One winter John Thompson skis across the Sierra Nevada Mountains and creates a path upon which mail and people may travel, thus earning his nickname "Snowshoe Thompson."

John A. Thompson was born Norway in 1827. His family emigrated to the U.S. just ten years later and by 1851 John was a young man, ready to try his luck in the gold fields of California. While he undoubtedly brought enthusiasm and determination with him to his new home, he also brought with him something the people of that region had never seen before: skis! Unfamiliar with the long thin strips of wood he strapped to his feet, people called them "snow-shoes" and Thompson acquired a nickname. Of the many interests he pursued in the years that followed-as a farmer, rancher, guide, trader, Indian agent and politician-the thing Thompson is remembered most for was his service as a dependable mail carrier, who made record time traversing the Sierra Nevada on those "snow-shoes," carrying the winter mail and keeping the lines of communication open for those who lived in the region. This is his story. Frank Tortorich captures the fortitude and stamina of this legendary Norwegian American whose strength and perseverance serve as a role model for today's youth."Snowshoe" and the historic town of Genoa are grateful!-Sue Knight, Friends of Snowshoe Thompson The author's knowledge and understanding of the Sierra emigration era serves as a background for what he has been able to express in this book. Tusen takk!-Nina MacLeod Caveat Lector (let the reader beware). Frank Tortorich's gripping account of the legendary life, legacy, and accomplishments of John "Snowshoe" Thompson is most captivating, and his excitement, enthusiasm, and interest in California pioneers and Gold Rush history are contagious. Ken Johnston, author of Legendary Truths, Peter Lassen and His Gold Rush Trail in Fact and Fable.

The Fields of Silver and Gold series brings the past alive. Meet the trailblazers and the pioneers, the first people and the famous explorers, the legends and the everyday heroes that shaped the history, land, and culture of the West. Their powerful stories will fascinate and inspire you.Fearless. Adventurous. Kind. Before the railroad made travel to the isolated communities of the Sierra Nevada accessible, Snowshoe Thompson endured the elements to trek across snowy mountains, facing frostbite, fatigue, and even wolves to deliver the mail. Thompson carried more than letters from home; he carried on his back the future of Nevada, saving lives in the process, on snowshoes of his own design. He is known as the founding father of snow skiing in California and has been honored for his bravery and service.

Danny wishes his dad would come home from Nevada for Christmas and writes him a letter to tell him so. When snow cuts off the mail until spring, only postman John Thompson can get through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to deliver his letter. "Based on a true story, this is lively historical fiction with a nice sense of character and adventure, [and] the illustrations are packed with feeling and action." —BL. Notable 1992 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)

One winter John Thompson skis across the Sierra Nevada Mountains and creates a path upon which mail and people may travel, thus earning his nickname "Snowshoe Thompson."

Papa will not allow Clara to learn to read—he says "Farm people like us do not have time to read." But when the traveling bookwagon, with persuasive Miss Mary at the reins, arrives at their farm, Papa realizes he must change his mind. Based on the true story of America’s first ‘bookmobile.’ "The free library in a nearby Maryland village is off-limits to the curious child, but Clara's chance encounter with librarian Mary Titcomb and the first horse-drawn 'moving library' changes her father's response. A glimpse of childhood without schools, libraries, literacy and books is presented in easy-to-read historical fiction." (Cooperative Children's Book Center) Clara and the Bookwagon is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level 3 books are written for early independent readers. They include some challenging words and more complex themes and stories.

Writing with verve and clarity, Mary Hill tells the story of the magnificent Sierra Nevada—the longest, highest, and most spectacular mountain range in the contiguous United States. Hill takes us from the time before the land which would be California even existed, through the days of roaring volcanoes, violent earthquakes, and chilling ice sheets, to the more recent history of the Sierra's early explorers and the generations of adventuresome souls who followed. The author introduces the rocks of the Sierra Nevada, which tell the mountains' tale, and explains how nature's forces, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, faulting, erosion, and glaciation formed the range's world-renowned scenery and mineral wealth, including gold. For thirty years, the first edition of Geology of the Sierra Nevada has been the definitive guide to the Sierra Nevada's geological history for nature lovers, travelers, hikers, campers, and armchair explorers. This new edition offers new chapters and sidebars and incorporates the concept of plate tectonics throughout the text. * Written in easy-to-understand language for a wide audience. * Gives detailed information on where to view outstanding Sierra Nevada geology in some of the world's most beloved natural treasures and national parks, including Yosemite. * Provides specific information on places to see glaciers and glacial deposits, caves, and exhibits of gold mines and mining equipment, many from Gold Rush times. * Superbly illustrated with 117 new color illustrations, 16 halftones, 39 line illustrations, and 12 maps, and also features an easy-to-use, interactive key for identifying rocks and a glossary of geological terms.