Most people associate Alcatraz with notorious criminals such as Al Capone, but few think of children. Some children, however, did grow up on "the rock," and this is their story--from the earliest Indian children to those whose parents occupied Alcatraz during the 1969--71 Native American protests. In between, children of lighthouse keepers, soldiers, and prison authorities played on the grounds and called it home...
-- Booklist

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For large orders:
Walker Books
ISBN-10: 0802795781
ISBN-13/EAN: 978-0802795786

I Am Sacajawea, I Am York:Our Journey West with Lewis and Clark
Illustrated by Higgins Bond

The two lost voices of the Lewis and Clark expedition finally speak.

When Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery set out in the spring of 1804, they had chosen to go on an unprecedented, extremely dangerous journey. Unlike others in the group, two key members did not choose to go on the hazardous expedition: York, Clark’s slave, and Sacajawea, considered to be the property of Charbonneau, the group’s translator. Sacajawea and York were essential to the trip’s success. Her knowledge of the land and his superior hunting skills proved invaluable to the Corps. The dual stories of these two outsiders shed new light on one of the most exciting and important undertakings in American history.

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Walker Books
ISBN-10: 0802789196
ISBN-13: 978-0802789198

Gold Rush Women
Co-Author: Jane G. Haigh
Ages 12 and up, 126 pages, 68 photos, study guide available.

"Alaska: where the men are men and the women are left out of the story--until now! This fantastic book pays tribute to the women who trooped north during the Alaskan and Ysukon gold rushes and the Naive women who welcomed them. Most of these women's stories had been forgotten."
—THE BLOOMSBURY REVIEW

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Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company: Alaska Northwest Books
ISBN-10: 0882404849
ISBN-13: 978-0882404844

Gold Rush Dogs
Co-Author: Jane G. Haigh
Ages 12 and up, 120 pages, 84 photos, study guide available.

"Just as Muir used Stikeen to enliven his lectures more than a century ago, so do authors Claire Rudolf Murphy and Jane G. Haigh use dogs as an engaging focal point for Gold Rush History....It almost seems possible that the Gold Rush couldn't have happened without dogs."
—The Bark

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Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company: Alaska Northwest Books
ISBN-10: 0882405349
ISBN-13: 978-0882405346

Free Radical

"Combining an unusual theme with a well-developed and broad-ranging plot, Murphy has created an insightful and involving story. In the summer between eighth and ninth grades, Luke McHenry is ready to put all of his energy into playing the best baseball he can and making the All-Star team in Fairbanks, AK. Then his mother drops a bombshell into their quiet life..."
-- School Library Journal

This book is out of print.
Please contact the author to purchase a copy.
Houghton Mifflin Company: Clarion Books
ISBN-10: 0618111344
ISBN-13: 978-0618111343

Daughters of the Desert
Co-Authors: Mary Cronk Farrell, Meghan Nuttall Sayres, Betsy Wharton and Sarah Conover.
Ideal for readers of all ages. Study guide available.

This groundbreaking collection of short stories breathes new life into the old tales of our female ancestors in faith. Daring, brave, thoughtful, and wise, they played important and exciting roles in the early days of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

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Skylight Paths Publishing
ISBN-10: 1594731063
ISBN-13: 978-1594731068

Children of the Gold Rush
Co-Author: Jane G. Haigh
Study Guide Available

"Features children's stories from the exciting Alaska and Yukon gold rushes of one hundred years ago. A colorful, album-like mélange that reflects the diversity of the children's lives."
-- starred review School Library Journal

This book is out of print.
Please contact the author to purchase a copy.
ISBN-10: 0882405489
ISBN-13/EAN: 978-0882405483

Gold Rush Winter
Illustrated by Richard Waldrep

Klondy hasn't seen her papa since he left to look for gold when she was a baby. She and her mama are finally joining him in Alaska. What will her new life be like? Will her papa have time for her or is he too busy hunting for gold? Based on events in the life of Klondy Nelson.

This book is out of print.
Please contact the author to purchase a copy.
Random House Books
ISBN-10: 0307264130
ISBN-13: 978-0307264138

The Prince and the Salmon People
Illustrated by Duane Pasco
Study guide available

Different versions of the Salmon People legend have been told for centuries by many tribes of Northwest Coast Indians. Though the tellings may differ in detail from tribe to tribe and era to era, all versions express the Indian belief that animals have spirits and can move freely between animal and human realms, choosing to feed humans when approached with proper respect and ceremony. Claire Rudolf Murphy's thought-provoking tale about the interdependence of humans and animals is based on anthropologist Franz Boas' accounts and on interviews with Tsimshian elders and craftsmen.

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EWU Press
ISBN-10: 0910055831
ISBN-13: 978-0910055833

Gold Star Sister
Ages 10 and up

...Carrie, a sensitive 13-year-old, is very close to her grandmother, who is dying of cancer. Caught in the middle between her glamorous older sister, Lisa, and the younger, slimmer Molly, Carrie is often the odd person out. Gram's illness, however, brings the girls closer together...Carrie's discovery of Gram's "Billy box" full of letters written during World War II unveils a surprising family secret...Carrie also finds an unopened letter from a dying soldier to his infant son that was never delivered...Murphy has created a thoughtful, tenacious young narrator in this heartfelt novel. The sibling rivalry is well portrayed, as is the stress felt by the entire family in caring for a loved one who is ill.
-- School Library Journal

Visit your local library for copies
ISBN-10: 0970443706
ISBN-13: 978-0970443700

A Child's Alaska
Photos by Charles Mason

Our forty-ninth state is bigger than Texas, California, and Montana put together. What is it like to grow up in a land with more animals than people? Alaskan children play and go to school like children everywhere. But here their game might be the Eskimo high kick or the classroom might be built on floating timber at a logging camp. Commemorates, in words and pictures, the wild and civilized wonders of living in Alaska. A perfect introduction to the 49th state for young readers.

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Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company: Alaska Northwest Books
ISBN-10: 0882404571
ISBN-13/EAN: 9780882404578

Caribou Girl
Illustrated by Linda Russell
Kindergarten-Grade 3

The story of a young Inuit girl's quest to bring the caribou to her hungry people. With the help of an amulet that belonged to her great-grandmother, a shaman, Caribou Girl becomes one of the herd. As she lives with the animals through the seasons and learns their ways, she is led by the voice of the caribou spirit. When she finally returns to her people, she teaches them to follow the herd and brings them hope for the future.....
-- School Library Journal

Visit your local library for copies
Originally published by Roberts Rinehart, which was acquired by
The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group in 2001.
ISBN-10: 1570981450
ISBN-13: 978-1570981456