Southwest Books of the Year
Children's Books
*Denotes as a Top Pick
Alice Yazzie's Year
by Ramona Maher, illustrated by Shonto Begay. Tricycle Press. 32 pp. $15.95. 9-12 years
The aura of Shonta Begay's brilliant brushstrokes creates a new vision of the month-by-month events in this Navajo girl's reservation life with her grandfather. First published in 1977, the understated, poetic text portrays realities, such as the death of another child, more comprehensible to readers older than the picture book audience.
Amadito and Spider Woman
by Lisa Bear Goldman, illustrated by Amado M. Pena, Jr.. Kiva Publishing. 32 pp. $15.95. 5-12 years
Known for his images of Southwest Indians and landscapes, Pena adds his signature style to this story of a young boy who seeks advice from family members when hurt by other school children's taunts. In a Sonoran desert setting, both nature and his elders provide insights in a thoughtful tale by Goldman, who has worked as a counselor.
Apache Warriors (Daily Life Series)
by Patricia D., Netzley. Kidhaven Press. 48 pp. $23.70. 9-12 years
Although designed for the school/library market, the textbook-like approach including glossary, footnotes, and bibliography- doesn't produce a dull read. Frequent quotes from Geronimo's autobiography add to the captivating recreation of a warrior's life.
Copper Dreams: A Novel of 1912 Bisbee
by Barbara O'Reilly Ralph. Cowboy Miner Productions. 157 pp. $5.50. 10 years and up
Older readers will step back into life in Bisbee during the year of Arizona's statehood with young Ollie as she shares in her parents', older brother's, and grandfather's joys and sorrows in a booming mining town.
Counting Arizona's Treasures
by Terry Fields, photography by Tony Marinella. Kiva Publishing. pp. $15.95. Baby-preschool years
Brightly graphic lizards are juxtaposed over photos of Arizona attractions in a clever counting book, unfortunately flawed by one too many lizards on page one.
*Coyote School News
by Joan Sandin. Henry Holt and Co. 45 pp. $17.95. 4-8 years
A charming tale of life at a one-room rural school near Amado, AZ in the 1930s. Lively illustrations, including newspaper issues, evoke the era. A sprinkling of Spanish adds an authentic touch with a glossary at the end.
The Dirty Cowboy
by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Adam Rex. Farrar, Straus, Giroux. 16 pp. $. 4-8 years
Based on a somewhat "tall-tale" told by three generations of the author's family, this rollicking read relates the tussle one dirty cowboy gets into when he takes his yearly bath.
Don't Ever Cross That Road! An Armadillo Story
by Conrad J. Storad, illustrated by Nathan P. Jensen. Resort Gifts Unlimited, Inc.. Unpaginated pp. $15.95. 4-8 years
This is a rhymed introduction to armadillos which look like, "a small pig stuffed into a turtle shell." They've been around along time (50 million years), eat insects and apparently have no natural enemies except, lately, pickup trucks on the highway - hence the title.
Finding Zola
by Marianne Mitchell. Boyds Mills Press. 144 pp. $16.95. 9-12 years
Life's not easy for Crystal, a young teen in a wheelchair as the result of an auto accident that killed her dad. But in this upbeat, clever mystery, set in a retirement community south of Tucson, she discovers her strengths in coping with her physical limitations and the loss of loved ones.
*The Fire Stealers: A Hopi Story
by Michael Lomatuway'ma, collected and translated by Ekkehart Malotki, illustrated by Ken Gary. Kiva Publishing. Unpaginated pp. $15.95. 4-8 years
Strikingly illustrated in the style of ancient Pueblo murals, this folktale depicts how various animals acquired certain characteristics in trying to help a village obtain fire.
Freckles: The Mystery of the Little White Dog in the Desert
by Paul M. Howey, illustrated by Judy Mehn Zabriskie. AZTexts Publishing. 58 pp. $14.95. 5-11 years
In this compassionate, true story about the special qualities of a rescued dog, valuable lessons about the joys and responsibilities of pets can be gleaned. Freckles' life is a testimony to the therapeutic benefits of animal/human relationships.
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez
by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Yuyi Morales. Harcourt. 17 pp. $. 4-8 years
Pivotal and inspiring events in the life of Cesar Chavez are poignantly recounted and colorfully depicted in this biography for young children.
