John Muir: Naturalist and Explorer Book

A short biography of man who founded the Sierra Club, from his Scottish roots to his boyhood in the Wisconsin wilderness, his travels to California, and his work as a ...

Carol Raker Collins - Children's Literature

The portrait on the cover of this biography shows the young reader that the father of our National Parks and the man who founded the Sierra Club was once young too. This is the story of a man's lifelong love of the wild and a dedication to exploring it, writing about it, and conserving it. The book spotlights John Muir's Scottish beginnings, his early relocation to the Wisconsin wilderness, his 1,000 mile walk down through the eastern U.S. to Florida, his unplanned trip to California, and his subsequent adoption of Yosemite as a cause. His marriage, fruit ranching, two beautiful daughters, and travels all over the world are highlighted. The book is laid out attractively and edged in a gold tassel and brown leather-like design to mimic a nineteenth-century notebook. Photos, drawings, and pages from Muir's own notebooks and letters are included as well as maps, a timeline, glossary, index, sources, and Web sites. One in a series of "Famous Explorers of the American West," this brief book could capture the imagination of a budding explorer or writer. To find more about Muir's life, such as his adventure in Alaska with a dog named Stickeen, the reader may turn to Muir's own books. 2003, PowerKids Press/The Rosen Publishing Group