The adventures of park ranger Anna Pigeon
have filled the pages of 16 books, and now her legion of loyal fans
can find out how her story began. After her husband’s death in 1995,
Anna leaves New York City to take a seasonal position at Glen Canyon
National Recreation Area. On a hike to explore the dry canyon lands
around Lake Powell, Anna literally falls into a mystery. Fighting
thirst and drug-induced delirium, she extricates herself from the
dry well and begins to unravel the who and why of her tortuous
ordeal. Barr’s luxuriant depictions of desert landscapes with its
colors and hues and details about Lake Powell’s tourist population
are interwoven into the narrative as an indispensable element of her
popular series. Anna emerges from this canyon escapade as a strong,
determined woman who plans to return to park service employment as a
law enforcement ranger, stating that “more women should carry guns.”
VERDICT Another awesome winner for Barr. [See
Prepub Alert, 8/1/11.]—Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern
Community Coll., Mount Carmel