Myths, legends, literature, lore and love of the watery world of finned creatures
Meditations on dementia, dying, growth and change
The Swans of Harlem, accomplished classical dancers, come to light
Author Dave Showalter takes an epic journey along the Colorado River, examining its perils and promise
Anthology explores the quest for acceptance by Black women, gender nonconforming and nonbinary people in nature
Author Shelley Read on Go As a River’s international success and the power of home
Born in Ohio but a resident of Colorado Springs since 1955, Beverly has watched the city grow. Achieving a BA from what was then Colorado State College with later graduate work at CC and University of Birmingham, England, she began a 16-year teaching career, 10 years freelancing and full-time volunteering, before spending 26 years with the Pikes Peak Library District. Author of the teachers' guide, History of the Pikes Peak Region, she is still surrounded by books and serves as a board member with the Friends of the Pikes Peak Library District.
Hiking With Kids Colorado: 52 Great Hikes for Families provides a guide for a hike a week within a year, detailing trails suitable each season—including winter—for the entire family. Inspired by son Brian, accompanied by husband Ben and championed by her own nature-loving parents, Colorado-based author Jamie Siebrase birthed this “how to hike with children” book. (See our review of Siebrase’s picture book Tonight! A Bedtime Story here.) Winter hikes include the “Pines to Peaks Loop”, a 1.1-mile lollipop shaped treading trail, easy to access from downtown Boulder, crossing three distinct ecosystems: meadow, ponderosa pine parkland, and forest. Another hike, “Lake Gulch and Inner Canyon Loop,” begins in Castle Rock within Castlewood Canyon State Park. The 2.2-mile hike begins easy and turns moderate, passing through ponderosa pine, Gambel oaks, mountain mahogany, and snowberry along the trail. Near Snowmass Village, “The Rim Trail South to Spiral Point” boasts iconic vistas. This is a 2.6 mile out-and-back hike that is moderate in difficulty. From the trailhead, hike west through aspen groves. This is a popular snowshoeing trail in winter. Siebrase offers useful details on subjects like trail etiquette and preparedness needs, as well as keeping canine-children leashed. The text is clearly broken down into seasonal hikes offering a variety of difficulty and distance explanations, as well as directions to trailhead locations, a familiar obstacle to the would-be family hiker. Legible trail maps show where to go once arrived and the book is peppered with fun facts. — Shelli Rottschafer
