Arizona

In the desert, children build an imaginary town called Roxaboxen, on a rocky hill amidst the cactus and ocotillo, with houses outlined with bits of desert glass and two ice cream parlors. Wonderfully illustrated, this is a family favorite! (Picture book)

Illustrated history of the Grand Canyon. When Teddy Roosevelt visited, he said, the Grand Canyon is "the most wonderful scenery in the world." Read about the Native Americans and early explorers to the canyon, geology and wildlife, Grand Canyon today, plus fold out map. (Chapter book)

Take a walk through the Grand Canyon, to discover its amazing geology, plants and animals, starting at the bottom with the oldest formations. Gorgeous illustrations of how it might have looked millions of years ago, fossils preserved in rocks, animals of each zone, such as condors, desert tortoises, bighorn sheep, capture the wonder of the Grand Canyon. (Picture book)

As day turns into night, the saguaro cactus blooms with white fragrant flowers, flowers that appear once a year. Wonderful illustrations, the desert comes alive! (Picture book)

A saguaro cactus seed sprouts under a palo verde tree. After fifty years, the cactus blooms and produces fruit, which a woodpecker comes to eat. The woodpecker makes a nest inside the cactus, and soon other birds and animals come to live in holes, a cactus hotel. (Picture book)

Ride down the Colorado River with John Wesley Powell, the intrepid one-armed explorer, as he enters the Great Unknown (Grand Canyon), battling a raging river and near starvation, with no idea of what lay ahead. Super photographs, fast-action illustrations and first-hand accounts. (Illustrated chapter book)

People live at the bottom of the Grand Canyon today, and the mail is carried in on mules. Take a journey down the trail with the postman, wearing a cowboy hat and chaps. Panoramic two-page illustrations into a unique landscape. (Picture book)

Before visting Hoover Dam, read the exciting story of this engineering feat – choosing the location, diverting the Colorado River, pouring the concrete, installing the generators. Two page spread of the dam and historical illustrations. Good for older kids. (Picture book)

Humorous retelling of a trickster tale, Coyote meets a flock of crows and wants to fly. The crows give him feathers, but find out why Coyote is now the color of dust. Delightfully illustrated and fun for younger kids. (Picture book)

As you travel around Arizona, you’ll see distinctive Native American motifs everywhere. Kids will have fun coloring masks, pottery, Kachina dolls, dance ornaments, rock paintings. (Coloring book)

Also: Ancient Indians of the Southwest

Kids will want to try fry bread in your trip around Arizona. This dish originated with the Navajo over 150 years ago, and is popular in Native American communities throughout U.S. Warm and delicious story, plus recipe for fry bread. (Picture book)

P.S. We had tasty fry bread tacos at the Cameron Trading Post near Grand Canyon.

Activity book of mazes – trails through the Grand Canyon, puzzling pottery, climb the ladders in a pueblo, hop through the desert, find the treasure in a gold mine, help the big horn sheep at Hoover Dam, and more. (Activity book)

Grab your sungasses and come see extraordinary deep canyons and sandstone valleys, amazing desert cactus, and wildlife, dinosaur fossils, enjoy arts and crafts of Native American people and fun food – sopapillas, tacos, tamales, tostadas. Delightfully illustrated! (Picture book)