JOHN MUIR AND STICKEEN

A cover illustration draws the reader into the historical setting in the Alaskan wilderness of 1880: three men row desperately in an open boat as a dog clings precariously to the prow. That dog is Stickeen, who was part of an expedition headed by John Muir to map Alaska’s glaciers. He initially resented the dog’s inclusion in the group, but after the harrowing experience of being lost together in a storm, Muir developed great respect and affection for him. This story is based on Muir’s own journals from his trip and his other writings and sketches, and the volume’s format includes journal pages written in first person. An explanatory note indicates that these journal entries are “not meant to be reproductions of Muir’s journals,” leaving the reader unclear as to the parameters of fact and fiction. Nonetheless, the story has an engaging main character and striking illustrations that capture the majesty of Alaska’s wilderness. An afterword gives more information on Muir and his legacy, and sepia-toned endpapers provide a map of Alaska and sketches of a Tlingit dancer and totem poles. (Nonfiction. 6-10)