I will begin by saying this series is really popular in my library and the mid-level readers love it - so I am excited to let them know a new one is on the way. While I overall prefer teen/adult reading, this definitely was full of information I didn't know. It was also presented in a way that I feel is accessible to its intended, younger audience. I thought the issues of genocide, removal, and other historical atrocities were handled in a way that was both age appropriate and respectful to the history - a fine line to walk! Overall, I think this is a good combination of art and knowledge for the younger crowd.

This was such a fun way to learn more about the National Parks. It tackled so many topics, but I was most pleased by the way it highlighted how land was taken from Indigenous peoples, the ways that celebrating the land could also hurt the land, and the negative impact of tourism on some of these sites (especially when not closely regulated). I loved the illustration and storytelling styles, though sometimes it was a little hard to follow when there was a lot of information. Overall, this was a great tool for learning / teaching about the national parks!

History Comics is a great series that tells history through comics - just like the name says! This issue tackles the history of National Parks. I loved this book! It was so informative, the drawings are cute, and the guides are Bigfoot and a bald eagle! I loved how indigenous peoples were also covered in this book as well as a variety of conservation issues. Definitely a must read!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to getting the paperback copy of this one and others in the series to put in my classroom. The illustrations were wonderful with vibrant colors which appeal to younger readers.

I thought this was fun and informative, but I questioned the author's comment at the end of the book that there was no 'being of one's time' and that things that are wrong today were wrong then (which of course, yes we know that now), but the idea that we can go back and say those people should have known better is a stretch to me. I appreciated the book addressed issues of racism and other discriminatory actions, but I had difficulty with the black and white of that statement. I'd still recommend this to juvenile readers.

This was a great brief history of national parks in graphic novel form. The pictures and coloring lent themselves beautifully to the story of how the national parks service began and evolved through the years. It did a wonderful job of showing both the good and the bad in the history of the NPS. Children (and adults) can learn a lot from this very accessible graphic novel, and it will leave readers looking for more information and eager to check out national parks, monuments, and more for themselves.

Falynn Koch, having previously worked in National Parks, provides a whistle stop tour of its history, in this latest instalment of the History Comics series. Koch shared her experiences and passion for the National Parks system in the foreword, and this passion shines through this graphic novel. She balances enthusiasm and positivity towards the initiative, whilst carefully balancing this with its difficult and sometimes controversial history. I particularly appreciated how she highlighted how Native American communities were not given a voice and were insensitively and often brutally removed from their homes-this was very important to acknowledge. History Comics: The National Parks is the perfect intro to a rich and complicated area of American History- perfect for graphic novel readers and budding American historians.

Really great focus on America’s natural forests and monuments. There was a lot of weight put on the fact that early white settlers pushed Native people off of their land, which I was SO glad to see was covered with the gravity that it should be.

I learned so much from this one!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot speak highly enough about this book. This comic provides an unflinching history of America's National Park system, while speaking openly and honestly about the challenges and sins of the past in an effort to inform a better future. The timeline in the back of the book helps provide a guide for those who want to reference what they've learned again, and further reading suggestions are wonderful for readers who have more curiosities to explore. I would buy this for my children, and think that it should be part of school curricula, as well. All around a wonderful, informative, fun book.

Follow Bigfoot and Eagle through an historical look at the founding of America's National Parks. Bigfoot embodies the spirit of National Parks and explains to Eagle, the embodiment of the American People, how they all came to be. We start off with Yosemite and Yellowstone, and take a look at what acts of Congress and presidential actions made pieces of the country into National Parks. We also take a look at the founding of Park Rangers, and what their role was in preserving the parks from human disruption. As the idea of parks changed, activists were able to argue that land of historical significance, not just natural beauty, could become a National Park, as is the case with Mesa Verde National Park.

There are a LOT of concepts and topics in this book, that is reportedly for children, that would take a lot of context to set up, but if readers have some of the prerequisite knowledge and/or a passion for learning about National Parks, this would be a good book for them. The narrator includes a lot of early exploration efforts, like the expedition of Lewis & Clark, and from the get-go talks about the injustices and genocides carried out on Native peoples in order to secure some of these sites (like Yosemite and Yellowstone). Readers without the knowledge of early Americans and how they treated Native peoples might be shocked and miss a good chunk of the context of the parks. This would be good for possibly older elementary or junior high students who have had a solid foundation of the history of the founding of America.

There are a few areas where the author tries a little too hard to connect with current readers, and the efforts will probably hit true for a few years but fall flat once the context of the situation is lost with time.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 6-10

This is a great addition to an awesome series! This series is perfect to middle grade readers and sure to be a hit with fans of the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales books.

I'm new to this series but really loved it! For Fans of Nathan Hales' Hazardous Tales, these graphic novels exploring different topics will be a new favorite series. Great art, great storytelling, and I loved that the narrator was Big Foot. Looking forward at finding more History Comics - these would be great to study in a middle grade classroom.

this was so fun and interesting!! i'm not american and i dont know a whole lot about the national parks and their history so i loved the very accessible way this was laid out and how it gave focus to the ways the parks haven't treated their indigenous people as well as they should've. i loved the bear and the eagle, i loved the artwork, and the timeline at the end, and i want to read more of this series

I believe we've read all the History Comics published so far in the series and different members of our family prefer different ones. I appreciate that they are all written by different authors and have a little bit of a different feel and focus. History Comics: The National Parks surprised me by being a bit more of a history of the people surrounding and in the parks. It is a look at the people who inspired and created the parks, the people's reaction to and use/misuse of the parks. It also looks carefully at the ways the people of America have changed in attitudes regarding what they expect from parks and what they are willing to give to and for our National Parks. I enjoyed learning a bit about the progress we've made, and am grateful for the ways we've learned to protect and preserve our landscapes, landmarks, history, ecology, and cultures. It's become a large and complicated task (and sadly, seems it will always be motivated by political and economic interests). My great-grandfather was an adventurer and landscape photographer in the West during the early 1900s, with his photographs sold to National Geographic serving as instrumental tools in the creation of many of the National Parks and state parks in Utah and the southwest. I can't help but appreciate the efforts of this book to teach us the history of preserving our lands and landmarks.

While I don't disagree with any of the statements regarding historical genocides or misuse of lands, peoples, or animals, I did feel the book went a little far in efforts to be political or controversial. I suppose it felt a bit contrived or blatant in parts, where we could have learned the same lessons in context of a good story. While the eagles made a sort of fun representation of the American people throughout history, the Big Foot as a graphic representation of National Parks was a bit flat for me and didn't draw me in or provide a connection. My children loved the fun animated narrators of the Mustang book (which had a similar feel), but the life just wasn't in this one. While I found it interesting as an adult, it was boring and convoluted enough of a discussion of the people (instead of the places/animals), that I can't see any of my children making their way through it.

The History Comics series is incredible and important, and this installment, "History Comics: The National Parks" is no different. It is an easily-accessible format for students and will help guide student understanding and interest.

This comic panel format history is a fascinating look at the personalities (and egos) behind the creation of the National Park Service. An introduction from William Gwaitney, retired assistant regional director of the National Park Service, sets a passionate tone for the NPS in his introduction.

The book uses two characters, Bigfoot and a bald eagle, to represent the parks and the United States and frame the narrative. They introduce presidents and naturalists, legislators and business tycoons, and famous properties. They also define preservation versus conservation, where they are at odds and where they align.

The system evolved from a single park that straddled two states (Yellowstone) to include all federal parks: national monuments, recreation areas, military sites, urban parks, historic sites and natural wonders. The book also briefs on funding and management, environment and wildlife issues, and Mission 66 in 1966 to address visitor services (entrance fees, parking, and visitor centers).

Missing is coverage of the National Park System going rogue and actively resisting President Trump, the creation of @AltUSNatParkService and it’s 72.9K followers, and the government seeking to overturn laws and protections that keep the parks and their environments clean. Koch does not shy away from the reality of lands being stolen from indigenous peoples, or from dark and tragic parts of our history.

The art is cartoony with a subdued color palette. The characters are slightly caricatured which matches the fun and informal tone of the book. As each park is established, a name and date appear in the panel, culminating with a timeline that covers the establishments of all the parks, from 1851 to 2019. The book concludes with resources for further research (title and author, monographs only).

Informative and enjoyable, this just might inspire junior ranges or at least a road trip to visit your closest park!

An engaging and enlightening history of the National Parks. It included details that this self-professed National Parks geek didn't even know!

This was a solid, brief overview of the history of how America's NPS came to be. It felt a bit jumpy at times with all these white men blurring together a bit as I scrolled through the story, but the art was fun to look at and I appreciated that the author tried to recognize the disenfranchisement that occurred due to the creation of these parks, but sometimes I think it could've been given a bit more importance. Still an interesting read, especially as someone who has worked in the park service.

First Second is a pretty stellar company that does graphic novels well. This is one of their series- history comics and this one takes people through the history of America's national parks and the hard-fought and downright despicable ways that allowed them to be monetized and trampled until America figured out a better formula.

What I do like is the consistency of the bald eagle and Big Foot representation of the parks that narrate and move readers through the story because it gets a little distracted at times to try to tell so much of the story that in a few places there's a lot of information on the page visually and written because there are threads about Indigenous people, various good and bad men trying to make a buck, the differences between conservationism and preservationists, that even they didn't at some points know what they were doing and what groups it was happening with.

Regardless, it's a peak inside national parks and understanding the value of getting out there and enjoying them and understanding how they came to be.

What a fantastic graphic novel!!

I learned so much about US National Parks and it was delivered in an entertaining way.

It was just the perfect length and had fantastic illustrations.

I would recommend this to anyone.

And now I want to go visit even more national parks!

Thank you to the publisher for my advance review copy.