All about the Appalachian Trail

by Leonard M. Adkins, Kirsten Halvorsen (Illustrations)

The Appalachian Trail is one of the most iconic hiking trails in the world and a testament to the power of cooperation. While hosting many famous hikers such as Bill Bryson and Grandma Gatewood, it is the thousands of unnamed volunteers that are the heroes of the AT today. Winding through fourteen states from Georgia to Maine, the Trail is cared for by thirty-one trail clubs, numerous partnerships, the National Park Service, and Appalachian Trail Conservancy. At 2,200 miles long, the trail attracts millions of hikers every year. In All About the Appalachian Trail , author Leonard M. Adkins lays out the history of the Appalachian Trail in its many facets. He includes its geological, ecological, and human history, as well as its history as a trail. By weaving these all together, the author allows the reader to better understand one of the world s longest hiking trails.

Genres: Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2020

Reviews

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 7 year old and I learned a lot about the Appalachian Trail, especially its history, from this interesting chapter book. B&W illustrations were interesting, and the details about the trail in each section made us even more eager to hike all of it. My only complaint was that some of the sentences were short and choppy in a way that felt like an editor swept through a more well-written book and edited everything for simpler sentence structure in an attempt to bring down the reading level. My 7 year old had no problem reading it to himself, but it wasn't very enjoyable to read strings of simple declarative clauses out loud, and I think even younger readers can handle more structural complexity.

Highly recommended for young fans of travel and hiking! I'd say 1st-5th grade would be best ages.

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book!