My Tata’s Remedies
Los remedios de mi tata
By Roni Capon Rivera-Ashford
Illustrated by Antonio Castro L.
(Cinco Puntos Press $17.95)
Illustrations can often make or break a picture book and this one is no exception. This series of beautifully written vignettes, each telling the story of one patient’s health problem, is well complemented by Castro L.’s illustrations. The colors are extremely warm and the characters so lifelike as to invoke a feeling of being right there with Aaron and Tata, his grandfather, in his shed full of herbs. Each story of these natural remedies is written in both English and Spanish, providing a wonderful teaching and learning experience for readers of all ages. Herbs used are described at the end of the book (again in both languages) with their common and botanical names included. El libro es un tesoro!
— Mary Kim Dodson
San Xavier del Bac: Portrait
of a Desert Church
By Bernard L. Fontana with photographs by Edward McCain.
(Southwest Mission Research Center. $12.95)
It’s unlikely that anyone knows more about Mission San Xavier del Bac than Bernard “Bunny” Fontana, University of Arizona anthropologist, historian and ethnologist. In 1956, Fontana set up housekeeping within a mile of the church at the edge of what is today the San Xavier District of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Since then it clearly has never been far from his thoughts. With this volume, described by the publisher as an updated and revised version of material originally published by the Tucson Corral of the Westerners, Fontana shares the results of 50 years of research and erudition.
Beginning with the arrival of Padre Eusebio Kino “to save men’s souls,” Fontana provides a readable account of the life and times of the “White Dove of the Desert,” placing it within an historical and cultural context that informs our understanding of the religious and civil events that impacted not only the mission but also the indigenous people who are its near neighbors. The Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries and pastors who served at San Xavier de Bac are discussed in chronological order, and special mention is made of St. Katherine Drexel’s contributions to the mission’s school.
Accounts of repairs and renovations over time and the personalities key to preservation efforts round out this valuable record of a Tucson landmark.
The volume provides a photographic record of the mission’s history as well as many color plates of its artistic treasures that originally appeared in “A Gift of Angels,” the 2010 collaboration between Fontana and photographer Edward McCain.
—Helene Woodhams
Sammy Seeks his Stance
By Virginia Case.
(CreateSpace Independent Publishing. $12)
Sammy is a 50-year-old saguaro cactus (young by saguaro standards) and he is ready to grow his first arm. But what direction should his arm take? This is too important a decision to be made alone so Sammy gets advice from older cacti, who all tell him something different. Still uncertain, Sammy hops a train to New York, where inspiration awaits in an unlikely place. Photos of Sammy and his saguaro family, who live on the western slope of the Santa Catalina Mountains, illustrate Virginia Case’s charming book. As an added bonus, intrepid young readers can locate all of the geo-cacti pictured in the book using the GPS coordinates supplied by the author.
—Helene Woodhams
The Ravenous Raven
By Midji Stephenson.
(Grand Canyon Association. $14.95)
Raven’s appetite knows no bounds, and he finds plenty to consume in his Colorado Plateau home. With a wiggle and a jiggle and a slurp and a blurp, he ravages berry bushes, clears out nests, swallows other animals whole and even dive bombs a picnic basket, all the while taking pride in growing girth. But wait—can he really claim his chubby place at the top of the food chain when a hungry hoot owl appears?
Midji Stephenson, author of the award-winning “Whose Tail on the Trail at the Grand Canyon?” is a former teacher and librarian with the Pima County Public Library. With Ravenous Raven she offers a lively and entertaining story that will keep kids giggling while they discover what dinner time looks like among the ravens in canyon country. With brilliant and hilarious illustrations by Steve Gray, this is a perfect picture book for a rollicking read-aloud. The inclusion of easily understood FAQs about ravens is a valuable addition, making this a must for libraries, schools, and any child’s Southwest book shelf.
—Helene Woodhams
A Walk Down Memory Lane
By Gloria Kalil Zlaket
(GKZ Publishing, $10.95)
Longtime Tucson resident Zlaket reminisces about her early childhood on Jacinta Street, years spent at Tucson High School and the University of Arizona, and her role as wife, mother and businesswoman. Along the way, she presents loving snapshots of her birth family (her family founded and owns the Kalil Bottling Company) and life with her husband Attorney Tom Zlaket, past Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice, including dining with George W. Bush and Lady Bird Johnson.
— Vicki Ann Duraine
Who Are We? Science and Spirit Answering with One Voice (Well Almost)
By Ellwood W. Norquist
(Cosmic Connection Publishing, $19.95)
Norquist was born into a family of devout Baptists in rural Minnesota. Troubled by the strict doctrine that portrayed a loving but fearsome God, he began his life-long journey toward enlightenment exploring the juxtaposition of science and spirituality.
Norquist spent much of his life in education before retiring to Tucson, where he continues his studies. This is his third publication and includes anecdotes, contemporary publications, historical references and biblical passages.
— Vicki Ann Duraine
The Haunting of the Mexican Border: a Woman’s Journey
By Kathryn Ferguson
(University of New Mexico Press, $24.99)
In language as stunning as the landscape, Ferguson retraces the 15 years she spent documenting Northern Mexico — including the changing culture of the Rarámuri people, wrapped high in the Sierra Madres. The strong ties formed negotiating both the terrain and local practices, and the ongoing border unrest, prompted Ferguson’s involvement in cross-border issues. She joined the Samaritans, combing trails for migrants in distress, and fell in love with a Mexican living in the U.S. without papers — all revealed with feisty, fearless, sympathetic Baja-Arizona sensibility.
Ferguson is a local performer and coauthor of “Crossing with the Virgin: Stories from the Migrant Trail.”
— Vicki Ann Duraine
Winslow Girl: the Life and Times of Leona Koenig Schnebly
By Lee Marie Schnebly
(Cider Press, $12)
A retired Tucson therapist, Schnebly recounts a more innocent era growing up in Winslow. Apparent is the attachment and affection she continues to hold for the place and people, many who have remained lifelong friends, summed up in a quote from her brother, Paul: “We got our starts here and left our hearts here.”
— Vicki Ann Duraine
