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by Ann Howard Creel The dangerous beauty of the West's great canyons and mountains always calls...there are the voices of the Old Ones, who are Madolen's ancestors, and the lure of gold and artifacts left behind by long gone occupants. This wild canyon country of the western United States was relatively unexplored at the turn of the century, but it was home to fifteen-year-old Madolen. She has lived with her prospector father since the death of her Navajo mother. A Mormon family offers a different kind of life for Madolen, and she leaves her father's cabin to live with them and learn about the outside world. She will help out with the never-ending work on the Olsen's farm and be educated in math, reading, and the Mormon religion. Her life with the Olsen family is a joy, and Madolen and the Olsen daughter, Claire, share a deep friendship. A tragedy intervenes, and Madolen leaves her home with them to become the guide to a handsome archaeologist as he explores the canyons for native artifacts. Ann Howard Creel provides rich historical detail about the Colorado canyon, the Navajo nation, and the attempts at gold recovery. Madolen is a compelling character, and I felt her joy and pain as she fell in love with Wallis, and shared her worry over her dying father. Always in the background is the Navajo man, Yiska Begay, watching over her. The story is narrated by Madolen in eloquent prose with colorful descriptions. The lure of gold and the natural danger of the canyon country is always just below the surface in this fast-paced, unique, and unpredictable story. I highly recommend this book for its entertainment and historical value. To read it is to fall in love with the girl, the country, and the author. I will definitely be watching for more from Ann Howard Creel. She also includes an extensive list of references in the back of the book for the reader's convenience to learn more about the historical American west. |
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Call Me The Canyon