Clemente Guzman – illustratör

In December 2004, an aging black Labrador retriever on the first hunting trip of her long, good life spooked at the sound of gunshot and was lost amid the frigid rice fields of the Texas coastal prairie. For a week her owner searched for his old companion, knowing that her age and inexperience were stacked against her survival. When family obligations pulled him halfway across the country, sadness and gloom pervaded the approaching holiday. Then a freak snowstorm, a distant phone call, and a friend’s lucky timing brought an unexpected reminder of the magic of Christmas. The regular feature Scout in Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine is named after this remarkable dog. Here is the true story of her winter adventure.

Napakō, the Coahuiltecan word for "our journey," is the captivating and authentic Indigenous creation story of how people came to be on Mother Earth. Napakō, Our Journey: The Coahuiltecan Creation Story and the Sacred Springs is based on the creation tale of the Coahuiltecan people who for 14,000 years have occupied the surrounding lands of what is now known as San Marcos, Texas. The book is a retelling in written words and illustrations of the oral tradition as it has been told by Indigenous storyteller María Rocha.As seen from a child's perspective, the main story tells of spirits who once lived in the lower world, but when they became people, they needed to live in the upper world. It follows their journey as they are guided by animal spirits to the upper world, traveling through a portal of water to live above on the surface of Mother Earth. With facts about the Coahuiltecan people, the San Marcos Springs and Spring Lake, and the animals who live in the surrounding area, Napakō, Our Journey is an inspiring and educational introduction to the creation beliefs of one of the most widespread Indigenous peoples in Texas and northern Mexico.