Yellowstone (Wonders of America)
From the Ready-to-Read Wonders of America series, this book opens with the 1872 law that set aside land creating Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world. Naive line-and-watercolor illustrations glow with warm, vivid colors. One picture, depicting layers of the earth’s crust, provides a simple view of what is happening below the surface in a landscape dotted with unusual features such as fumaroles and bubbling mud holes. Besides geological elements, the book also introduces mammals living in the park and forest fires, acknowledging that mistakes have been madein management and allowing, Yellowstone still has a lot to teach us. Though written and designed for beginning readers, this short, colorful book would also be useful to share with younger children before a trip to Yellowstone, as most books available on the topic aim at an older audience. Preschool-Grade 2. --Carolyn Phelan