First published in 1918, The Trail Book is now considered a classic of American nature writing. It is essentially a frame tale set in the New York Museum of Natural History, where two children discover displays that come to life and admit them into a series of exciting adventures that include talking animals and magical travels through the vast landscapes of the pre-Columbian continent. Along the way, the children discover the lifeways of the ancient Native Americans and the natural worlds they inhabited, as well as the impact on both Indians and wildlife from contact with European explorers and Euro-Americans. Told by a variety of narrators, including some of the animals, the stories offer a perceptive and sympathetic view of the natural history of North America and of Native American-white relations. This new edition of The Trail Book includes an afterword by Austin scholar Melody Graulich that addresses Austin's motives in writing the book and its significance as an early example of interdisciplinary multicultural literature. The illustrations by Milo Winter that enlivened the original edition are included, as are Austin's appendix giving historical background and a glossary of Indian and Spanish names. Ultimately, The Trail Book urges readers young and old to recognize that history and culture existed in North America well before 1492 and to pass that history on to the next generation.
