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Denali National Park and Preserve
Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve includes more than 6 million acres of rugged, untamed wilderness. Author David Aretha tells the compelling story of Denali's history, including climbers who have lost their lives trying to reach the summit of Mount McKinley, and the wildlife found there. Readers learn about the glaciers, lakes, and tundra in the park, the hundreds of small earthquakes that occur there each year, and activities like sled dog demonstrations and hiking.
* Reviews *
Tens of millions of years ago, clashing tectonic plates created the 600 mile chain of Alaskan mountains that includes Mt. McKinley or, as it was traditionally and is now again called, Denali. This title in the Americas National Parks series introduces report writers to the geology and history of this wilderness area and the founding of Denali National Park in 1917. Not till 1794 were Europeans even aware of the spectacular mountain range, further described by prospectors and climbers in the nineteenth century. Beginning in 1913, Charles Sheldon, member of an explorers club, began his campaign for a national park to preserve wildlife and protect the rugged area from mining and other development. Readers will learn about arctic wildflowers and fauna of the taiga and tundra, including moose, wolves, grizzly bears, and the beautiful Dall sheep. Despite its early isolation (until a railroad and some roads could be built), hiking, camping, and climbing Denali have become more common now; the remote park is purposely underdeveloped, so trips there are very expensive. Photos in this book are better than in others of the series, though the main focus is to direct students to thirty appropriate Internet sites where further exploring can be done (sites are linked to the publishers website). A good deal of information is included in the reader-friendly text, but writers who have access to a computer will find more spectacular visuals on the National Park Services official Denali National Park and Preserve website: (http://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm). Part of the MyReportLinks.com Books series., Children's Literature
RL
Grades
6-7 IL
Grades
6-12+ GRL
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