TUNDRA was the first book I wrote and illustrated that was published. It received rather wonderful reviews, especially:

*review "......non-fiction at its finest." School library Journal, September 1986 Outstanding Science Trade Book of 1986 The Children's Book Council

This work had its beginnings, although I didn't know it at the time, when I spent almost two years in Alaska during sixth and seventh grades. We lived on Shemya, a remote island in the Aleutians, which is all tundra, meaning there are no trees. One of the things I remember most about living on the tundra is the great openness of the land. From even a small rise you can see forever. At least that is true when the weather is good, which is seldom in the Aleutians.
The idea for writing the book actually came to me while visiting the alpine tundra in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. There I saw some of the same plants that grow in Alaska and recalled that feeling of endless vistas.
The next summer, in preparation for the book, I took a three week canoe trip in the Barrenlands west of Hudson Bay, just south of the arctic circle. Alex Hall, a wonderfully experienced guide, lead our group of ten down the rivers and across the lakes of this magnificent country. There we saw caribou, wolves, musk oxen, moose, and many other animals. We were plagued by mosquitoes which is why I am wearing a headnet in the picture. Nevertheless, I was fascinated by the enormous scope of the land and the small, hardy plants.
To supplement my first-hand knowledge, I spent many hours, before and after the trip, reading about tundra from every source I could find. The Russian Embassy was very helpful in providing information about the tundra of Siberia and the people who live there.

These experiences rekindled my interest in the far north, and since then I have traveled quite a bit in northern Canada and Alaska. I am, as one person I met pointed out, drawn North. Tundra is now out of print but I am planning a new version for younger readers, this time based on my experiences in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.