(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jeanette Winter. This nonfiction picture book spotlights the decades-long data collection project of billy barr, a contemporary citizen scientist who spells his name using all lowercase letters and has spent over fifty years living alone (not counting a skunk and pine marten) in the Rocky Mountains. To pass the time, barr began observing and measuring his natural surroundings: snowfall and snowpack, animal hibernation, wildflower blossoms, and more. After years of recording in his notebooks, he shared patterns he noticed with a scientist he knew who studied climate change. "These measurements proved that the earth was getting warmer." Now, his data is used by climate scientists around the world, and he continues to live in the mountain wilderness and collect and record data using a computer. The account unfolds chronologically using a straightforward, line break filled text. barr's name and specific location are not revealed until the concluding author's note (and brief bibliography), keeping the story focused on his process and impact rather than on the "man on the mountain" himself. Illustrations are set against plentiful white space in Jeanette Winter's trademark colorful, painterly style reminiscent of folk art. A variety of perspectives, including double-page landscapes, offer readers opportunities to connect with the setting and join the protagonist in tracking changes in it over time. The Winters here celebrate how a long-term commitment to a personal project can become an informational resource that inspires future study and action.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(3) K-3 National Park Explorers series. These books describe basic features of U.S. national parks for younger elementary-aged readers. Engaging photographs of landscapes and animals appear throughout; short sentences and large-size type convey information about each park's indigenous plants and wildlife, along with details about the climate and land formations. A simple activity is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these National Park Explorers titles: Badlands, Big Bend, Grand Teton, and Rocky Mountain.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA Essence's marijuana-shop-worker mother is usually high, leaving Essa in charge of her little sister, Puck. Essa and Puck's lives are forever changed when a mysterious boy from Chicago, Oliver, arrives in Boulder, Colorado. Essa's interest in Zen Buddhism gives her strength once the story veers into wilderness-survival terrain. This story is at once a keep-you-guessing mystery and an affectionate portrait of liberal, outdoorsy Boulder culture.

Reviewer: Katie Darrin

(4) YA Aspiring artist Isaac is the heir apparent to his parents' illegal marijuana grow-op; but when he gets romantically involved with a girl whose father is a cop, Isaac's future grows increasingly complicated. The novel twist on the star-crossed-lovers setup is perhaps more compelling than the lovers themselves, whose romantic attraction feels more like a plot device than genuine affection.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) YA Teens back-country skiing through a dangerous Rocky Mountain pass drift off track and find themselves trapped by an avalanche. What was supposed to be a chance for protagonist Matt to get away from his flake of a dad becomes a trial of survival in the wild. After a slow start, the tension builds into a harrowing wilderness adventure.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Beginning with a brief report lamenting wildfire danger and damage, Collard devotes the rest of the book to a contemporary, enlightened view of such fires, with specific birds as the main beneficiary of the resulting food and shelter. Salvage logging also receives thoughtful treatment as an economic boon but an ecological bust. Colorful nature photos illustrate the account. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) 4-6 Preserving America series. This series provides an in-depth look at the history, development, and biological and geological formation of America's national parks. The information is well organized and presented in erudite text. Maps and large, gorgeous photographs of landscapes and wildlife appear prominently in otherwise understated layouts. An appendix in each volume provides further information on animals and planning a visit. Websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Preserving America titles: Badlands National Park, Big Bend National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) YA Odysseys in Nature series. Illustrated with glossy, artistic photos, each slim volume features a continuous, sequential narrative of a food chain, beginning with a producer (plant) and moving through varied predators. For example, Prairie starts with bluestem grass and progresses through the differential grasshopper, prairie shrew, bull snake, and badger. Whole-page inserts about other species, such as the red-tailed hawk, somewhat interrupt the narrative flow. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Odysseys in Nature titles: A Desert Food Chain, A Mountain Food Chain, A Prairie Food Chain, A Rainforest Food Chain, An Arctic Tundra Food Chain, and An Ocean Food Chain.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 Survivors series. Cousins Maggie and Haydn become close while surviving extreme cold, snowslides, and starvation in an 1886 Colorado blizzard. The fast-moving (if formulaic) historical narrative alternates between hardworking country girl Maggie and spoiled, citified Haydn; practical Maggie is more endearing than whiny Haydn, but the survival story remains compelling. Many Rocky Mountain flora, fauna, and locations are mentioned, lending authenticity to the setting.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(2) 4-6 Mankind encroaches upon the bighorn sheep's habitat; wolf and puma feed on their dwindling herd. Biggest lamb Tuk must save the herd by finding a way west to "blue mountain," a place he sees in visions and may not be real. With its omniscient third-person narrator and mythic feel, the book celebrates the power of story and the beauty of the mountain world.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(4) YA America's National Parks series. Readers interested in touring national parks will find these books useful. Information about the history of each park is provided plus ways to get there, sights to see, etc. Report writers may find the publisher's enhanced website a welcome shortcut to doing their own Internet research. Contemporary and archival photographs and web screenshots accompany the texts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these America's National Parks titles: Glacier National Park, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) 4-6 National Parks series. Written more in the style of travel guides than informational books, these titles briefly mention the unique ecosystems and histories of each national park. Descriptions of scenic trails, byways, and sights are enhanced by the many excellent nature photographs and detailed maps. Glos., ind. Review covers these National Parks titles: Rocky Mountain National Park and Zion National Park.

Reviewer: Ernie J. Cox

(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read: Wonders of America series. Illustrated by John Wallace. Beginning readers will enjoy this introductory look at the mountain range, its wildlife, and the people who have lived there. The watercolor illustrations are adequate but less effective than the simple, evocative text. The last page contains more information on the mountains' history and geography.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(3) 4-6 Our Wild World Ecosystem series. Six chapters cover the history, geography, climate, ecology, terrain, flora, and fauna of the grasslands and the mountains. Stunning close-up photographs highlight both the changing scenery and the lives of resident animals in these two dramatically different ecosystems. The books' clear, thoughtful design makes the information easy to follow, and sidebars provide "ECO-Fact" tidbits. Websites. Ind. Review covers these Our Wild World Ecosystem titles: Prairie Grasslands and Rocky Mountains.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ted Lewin. Eight-year-old Harriet describes her 1905 trek up Colorado's Longs Peak--the mountain her mother dreamed of climbing before she died. The book is based on a true story, facts of which Barron at times clunkily relays ("Here I was, just eight years old, half the age of anyone who'd ever climbed it"). Regardless, the story is, like Lewin's watercolors, suspenseful and dramatic.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Lewis and Clark series. This series offers detailed information on Lewis and Clark's legendary expedition. Although the journey is portrayed in a positive light, Hamilton doesn't gloss over its darker aspects. Adding interest are quotes, historical documents, reproductions, modern-day photos of land encountered on the trip, and, of course, maps. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Lewis and Clark titles: The Corps of Discovery, The Journey Home, The Missouri River, The Mountains, To the Pacific, and Uncharted Lands.]

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(3) K-3 A hypothetical trek up the Rocky Mountains provides the framework for accessible information about its animals and the vegetation that sustains them at elevations beyond fourteen thousand feet. Each animal--from huge grizzly bear to tiny pika--has a double-page spread, lavishly illustrated with well-chosen color photographs. The text and graphics work well together.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) 4-6 Ecosystems of North America series. These books explore an ecosystem by examining its subsystems (e.g., the upper, middle, and lower canopies, understory, and floor of a rainforest). The accessible texts illustrate how living and nonliving components interact and affect one another; how plants and animals adapt to their surroundings; and how people have damaged and now try to sustain these ecosystems. Clear color photographs illustrate the books. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli