The Three Sedonas

Book Review:

The Three Sedonas tells the true story of how the Arizona town of Sedona got its name. Heidinger wrote this biographical book to tell the story of her great-grandmother, whom the town is named after, and her journey to Arizona as a pioneer.

The book is written from the perspective of a Heidinger's 6-year-old daughter, also named Sedona, who tells the story of her great-great-grandmother. The young girl adds a little bit of her own perspective on the story, and how she imagines herself in a similar life to that of her great-great-grandmother. The original Sedona came from Missouri, and moved to Arizona when she married T. C. Schnebly. Sedona had many adventures in her new Arizona home, and lived the life of a pioneer in a vast, open frontier.

Heidinger strays from the story line of the namesake of Sedona, Arizona to make brief mention of other kinds of visitors to the West. She talks about her great-grandmother's daily activities, her great-grandfather's work, and how he named Schnebly Hill Road up to Flagstaff.

The illustrations in this book are large and colorful. Swanson uses oil paintings and adds a lot of detail to these illustrations. The scenery is gorgeous, just like the real Sedona, and the people are painted with emotion and liveliness. The paintings really capture the natural beauty of Sedona, and give it that untouched look it must have had a long time ago.

 

About the Book | Book Review | Children's Voices | About the Reviewer