In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt asked conservationist John Muir to take him camping in California to learn about Yosemite’s giant trees. The experience turned the president into a fierce protector of wilderness areas, and impacted the development of the national park system. Author Notes.

This book explored how the birth of National Parks in our country. The pictures were, for me, the best part of the story. One illustration made you turn the book vertical in order to show how small Teddy and John Muir would have looked next to the Giant Sequoias. I knew who both Teddy R and John Muir were before picking this book; however, I was surprised to learn that Teddy R had read a book by John Muir about America's great disappearing forests. This book inspired Teddy to write to John Muir and set out on a camping trip with Muir in order to better understand the problem of disappearing forests. While camping, Muir would tell Teddy stories of his previous adventures, including one story of Muir fighting a grizzly bear. Teddy responded that he would like to see a grizzly and Muir told him none were left in Yosemite; they were all shot. Teddy was more determined to start a National Parks program to save these animals and plants and giant trees. It was his hope that his children and their children should be able to enjoy nature as much as he and Muir had. The founding of the National Parks movement had begun. Both Teddy R and John Muir are buried under tress near their home, which I thought really drove home the point about how much they loved nature. ( )

After going on a camping trip together, Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir helped establish the protection of millions of acres of National Forests and Parks.This is a great story, based in truth, about how conservation efforts of America's wild lands came to be. ( )

This is the story about how National Parks came to be. What I love most about this book is how the author makes two incredibly influential men so relatable to a younger generation. One was she does this is by giving the two men nicknames. Together, Theadore Roosevelt and John Muir go camping near Yosemite where they discuss the importance of setting aside land so that generations to come can enjoy it as much as they do.

Going on an adventure to the past will help our students really focus in to what has brought about our National Parks. This book is fun and engaging, really getting us to feel like we were in that time period. ( )