great photos by Tom Walker (wonderful wildlife photographer) that both adults and children enjoy ( so reading to my nephew is just as much fun for me!) the poems by Tom walker are very catchy (but once again not annoying for an adult to read over and over and over again!)

I bought this book (along with some other children's books about Alaska) when we visited the state four summers ago. Our son was 6 at the time. Wild Critters was his (and my) favorite!

It is sweetly amusing--with a photograph of a "wild critter" on one page and a short poem about it on the opposite page. A musk ox, fox, mountain goat, grizzly bear and many others are the subjects of these delightful poems. Each poem captures a quality that a young child--and the adult reading it--can relate to. For example, in a poem called "Back Seat Loonacy", the baby loon cries, " 'Are we there yet? Are we there yet?' Still the same old beat. No we are not there yet, why don't you try to eat?" My personal favorite is the poem for the Musk Ox, titled "Flower child". In part, it reads: "Few can understand me and some say I'm a slob. All they do is tell me, "Get a haircut, get a job".

The titles of the poems are amusing and inviting: "Pfine pfeathered pfashion" is about the ptarmigan and "The arctic waterbed" is about the polar bear, and so on. The photographs of the animals in their natural habitats are outstanding. They are either amusing (the grizzly trying to scratch his back on a post) or endearing (a baby caribou peeking around its mother).

I've emphasized the creative, delighful nature of this book, but it also teaches a small child much about the animals depicted: about how animals camouflage themselves, about how sea otters eat, about how fast a snowshoe hare can race across a field. An added surprise (which I loved because it's so subtle) is that each page number sits on a color imprint of the track of that particular animal.

I highly recommend this book to parents with children ages 3 and up. Even older children taking poetry in class can enjoy the simple, clever rhymes and use them as models for their own poetry.

In closing, I'll quote one of the most endearing poems--"Peekaboo caribou": "With nowhere else to go to hide from one another, I found the safest place to hide is right behind my mother". Enjoy.

I loved this book! It is sensitively and realistically written to encompass the beauty and unpleasantness of one winter in Alaska. Very easy reading, it will take you through a full range of emotions with ease. A definite reread for me!

Having read this book 4 times since 1990, I still find joy every time I pick it up. Whether reading it straight through or reading random entries Mr. Ramsey teaches us to appreciate the little things that make life worthwhile. Living in Northern Maine I can relate to a number of his references about animal neighbors and how warm 10 degrees can feel after minus 20.

This book has touched me so, that I have begun to keep my own journal of nature and the seasons.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is full of funny, touching, fearful and even mundane moments. Some will have you laughing out loud and some will bring a tear to your eye.

If you love the natural world around us and long to get away from it all, this book is a delightful escape.

Great bear photo and great shots of Denali and Wonder Lake. If you like to dream of Alaska, get this calendar.

As a former long-time Anchorage resident, I can say that this is a well-written, informative guide for people of all skills. Whether you are local or visiting, there are maps, directions, and a condensed, detailed write-up, without excess fat.

The climbs range from the recreational family journeys to the hardcore hikes. The authors obviously have spent much time on each of these trails.

There is even a nice touch of history in the guide.. you can tell there was good research done off the trails too.

The black & white photos are there but can't do the land justice. Get out and go.

This is a MUST HAVE book for any visitor or Alaska resident who wants to get out and about and enjoy the outdoors in this part of Alaska. Those of us who have lived in Alaska for many years still use this book every summer for our day trip or weekend adventure planning, as well as for longer trips. I give this book as a gift to both summer visitors and people who have just moved here. It is accurate, clearly written, has good maps, easy directions to the trail heads and has the necessary safety information for folks not used to things like mosquitos, bears, and stream crossings. I get the latest edition every time it comes out to check out the most up to date trail information.

Out of all the travel books I purchased for my Alaska trip this one proved to be the most entertaining and useful. When I recieved this book I expected just another guide book but I couldn't stop reading - the anecdotes and suggestions were as compelling as a good novel. It felt like a nice, long letter from a friend who wanted to be sure I had a great trip. While traveling I found most of their suggestions right on the money. I tried the activities they suggested and was glad I steered clear of their warnings! It turned out to be the only guide book I brought along that I actually used regularly on the trip. One draw back is that there are very few maps of the smaller local areas and the maps that are included do not give you a sense of scale. Also, the title is a bit of a misnomer, I almost did not order this book because I thought "adventure guide" meant it was only for sportspeople, kayakers and campers. But that is far from the truth, this book is great for the independant traveler who wants a leisurely trip, as well as a person who wants something a little more challenging.

Provides all the information needed for brief or extended solo trips in Glacier Bay National Park. Includes excellent summaries of a dozen multi-day trips including trip highlights, photos, distances, ratings of difficulty, likely hazards, hints for locating campsites and maps suitable for scoping your trip. Also includes additional resources you may need in the appendix along with phone numbers. The book gave me the courage and information I needed for my first long, solo trip in a wilderness area. An excellent addition to my library.

Goo

Whether you live in Alaska or travel across it by cruise ship or air or some other means--this beautiful book is for you. On each glossy page there lies something for every tourist and local. Rich photos of the common cruise ship sights, from the deep blue glaciers of the inside passage to little Skagway sitting on the hillside, all the the cruise ship ports are captured by Fred Hirschmann's lens. Aerial views of Anchorage, Juno, Mt. Denali--it's all here followed by interesting explantions of life in Alsaka. I originally saw this book in a little shop at the Port of Juno and immediately wanted it, but it was only for display--how happy I was to search and find it here on Amazon! I highly recommend this book--large, clear photos and excellent journalism will keep your memories of Alaska in perfect order and will bring your friends into the bountiful beauty of the land with which you fell in love.

Now in a newly revised, updated, and expanded third edition, Alaska: The Cruise-Lover's Guide by Paul and Audrey Grescoe continues to be a simply terrific and "user friendly" supplementary resource to enjoying the best that an Alaskan cruise has to offer, from sightseeing wildlife to observing or participating in exciting sports and events. Gorgeous color photographs enhance this exceptionally practical and nicely organized travel guide written for both the casual as well as the enthusiastically active tourist or vacationer.