay in the title referring to Turnagain Arm, a fjord in southern Alaska. An afterword is included.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey