Southwest Books of the Year
Children's Books
Age reading levels are suggested by the publisher.
C Is For Coyote: A Southwest Alphabet Book
by Andrea Helman, photographs by Art Wolfe and Gavriel Jecan. Northland Publishing, 32 pp., $15.95. The vocabulary in this delightful alphabet book - ketrel, vulture, tarantula - probably means it is for older children who have already learned their ABCs but still get a kick out of saying them. 5-9 years.
The Festival of Bones: El Festival de las Calaveras
by Luis San Vicente. Cinco Puntos Press, 32 pp., $14.95. An illustrated story of the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead which coincides and correlates, roughly, with Halloween. 4-8 years.
G Is For the Grand Canyon: An Arizona Alphabet
by Barbara Gowan, illustrated by Katherine Larson. Sleeping Bear Press, unpaginated, 11 1/4 by 9 1/4 inches, $17.95. A proud listing of many Arizona attractions from Kitt Peak and astronomy to the irrigation canals of the Salt River Valley and their "zanajeros" (irrigators). 4-8 years.
Gullywasher Gulch
by Marianne Mitchell, illustrated by Normand Chartier. Boyds Mills Press, unpaginated, $15.95. Ebenezer is a frugal old prospector who saves everything - and eventually it really comes in handy. 4-8 years.
Joe Cinders
by Marianne Mitchell, illustrated by Bryan Langdo. Henry Holt, unpaginated, $16.95. A retelling of the Cinderella story with an appealing young Joe in the starring role. His fairy godfather, "a fella with baggy old overalls," supplies him with cowboy boots and a red pickup truck to go to the fiesta. 4-8 years.
Kissing Coyotes
by Marcia Vaughan, illustrated by Kenneth J. Spengler. Rising Moon, unpaginated, 10 3/4 by 9 1/4 inches, $15.95. A brave, boastful jack rabbit is challenged by his friends, Gila Monster and Roadrunner, to sashay up to a coyote and give him a kiss. And when he does, all heck breaks loose. 4-8 years.
Kokopelli's Gift
by Kathleen Bryant, illustrated by Michelle Tsosie Sisneros. Kiva Publishing, $15.95. A beautifully illustrated story of a figure in Native American Pueblo lore. 5-10 years.
Navajo Long Walk: The Tragic Story of a Proud People's Forced March From Their Homeland
by Joseph Bruchac and Shonto Begay. National Geographic Society, 9 1/2 by 11-inch format, 47 pp., $18.95. A retelling of the story of Navajo internment during the Civil War as seen from the Navajo point of view-for which it was a disaster. 9-12 years.
Paisano the Road Runner
by Jennifer Owings Dewey, photographs by Wyman Meinzer. The Millbrook Press, 48 pp., $23.90. A delightful true story of the author's encounter with a family of roadrunners. Dewey does a nice job of making thebirds appear sympathetic without making them into little human beings. All ages.
Pajaro Verde
by Joe Hayes. Cinco Puntos Press, 40 pp., $16.95. The themes are enchantment-a young prince is caught by a spell and turned into a green bird-and transformation-by a lovely young woman. 4-8 years.
Puss in Cowboy Boots
by Jan Huling, illustrated by Phil Huling. Simon & Schuster, 40 pp., $16. A retelling of the well-known fairy tale, "Puss in Boots." This time the story acquires a Texas twang. Puss is the companion of a brash young cowboy who thinks its best use would be cooked up in a pot of three star chili. How the wily puss avoids that is the subject of this clever reprise. 4-9 years.
That's Good! That's Bad in the Grand Canyon
by Margery Culyer, illustrated by David Catrow. Henry Holt, unpaginated, $16.95. Another in this rollicking series where everybody gets to say good things are bad and bad things are good. At least for a moment! But it all ends up just fine. Kindergarten- 2nd grade.