Stella and Roy Go Camping
PreSchool-Grade 2Stella & Roy (Dutton, 1993), last seen pedaling around the park, go camping in the mountains with their mother in this attractive picture book. Stella has just learned to read and she comes armed with a book about animal tracks. Her younger brother is hoping to spot a bear. As they hike to their mountain-lake destination, Roy keeps finding tracks he thinks were made by a bear, but Stella disabuses him of this notion, showing him the pages in her book where the relevant coyote or marmot or raccoon tracks are displayed. After the family has made camp, eaten, and retired for the night, Roy is awakened by the sound of an intruder. He peers out of the tent and sees a brown bear trying to reach their food in its plastic barrel. The next morning, Roy has some bear tracks to show Stella. This gentle slice-of-life story with its satisfying conclusion evokes a feeling for the glories of camping. At the same time, Wolff imparts a surprising amount of information about the flora and fauna of the Sierra Nevada in her handsome linoleum-cut illustrations enhanced with color.Miriam Lang Budin, Mt. Kisco Public Library, NYCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.