The Hoover Dam (Great Building Feats Series)
by Lesley Dutemple. Lerner Publications. 96 pp. $27.93. 9-12 years
The drama of building one of the modern wonders of the world unfolds chapter by chapter with captivating photos and diagrams.
Jose's Buffalo Hunt: A Story from History
by Marc Simmons, Illustrations by Ronald Kil. University of New Mexico Press. 64 pp. $17.95. 6-12 years
This adventurous account, written by a notable New Mexico historian and based on a true story, captures the realism of a young New Mexico boy's participation in an 1866 hunt. The detailed black and white drawings and watercolor illustrations enhance the historical experience.
Kokopelli, Drum in Belly
by Gail E. Haley. Filter Press. 32 pp. $12.95 softcover, $18.95 hardcover. 6-8 years
Unique, swirling acrylics capture this version of the mythic humpbacked flute player leading the Ant People from the Dark World through the Red, Yellow, and Blue Worlds into the Green World, where sunlight transforms them into the First People.
Little Prankster Girl: At'eed Adilahi Yazhi
by Martha Blue, Navajo by Peter A. Thomas, illustrated by Keith Smith. Salina Bookshelf. 31 pp. $17.95. 8-12 years
Imbued with Navajo values and humor, this is a heartfelt, quiet tale about a young aspiring weaver and her extended family. The landscape and people are beautifully rendered in watercolors by Navajo artist Smith.
The Long Walk: The Story of Navajo Captivity (Great Journeys Series)
by Raymond Bial. Benchmark Books/Marshall Cavendish. 94 pp. $32.79. 9-12 years
This tragic chapter in American history is brought to light for the upper-elementary and middle school reader.
The Lost World of the Anasazi: Exploring the Mysteries of Chaco Canyon
by Peter Lourie. Boyds Mills Press. 48 pp. $19.95. 9-12 years
As the author recounts his visit to the sites of Chaco Culture National Historical Park with archaeologist Gwynn Vivian, the theories emerge about what happened to the people who built and abandoned the magnificent structures in this austere landscape. Stunning photos capture the experience.
My Nana's Remedies: Los Remedios de Mi Nana
by Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford, illustrated by Edna San Miguel. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press. 32 pp. $15.95. 4-8 years
Overlooked when compiling the "Special Mention" section that included ASDM books in 2002, this Tucson author's charming tale of a wise and loving grandmother's herbal remedies still merits attention. The colorful depictions of a little girl and her grandma accompany the bilingual text. Includes an interesting native medicinal plants glossary.
The Mystery of the Anasazi at Frijoles Canyon
by Suzanne Kita, Photographs by Glenn Chang. Kiva Publishing. 95 pp. $14.95. 9-12 years
Kita's storyline of an inquisitive family's visit to Bandelier National Monument gives an informative and lively guided tour of this beautiful locale once inhabited by the Anasazi. Thoughtfully includes a glossary and bibliography.
Red is Beautiful: Chiih Nizhoni
by Roberta John, Navajo by Peter A. Thomas, illustrated by Jason David. Salina Bookshelf. 31 pp. $17.95. 7-10 years
A touching story of a grandmother's love with an unusual success story in the end. Navajo artist David's vibrant illustrations add an unusual touch as well.
*Rhyolite: The True Story of a Ghost Town
by Diane Siebert, Woodcuts by David Frampton. Clarion Books. 32 pp. $16. 4-8 years
Bold, vivid woodcuts and cleverly rhymed storytelling captivate young and old in this Nevada mining town's boom and bust tale.
The Seed and the Giant Saguaro
by Jennifer Ward, illustrated by Mike K. Rangner. Rising Moon. 32 pp. $15.95. 4-8 years
Riotous color and appealing animal characters abound in this wonderfully clever and increasingly repetitive rhyme, "the House that Jack Built." The saguaro timeline and "fun facts" about the critters at the end enhance the understanding of the dissemination and transformation of a cactus seed
.The Sonoran Desert by Day and Night, coloring book
by Dot Barlowe. Dover Publications. 32pp pp. $3.95. 4 years and up
More than a coloring book, the informative text below each finely detailed black and white drawing invites accurate, realistic coloring.