Page 12 - FINAL fall 2014 magazine

By Sharon Schaaf

If you enjoy reading books about our beautiful Southwest and then
sharing your favorite reads with family and friends, check out the book
collection at the Elements Gift Shop in the Red Rock Canyon Visitor
Center. Here are a few selections that might give you a gift idea for the
holidays.

True West Magazine was started in 1953 and pub- Activities and references are included to help you get

lishes monthly. The goal of the award-winning maga- even more information about the history, geology,
zine is to keep the spirit of the Old West alive, going plants, insects, animals and people of national parks
beyond the legends and tall tales we see in movies or from Arches National Monument in Utah, to Mesa
television shows. In 2005 their editors selected twen- Verde National Park in Colorado, El Morro National
ty-six articles from past editions and put the stories Monument in New Mexico, Grand Canyon National
together in a book entitled “True Tales and Amazing Park in Arizona and our very own Valley of Fire State
Legends of the Old West.” Park and Red Rock Canyon NCA.

The book includes names we’ve all heard of such Award-winning “Why the Moon Paints Her Face
as Sacagawea, Wyatt Earp, Pancho Villa and Bill Black” is a beautifully written and illustrated book
Hickok and those not so famous like female rodeo for young readers.
champion Vera McGinnis and lawman Orlando Cedar City, Utah,
“Rube” Robbins, Texas cowboy and grandson of resident Eleanor Tom,
slaves. It includes the downright weird O Homo, a member of the Cedar

Alfred Packer and John Shaw; you have to read their Band of Paiutes, tells
stories and see the photos and illustrations to believe the story of the stars,
these three really existed. the sun and the moon
as she heard it from
“The Redrock Canyon her grandmother, then
Explorer: A Virtual adding her own slant. University of Utah linguistics
Visit to an Imaginary student Chloe Valentine Brent transcribed Eleanor’s

Canyon,” written and telling into English and Southern Paiute, a major task
illustrated by Irene Brady,
since Paiute is not a written language. Most of the
is a useful reference for illustrations are done by Utah Paiute children. The
families living near red book includes a wonderful read-along CD of the story
rock parks, monuments in Paiute and English, demonstrating the beauty of the
and conservation areas in
Paiute language.
Arizona, New Mexico,
Colorado, Utah and Nevada. The guidebook is easy- All three of these books are currently available in
to-use and filled with excellent illustrations. the Elements Gift Shop. Happy Shopping!

Page 12