The Great Outdoors

I love to be outdoors.

Whether taking bike rides in the hills around my home,
hiking to waterfalls rushing with recent snowmelt, participating in dinosaur digs, or tagging along with a crew for storm chasing, I am awed by nature.

Perhaps my books will remind you of some of your great adventures in the outdoors.

Cave Story

Tim started feeling claustrophobic. Panic set in. He tried to turn around but there wasn't room. It was too tight and narrow. "Calm down," he told himself. He took a few deep breaths. Then he slid backwards using his hands and knees. Cave Story is an adventure story that interweaves fact and fiction. Readers will learn about cave exploration, etiquette, geology, and wildlife as they follow the exciting adventures of a young boy who is lost in a cave.

56 pages,  Published by Perfection Learning
Hardcover  ISBN 0-7891-2145-0
Paperback  ISBN 0-7891-2145-X

Danger in the Narrows: Adventures with the Parkers- Bryce and Zion National Parks

Join the Parkers as they embark on their first national park adventure.  Twins, Morgan and James, explore the natural wonders of Bryce and Zion, journeying among the hoodoos and sleeping beneath the stars.  But the trip takes a turn for the worse in the treacherous Zion Narrows- can they rescue Dad from a dangerous fall?

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN 978-0-7627-7974-1

Dinosaur Canyon

Mito and his father go into dinosaur canyon for a photo shoot. Mito isn't prepared for the effects the famous canyon seem to have on the toy dinosaurs they are taking pictures of. Mito sees strange and wonderful changes, will he and his father make it out of the canyon safely?

40 pages,  U.S. Published by Harcourt Achieve Inc.
ISBN 0-7578-9858-0

Dinosaurs?

A flash flood in the canyon leads to a dangerous moment for Jodie and Ben.  But soon they make a surprising discovery in the walls of a streambed.  After days of digging, the mystery is solved and Jodie gets an idea for her science project.

32 pages,  U.S. Published by Harcourt Achieve Inc.
ISBN 0-7578-6936-X

Eye of the Whale: Adventures with the Parkers- Acadia N.P.

In this installment of FalconGuide's Adventures with the Parkers series, the Parkers journey to Acadia National Park in Maine where they explore the beautiful coastal waters and hike many of the park's finest trails, including to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the first place in the U.S. to see the sun rise every morning. They decide to end their trip by camping on an island within the national park, but when Mom tries to kayak back to the mainland, she gets beached on a remote island--and quickly discovers she is not the only one stranded there!

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN 978-0-7627-8262-8

Fossil River Adventure

Terrance Chang and his family are off to explore Fossil River National Park, a great place to search for dinosaur fossils.  Terrance loves dinosaurs, but his dinosaur science fair project didn't win a prize as he had hoped.  His dad thinks this family trip will be the inspiration Terrance needs to improve his project, and maybe win a prize next year.  Who knows what Terrance will discover on this adventure?

92 pages,  Published by Rigby
ISBN 0-7578-2028-X

Going to the Sun: Adventures with the Parkers- Glacier National Park

In the eighth book in the Adventure with the Parkers series, the Parkers visit Glacier National Park in Montana. As they enjoy the waterfalls and uniquely sculpted mountains while the park's glaciers glimmer above them, the Parkers learn that because of global warming, the glaciers may not last that much longer.  During their family hikes they encounter a lot of wildlife, including moose, mountain goats, and grizzly bears, but the smoke and flames of summer fires may thwart their vacation plans.  Will Dad be able to bike over Going-to-the-Sun Road in celebration of his fortieth birthday?

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN 978-0-7627-7964-2

Going Underground: Adventures with the Parkers- Mount Rushmore, Badlands, Wind Cave

Join the Parkers as they go underground at Wind Cave, experience severe thunderstorms in the Badlands, and witness poachers illegally taking fossilized bones.  What will happen when the family spots the criminals on the Presidential Trail at Mount Rushmore a few days later?

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN 978-0-7627-7968-0

Harrowing Ascent of Half Dome: Adventures with the Parkers- Yosemite National Park

The Parkers hit the trail once again, this time in Yosemite, one of the country's most popular parks.  Ten-year-old twins James and Morgan take in the beauty of the sequoia trees and attempt an ascent of the cables.  Will they make it to the top of the infamous Half Dome?

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN 978-0-7627-7973-4

In the Land of Standing Rocks: Adventures with the Parkers- Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

In this adventure the Parkers journey to southeast Utah to see the "Land of Standing Rocks" and such prominent features as Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, Park Avenue Skyline, the Needles, and much more.  They encounter mountain lions, a dive-bombing blue jay, and wicked desert weather along the way, but it's not until James makes a surprising discovery that they really connect with the region's colorful history.

109 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN  978-0-7627-7962-8
 

My Awesome Field Guide to North American Birds:
Find and Identify Your Feathered Friends

Get ready to watch and listen to the hidden world of birds! My Awesome Field Guide to North American Birds is a complete handbook for young birders. Kids will learn all about the birds that live around them--from Chimney Swifts to Horned Larks--and find step-by-step guidance on how to identify them. With clever bird-watching tips and tons of beautiful photos, they'll discover the habitats where different species thrive and start planning their own birding adventures.
Ages 8 - 12

200 pages, Published by Rockridge Press
ISBN 978-1-64876-354-50

My Yosemite

A complete guide to Yosemite National Park for young adventurers and their families.  A silver medal winner of the California Reading Association's Eureka! Award for excellence in nonfiction.
Ages 8 - 13

170 pages, Published by Yosemite Conservancy
ISBN 978-1-930238-30-5

Peril on Longs Peak: Adventures with the Parkers- Rocky Mountain N.P.

