Squirrel and John Muir <small>by Emily Arnold McCully </small>

All of characters peopling this work actually existed, as do the geographical locations. The author has taken this information, the different personalities and traits of each individual character and blended them together into a story that might have been.

This tale is mainly about Floy Hutchings, whose nick name was Squirrel due to her Tom Boy ways, rebellious nature and general free spirit and her encounter with America's most famous Naturalist, John Muir. Around 1868 the Hutchings family owned a hotel and what we would now call a "dude ranch" in the Yosemite valley where Floy pretty well ran wild, causing trouble for not only her family, but also rather annoying the tourist who came to visit. "A very strange little girl," it was noted by more than one visitor! The Hutchings family needed help in constructing some buildings and when John Muir showed up at the front door seeking work he fit the bill, as he was rather skillful in constructing, inventing and handy with tools.

Muir had come to the area to observed, gather facts, write and publish his theories that the region was originally formed my glaciers; a fact which was not accepted in the scientific world at that time.

This entire book is the story of the possible relationship between this wild and rebellious young lady and John Muir who passed his love of nature, the land and his philosophy on to young Floy. Muir was about 30 years old at the time and had not come into his own and was not internationally known as he later become. This story is a sweet one, well told emphasizing the love, wonder, delight and tenderness Muir had toward nature and his ability to pass it on to the next generation.

We have a very well written text here that tells us a story that while probably not absolutely historically accurate, certainly passes along the true spirit and nature of the individuals involved. It is a story that not only might have been, but really should have been.

The art work, in the form of double page water colors is an absolute marvel to examine and relish. The artist, who is also the author, has captured the grandeur of the area perfectly while not neglecting small details while at the same time perfectly portraying Muir, Squirrel and the other characters. Visually this book is a true treat.

The author has provided the reader with a good afterward letting us know, briefly, what became of both Muir and Floy, which I found to be quite interesting.

Now please take note. There are some very nice reviews posted on Amazon about this book, but a couple of points must be made. First, Floy (or Squirrel) was NOT Muir's daughter! Second, Floy Hutchings did not live to become a famous guide in the park, but was rather killed at the age of 16 in a tragic accident. This in no way should be construed as criticism of these reviews, only a bit of friendly adjusting just to keep the reader straight.

This is a great book to help children become interested in the natural world around them and to introduce them to one of the greatest men in our history. It is a great read along book and a wonderful picture book to just leaf through and enjoy. It belongs in ever library, and indeed, in ever child's private library. This is a work that is a joy to read to the little ones and it leave the reader plenty of room to add more information as the book progresses...I like that.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks