A Weird and Wild Beauty [hc]
The Story of Yellowstone, the World's First National Park
By Erin Peabody [Ohio]
During the summer of 1871, a team of thirty-two men set out on the first scientific expedition across Yellowstone. Through uncharted territory, some of the day’s most renowned scientists and artists explored, sampled, sketched, and photographed the region’s breathtaking wonders- from its white-capped mountain vistas and thundering falls to its burping mud pots and cauldrons of molten magma. At the end of their adventure, the survey packed up their specimens and boarded trains headed east, determined to convince Congress that the country needed to preserve the land from commercial development. They returned with “stories of wonder hardly short of fairy tales,” to quote The New York Times.
With the support of conservationists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Frederick Law Olmsted, and John Muir, the importance of a national park was secured. On March 1, 1872, Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone Park Bill into law. It set aside over two million acres of one-of-a-kind wilderness as “a great national park for the benefit and enjoyment of people.” This important and fascinating book will introduce young adults to the astonishing adventure that led to “the best idea America ever had.” Today over 130 countries have copied the Yellowstone model, and billions of acres of critical habitat and spectacular scenery are being preserved for all of us to enjoy. 192 pages
"Peabody does a fine job of conveying the awe-inspiring aspects of Yellowstone without resorting to clichéd descriptions, and her explanations of the science behind the wonders of the wilderness are easy to understand without being overly simplistic." -School Library Journal (Grades 7+)
"Peabody uses her own experiences as a park ranger to write with authority on the landforms and geothermal features that are hallmarks of Yellowstone, and the end matter includes a guide to the most unusual attractions." -Booklist (Grades 6-9)
"A lively, richly detailed account of exploration, conservation, and natural history." -Kirkus Reviews (Ages 12-18)
February 2, 2016
