Finding Your Way: The Art of Natural Navigation

Grade 5-7-Dewey takes armchair travelers on a fascinating journey as she describes her experiences of being lost in the Jornada del Muerto Desert in New Mexico, the Antarctic wilderness, and in Tierra del Fuego. The interesting scientific details and engaging nature writing and observation mixed with a sense of adventure will captivate readers. The author describes how it feels to be lost and disoriented, and includes tips on and clues for using nature to regain one's sense of balance and place. Small sketches provide interesting tidbits of information about the surrounding landscapes, and clear color photos illustrate each chapter. Readers will learn some basics of orienteering through Dewey's travelogues as she describes the steps she took to find her way. However, this information is really secondary. What will remain in readers' minds is the author's acceptance and enjoyment of the journey, her wonder and feelings of connection to the natural world, the certainty that by using her senses she will find her way, and her fearlessness. Readers looking for real-life adventure and survival stories will enjoy this engaging account.
Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MD
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 4-6. Dewey tells several stories of becoming lost in various environments and then finding the way back. She recalls her own adventures in the Jornada del Muerto desert, in the Antarctic, and on a mountain in Tierra del Fuego. She also relates tales of a ghost guide who has aided rafters along the San Juan River and a girl who, navigating a small boat in a fog, was saved by her dog's sense of direction. In the last chapter, she reflects on finding her way in cities around the world. Dewey's easygoing, conversational style makes the stories quite accessible and interesting, and the excellent color illustrations by Stephen Trimble, mainly photos, support the text well. Still, the dull cover, combined with the low-demand subject, could make this a shelf sitter without a teacher or librarian to introduce it, perhaps by reading sections aloud. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved