Snow Fleas and Chickadees

“Reading this graceful, engaging book made me feel as if the hurried, fragmented world had finally slowed down long enough for its finest secrets to be revealed. Eve Quesnel’s endless curiosity leads her to fascinating questions—and even more astounding answers—that enrich our understanding of the Sierra Nevada."
—Michael P. Branch, author of Raising Wild: Dispatches from a Home in the Wilderness and On the Trail of the Jackalope: How a Legend Captured the World’s Imagination and Helped Us Cure Cancer
 
“Snow Fleas and Chickadees is a delightful romp through California’s Sierra Nevada with a friendly, knowledgeable guide, examining not just the megafauna—bears and coyotes—but everyday wonders, such as algae and ants, fungus and fleas. This lovely book is the perfect companion whether out on a multi-day trek or a backyard amble and has therefore earned a permanent place in my backpack.” 
—Suzanne Roberts, author of Almost Somewhere: Twenty-Eight Days on the John Muir Trail
 
“Identifying plants and animals we encounter in nature is fun and challenging but it is only the start of a naturalist’s world. Wild things have amazing stories. Learning these stories adds richness and wonder to our world. In Snow Fleas and Chickadees, Eve Quesnel and Anne Chadwick pull back the curtain and share tales that will fill you with joy and awe. This book will deepen your appreciation and love of nature as you explore the Sierra Nevada.”
—John Muir Laws, The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada

 “In Snow Fleas and Chickadees, Eve Quesnel shows us how to view the world of mountain nature through her eyes. Her species descriptions are one of the many highlights of the book. Readers will want to pick this one up and read it cover to cover, it’s that engaging!”
—Tim Hauserman, author of Going It Alone: Ramblings and Reflections from the Trail

“Our community is infinitely more ingenious, colorful, and peculiar than we may realize. This engaging illustrated companion introduces twenty-one furred, feathered, leafy, and easily overlooked residents of the Sierra Crest, whom Quesnel calls dear friends. Thanks to her delightful guide, we too can get to know and love our neighbors in nature.”
—Cheryll Glotfelty, editor of Literary Nevada: Writings from the Silver State 

“Take this book, find a cozy well-lit place along with the warm comfort-drink of your choice, and start turning pages. Venture forth with Eve Quesnel to, as she puts it, “Take a morning coffee walk.” Whether in the dark of winter’s dawn, square shouldered against ice stinging winds, or strolling her neighborhood, sun spangled and bustling with life, she invites you to join her as she observes, the natural world around her. Questions she might have, flow through accounts, along with gem-like nuggets of information about a myriad of subjects and characters all having to do with the Sierra Nevada. Adorned with refreshingly animated illustrations by Anne Chadwick, this book celebrates the wonders to be found when we venture forth, slow down and pay attention. For this gift of her unique perspective, we should all be thankful.”
—Keith Hansen, author of Hansen’s Field Guide to the Birds of the Sierra Nevada  

“I’ve been on walks with Eve, shared her coffee, hugged her mutts, and relished many of the treasures she has discovered so very close to home. Snow Fleas and Chickadees opens her Sierra Nevada treasure chest for any reader who cares to join her on her daily jaunts. Please do—you’ll love every step of the way.”
—Ann Ronald, professor emerita of English, Foundation Professor, University of Nevada, Reno