In the seventh book in the Adventure with the Parkers series, the family heads to Colorado to visit the high peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park.  When the snow clears, the parks many famous sights are on display: Trail Ridge Road, spectacular wildflowers, elk, waterfalls, and unique alpine tundra.  The family's big adventure?  A hike up Longs Peak, a Colorado "fourteener."  But afternoon storms begin to pelt the family during their training hikes, and they begin to question the wisdom of a nighttime summit ascent.

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN 978-0-7627-7970-3

Ridge Runner Rescue: Adventures with the Parkers- Great Smoky Mountains National Park

With their great-grandfather's journal as their guide, Morgan and James head east to the most visited national park in the country: the Great Smoky Mountains.  The twins and their parents backpack twenty-six miles along the Appalachian Trail, learning the park's unusual history and experiencing its amazing diversity- spotting both the synchronized fireflies and the world's largest salamander.  But will the adventure end when Morgan comes down with a mysterious illness?

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN 978-0-7627-7966-6

Rock Climbing

Have you ever wondered about rock climbing?  What skills and techniques are needed to climb safely?  Do you know who some of the most famous rock climbers are?  What is it like to climb the cliffs, crags, and spires of Yosemite National Park?  Find out the answers to these questions and learn other exciting facts in Rock Climbing.

56 pages,  Published by Perfection Learning
ISBN 0-7891-6043-9

Secrets of the Sequoias: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Take your kids on an adventure with the Parker family to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California.  Sequoias are the largest trees in the world- imagine a tree that's one and a half times bigger than a Boeing 747!  And it grows from a tiny seed the size of an oatmeal flake!  How does a sequoia grow so big?  Tag along with the Parkers- twins James and Morgan and their parents - and learn all about sequoias as they hike among the giant trees, explore dark caves, scramble up huge granite domes, and cool off in the spray from amazing waterfalls.  They even climb to the top of 14,494-foot Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower forty-eight states.  There's a new adventure at every turn, from encountering black bears to meeting an old man who lives in a giant log!  Lace up your hiking boots and join James and Morgan as they uncover the Secrets of the Sequoias!

ISBN 978-1560376569
160 pages, Published by Farcountry Press

Tale of the Scorpion: Adventures with the Parkers- Grand Canyon N.P.

The Parkers are back for another adventure in the Grand Canyon.  Morgan and James brave a steep twenty-one mile hike from rim to rim.  As they face heatstroke, exhaustion, and even a run-in with scorpions, they wonder, "Can we make the grueling climb to the top?"

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN 978-0-7627-7965-9

The Eye of the Grizzly: Adventures with the Parkers- Yellowstone N.P.

Join the Parkers as they explore the wonders of America's first national park, Yellowstone.  Twins Morgan and James marvel over the geysers, thermal pools, and the vast array of wildlife.  But when they come face to face with a grizzly, what will they do?

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN  978-0-7627-7972-7

To the Top of the Grand: Adventures with the Parkers- Grand Teton N.P.

In this latest installment of FalconGuide's Adventures with the Parkers series, the Parkers journey to Grand Teton National Park. While there they see moose, grizzly bears, elk and other animals while hiking the Teton Crest Trail, one of the most beautiful backpacks in the country. But when the parents hire a guide and attempt to scale the Grand Teton, things get dicey in the extreme mountain environment. Will they make it safely to the top--and back down again?

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN 978-0-7627-8274-1

Tornado! The Strongest Winds on Earth

Tim heard the faint sound of the loudspeaker- "Ladies and Gentlemen!  A tornado has touched down near Elm Street, just a few blocks south of the school..."  Tim panicked.  Elm Street!  His neighborhood!  His house!

56 pages,  Published by Perfection Learning
Hardcover ISBN 0-7807-7860-X
Paperback ISBN 0-7891-2871-3

Touch of the Tide Pool, Crack of the Glacier: Adventures with the Parkers, Olympic National Park

Join the Parkers as they journey to Olympic National Park in the Pacific Northwest, where they explore the tide pools along the coast, hike through Olympic's dense rain forest, and experience the famed alpine scenery and immense glaciers.  Treacherous mountain terrain could stop them in their tracks.  Could it prove to be ultimately too dangerous?

96 pages, Published by FalconGuides
ISBN 978-0-7627-7969-7

Two Makes One

Simon and Monty have been rock climbing for years. But Simon can't walk and Monty can't hear well. How do they get up that rock? How do they work together and communicate as a team?
And this time, when they climb, Simon discovers that there is more to the cliff they are scaling than the guides know about.

32 pages,  Published by Thomson Learning Australia
ISBN 0-17-011697-2

Underground Adventure

Floating in a stream, deep underground, is a vacation adventure for Nina and her parents.  They marvel at the glowworms in the caves and paddle through the eerie tunnels.  But then Nina gets separated from the rest of the group.  Alone in the dark, she wonders if she will ever get out.

32 pages,  U.S. Published by Harcourt Achieve Inc.
ISBN 0-7578-6937-8

Whale Rescue

Two teenagers wake up early to catch some waves.  They head to their favorite beach right at sunrise to be alone at sea.  Today, to their surprise, their little cove is inhabited by a stranded whale.  The surfers spring into action.  Can they save the whale?

40 pages,  Published by Educators Publishing Service
ISBN 0-8388-3342-X

Wolves

"Wolves don't live in this park any more.  They were hunted to extinction in this area over 80 years ago"...  While camping out in Glacier National Park, Kaitlyn and her dad notice some very odd things- paw prints, half-chewed animal bones.  It all points to wolves.  But there haven't been wolves in the park for a long time.  So what's been doing all that howling at night?

32 pages,  Published by Rigby Education
ISBN 0-7578-6892-4