Camas & Sage: A Story of Bison Life on the Prairie

by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

In Camas and A Story of Bison Life on the Prairie, kids are invited to explore and discover the northern plains in a truly unique through the eyes and ears of a bison calf. From Camas�s first attempt to stand on wobbly legs, this tale of an adventure-filled first year will have young readers hooked. Full-color illustrations splash across the page, illuminating each of Camas�s firsts, including encounters with rascally prairie dogs, a crackling and booming thunderstorm, and irritable bulls. Kids won�t want to wait to turn the page to see what happens next!
Seasoned writer Dorothy Patent doesn�t leave anyone out of the fun. Sidebars brimming with interesting historical and natural history tidbits about the plants, animals, and humans with which the bison shares the prairie will intrigue older kids and adults. Topics range from the usefulness of dewclaws to the threat of wolves to the answer to whether the animals are actually bison or buffalo. Part fun narrative, part natural history, Camas and A Story of Bison Life on the Prairie clearly illustrates why the bison is North America�s most iconic prairie animal.

48 pages, Paperback

Published October 15, 2015

About the author

As a child, my favorite activity was exploring nature, especially finding animals like frogs, toads, and lizards. I kept tropical fish, had a dog, and loved riding horses. My love of animals led to a Ph.D. degree from U.C. Berkley in Zoology. In grad school I met and married fellow student Greg Patent. Our two sons, David and Jason, were born before we finished school. I wanted to use my training and my knowledge, but I also wanted to raise my sons and be there for them when they needed me. I decided that writing the kind of books I'd always loved reading was a good solution to my dilemma, and that turned out to be true. One of my favorite things is learning new "stuff," and every time I tackle a new book project I get to indulge myself in that passion. I'm a lucky gal!

Fast forward to the present. Our sons are grown and have their own families. We live in Missoula, MT, where Greg is now a food writer (http://www.thebakingwizard.com) and a radio personality (httpp://www.mtpr.org--look for Food Guys). My writing has expanded to other nonfiction topics, especially ones dealing with the Westward Expansion period of U.S. history. I've taught writing classes in many venues, visited schools in most U.S. states, attended many conferences for teachers and librarians, won a number of awards, and had great travel adventures in pursuit of my subject matter.